Poets United Prompt- Smell

The first drops of rain,
too small to be seen,
hit the parched earth below.

An earthly fragrance
of wet mud
lingers in the air.

The world:

bathed in myriad hues,

some invisible.

Poets United Prompt- Forgiveness

You barged into our lives
and your arrival was a curse
from the most wrathful of gods,

You were
maybe an old witch,
filled with bitterness,
for benevolent people
cast a ray of light
on your bubble of darkness;
and you were blinded.

You came,
with curses in your mouth
and weepy tales of times bygone,
immersed with sadness so constricting
that you failed to see
the sun still rises in the east.

How could we share your sadness?
We don't live in bubbles so small
that we see only the black within:
we live in psychedelic now.
We fear the darkness
and dread the abyss
we'd be dragged in
if we'd sit with you to listen
to those weepy tales of times bygone.

We are cruel in our fear
and we know it.
Can that in you
which remains untouched by evil
forgive us?

There's a dam in my heart,
of memories, not too old,
of the joy of togetherness
and the pain of parting.

Amazing Grace

Do you believe in a miracle?
Yes I do.
Life is a miracle
So I do.

Life sprang, not from a fountain
but from two humble cells.
How could they contain
what it takes to make humans dwell?

How could a zygote, tiny little thing
explode suddenly
to make every thing
of a creature's body?

So do you believe in a miracle?
Yes I do.
Life is a miracle
So I do.

The Nest on My Window Sill

She flitted across the branch
to the window sill
with twings in her beak
and a motherly air;
and soon enough:
a cozy little nest,
tightly weaved,
of feathers and twigs
and an assortment of things
with a small hollow in the centre.
The mynah sat there for days.

Small blue eggs
appeared suddenly
in that hollow.
The mynah,
still a little fat,
flew in and out,
hovering protectively,
glaring suspiciouly
at the miscreants
dared to interfere with
her labour of love

A few days later...........
Tiny voices,
sqeals, maybe chirps:
some where inbetween
filled the room.
Thin delicate necks
craned for food
and pink hairless heads
peeked out to receive
the nourishment of worms
that would give them
strength in their voices and wings.

The birds flew out,
leaving but one behind.
The nest was pushed out
of the window sill.

Poets United Prompt-#25 Weird

The fly
would fly
in the sky
looking for another fly
to fly
with in the sky
in the sly.

The fly
would fly
in the dark night sky.
He would fly
with his lover fly
in the sky
in the sly.

The Twilight is Meltingly Now

The sky has become
the ripeness of dusk
and soon we'll be draped
in a glittering black blanket
of a starry sky;
and the earth will bask
in the cool light of the moon
that inspires lovers and poets.
The twilight is meltingly now.

Let go

Let the dam of
Emotions break; cast the pretences off;
Tell yourself that it's okay;
Get off your high horse; ease the build-up away;
Or simply put: shed the tears off.

Someone deliciouly forbidden:
Hugs and kisses; bites to be hidden;
It was all headily sly
Veins throbbed  (someone's coming! oh my!)
All that's past not forgotten

The darkness:

a botomless pit.

I'm falling

A blizzard-
howling outside home.
I'm warm.

I Like Cycling

I like the silence
that comes with
a round of robust cycling.

I like the serenely green trees
and the chirping birds
and the gust of wind hitting my face.

I like the thoughts
washing over my mind
as i concentrate on traffic.

I like flowing
with the traffic,
deciding where to go.

I like being alone,
separated from the crowd
by a humble vehicle.

Saw neither the grime nor the dirt;
Was just glad that I got a berth.

Twirls and whirls
and whirls and twirls,
Life is twirls and whirls.

I am not the girl whom you think I was:
I am the woman whom you never saw.

Damn the Seeker!

Who knows what the future will hold,
of the great tragidies untold.
The past looked bleak:
the future looks bleaker.
But few still do seek
an uncertain future.
Damn the seeker!

Damn the seeker who knows
that the future is bleak;
even in a bleak
future does he seek
a few reassurances that look
a lot less bleak:
temporary joy in life does he seek.
If the end is bleak
then why should he seek?
Damn the seeker!

If bliss is inertia
and inertia is bliss.
Then can i be inert
in motion that IS?

Words

Words must be floating in the air
Words are here and words are there.
A poet is urged to catch them from the air,
To seek them out from here and there.

To fashion something from the wealth
Of words, to catch them by stealth;
Of hidden words there is a wealth
And they can be caught only by stealth.

They are so clever at hiding.
Infront of your eyes they may be residing
But a poet has to shake them out of hiding
By stealing them from where they are residing.

Silly Rhyme

It was by my fate
that i issued The Golden Gate
by Vikram Seth
of serial number 7788.

Alone in a Crowd-II

I can say that i'm really alone
When i am not on my own;
When even amongst people i am alone
Is when i wish i was on my own.

Why does it always seem to me
That people are conspiring against me?
They seem to be determined not to let me be
Only because they want to be.

I feel like i'm swimming
Against a current and not with it;
The rest of the world seems to want to go forward,
But i for one want to go backward.

Why does the world make me feel
That i have to be something?
Why can't i savour the beauty of not being?
It is in being a disaster i'm seeing.

A mind cannot work when veiled
By fears of what would happen if it failed
To do what it was made to to
By those only to be who do.

A human when free
Is the best of what beauty can be.
If a human wasn't free
Then would he be?

Alone in a Crowd-I

Alone in a crowd
That's who i am.
But am i proud
Of who i am?

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Déja vu

Why do I feel that I knew something
that I knew it would happen;
and I saw it happen then
when time was elusive as it could be,
and in the murky maze of dreams
I couldn't see what surrounded me.
Or so it seems.

She haunts me in my dreams................

Her eyes may be
turquoise depths of a pond;
as black and angsty as
burnt coals.
But they seem to
conceal within themselves,
something that may never reveal itself,
like an ornamented chest,
that may contain a treasure.
But the key is buried,
in the depths of her psyche,
as impenetrable as
the centre of the earth.

Why does she stand like that?
Leaning against a surface,
neither smiling nor unsmiling,
but the mouth fixed
in a mocking smirk.
She seems to be amused,
as she wordlessly watches
 me struggle with her,
as i decide who she is
and what I want her to be.

A couplet

When one is born another dies.
When one laughs another cries.

What happens when you get a thought?
A thought that comes straight from the heart.

A thought that you want to catch and treasure.
A thought whose profoundity you can't measure.

It's like a bolt out of the blue.
An extraordinary facet of an ordinary you.

It leaves, for a moment, devoid of words
and makes you soar like a flying bird.

It also brings about a range of feelings,
all of which may set your head reeling.

It's something you want to explain.
But how to it isn't plain.

It causes chaos inside your mind, yet you are quiet.
It's the very thought that will make you a poet.

Maybe it's the realisation that saints have aspired for,
for which seekers have travelled wide and far.

But it's beautiful, even if it's a cherished dream.
After all, the human mind doesn't have seams.

Ah! Summer Holidays

Ah! Summer holidays
Days filled with fun and frolic.

Days when you stretch into shapeless relaxation
savouring each second as it passes by.

Days when you cut through a pool of water
and feel it flowing backwards
as you swim forward.

Days when you lick countless ice-creams,
letting the frozen treat slowly melt into your mouth.
Only to slurp it hastily, as it becomes a puddle.

Days when you sit infront of the t.v
and watch too many a movie
and lose yourself into the delightful world of make-believe.

Days when you meet up with old friends
and do many silly things together,
enjoying each moment of their company.

Days when you meet long lost relatives
and feel the bond of family again,
which will keep you going till the next meeting.

Days when you explore the city
and marvel at it's vastness and beauty
and fall in love with it.

Days when you wonder,
how to finish holiday homework,
even when you have time hanging loosely on you.

Days when you stare up at the bright night sky,
wishing you could see a star.
But the moon is as radiant as ever.

Days when you go off,
to far away, exotic lands,
so refreshingly different and new.

Days that will elapse in the blink of an eye.
Or days that will lazily drag on
and make you wish
that life ought to be a long summer holiday.
But they will never fail to arrive next year
and make you live fully again .

Ah! Summer holidays...........

My growth as a Writer and as a Person

I'm growing, Slowly, gradually,
Word by word and poem by poem.
I am discovering who I am,
Thought by thought and muse by muse.

I'm groping into the depths of my psyche,
For those golden words of inspiration;
Great ideas are turning up like unexpected treasures;
The deeper I go more gems I see,
But the depth of my psyche I can't measure,

It'll be an interesting journey,
I assured myself when I started.
The mine is very deep and unpredictable;
I have got so much more than what I wanted.

I find a burrow.
Sometimes a burrow diverges into two;
Which one should I go into?
I'll choose the one that poses a greater risk.
Occasionally, I may choose the other.

What lies at the bottom,
At the bottom of this bottomless mine?
This I cannot fathom.
But all burrows will eventually lead me to the bottom.

I may also encounter the remains a skeleton,
Pressed under a heavy rock.
I want to remove it- it symbolises my darker nature,
The path of my journey does it block.

I'll keep collecting all the gems I've found,
With the beauty of my nature, by them am I bound,
As I go along, these gems will be converted to jewels
I'll give them away to humanity. 'It's a gift', I'll tell.

I'm still wandering,
These networks of burrows are never-ending,
Maybe I'll hit rock bottom some day.
But that day is far away.

I was a young girl, safe and sound.
Within the confines of values, I was bound.
I was an obedient child, who listened to her mother.
To explore my deeper thoughts, I didn't bother.

I am an adolescent now, and a fire inside me seems to rage.
Those values of safety are like the bars of a strong iron cage.
Hows and whys constantly baffle me.
In my mother's words no reason I see.

Why do I have to be kind and good?
Why am I not free to 'wear' my mood?
Why do have to follow each and every dictum of society?
Aren't these norms a curse to the creativity of humanity?

Why can't I explore my colourful personality?
Of unexplored things there is an infinity.
Why is the world confined in little trvialities,
How you present yourself and those so called aids of personality.

Isn't there suffering in the world everyday?
Why don't we concentrate on taking it away.
It's better than 'being' good I say.
A noble deed would make my day.

A million rebellious thoughts cut across my head like a knife.
These thoughts bring great strife.
Maybe time will settle my inner turmoil.
But inside my soul does restlessness still boil.

These iron bars are being broken.
Maybe they'll become something else.
They'll not confine me.
They'll make me free.
They'll make me calm and happy.
But what they'll become I can't see.

My Sister , the Sleeping Beauty

My sister , I say is a sleeping beauty .
To torment me into wakefulness she feels it's her duty .

Every day during the twenty second hour .
All of us squeeze into this small bed of ours .

During the twenty third hour , we know she has slept ,
Because her heavy leg over my torso she has kept .

After some time , she has twisted herself into a coil .
I think ," Of moving so much why does she toil ? "

Then after some time I feel a kick .
At an odd angle her legs does she stick .

Like an ace footballer does she kick away .
These kicks are intentional I must say .
She infuriates me with her antics even during the day .
To infuriate me further into the night she has found a way .

She dances like a bharatnatyam dancer - ta taka thai , taka thai , taka thai ,
Her foot repeatedly kicking my sore thigh .
" When will she become stable ? " , I wonder with a sigh .
Time seems to drag , it doesn't fly .

She pushes me .I push father .Father pushes mother .Mother pushes father .Father pushes my sister .She pushes me .
An excellent explanation of Domino Effect this may be .

She crunches up like a frog , buttocks in the air .
To drape a blanket over her tiny body , she doesn't care .
My sympathy for her increases by a manifold .
I gently cover her ,protecting her from the cold .

Ah! Now all is calm .
The cold stillness of the night is like a balm .

I am floating gently , drifting off to sleep .
My breathing is slow,rhythmic and deep.

The next morning makes itself known .
I feel soreness in about every cell I own .

I look up . The little devil doesn't look like she has been dancing all night .
In fact her face is a jolly sight .

Today I'll set this little devil right .
But sadly , I suffer every night .

Parting

It's like the quiet before a storm
Tense and apparent .
Both of you can forsee ,
The winds , the thunder and the rain
And you know that there will be pain.
You just know the inevitable ,
That you have to part .
The silence is wrenching your heart .

All what's unsaid ,
Is somehow articulated in the heavy silence .
The flaws in each become glaring .
But the restraint is more painful than the forseen arguing .
One thought is mutual though ,
Why have the sunny days gone ?
Why have the clouds suddenly shown ?

Suddenly , the first breeze of parting blows .
It is small and insignificant .
But before it's forgotten , the winds start swirling .
On the skies can be seen , a long bolt of lightning ,
Followed by a clap of thunder , loud and booming .
Now the inevitability of parting is positively looming .

Both of you shout and scream at each other .
In solitude you cry .
All the unsaid thoughts start raining down ,
With such force that they become hail .
Inflicting deep wounds that will leave scars behind .

The rain ceases but the winds don't .
The clouds are looming over your heads .
The silence descends heavily , like a blanket of mist .
When will the clouds empty themselves again ?

It rains again with lesser intensity .
The words aren't as painful as the stones of hail .
But they manage to bruise your skins .
The clouds are emptying themselves .
But will you be able to wait ?
When will the sun appear meekly behind the clouds ?
You don't know .

Your friend leaves you behind ,
But no longer a friend ,
In search of a sunny spot .

You are left , standing in the rain ,
With tears pouring down your face ,
And pain searing through every part of you .
You come to the realisation that you have to move .
To search for a better place ,
And wade through the muck in search of firm soil .
Which is your only refuge from the rain .
Leaving all those pleasant memories behind ,
Which will continue haunting you .
your heart is heavy ...............

Train Journey

Chugging along with varying velocity ,
It offers a window to India's diversity .
Through the windows is seen .
The India that I heard of , but remained unseen .

An India that consists of villages and lush fields .
And rows of crops with rich yields .
Cows and buffaloes , hens and cocks .
Dense forests , hills and boulders and rocks.

Trees with branches long and snaking .
Many grasses , some green and some yellowing .
Underneath a bridge , flows a wide river .
On the waters , float many a streamer .

There are ghettos and there are slums .
Now the view looks pretty glum .
Poverty is stark all around .
I can see that I've landed on the ground.

There are giagantic factories with heavy machinery
They are the spoilers of the tranquil scenery .
The chimneys belch out so much smoke ,
I'm surprised that life hasn't choked.

The station edges near and near .
The platform becomes more clear .
Signalling an end of a long sojourn .
Bringing a full stop to this train journey .

Death

It somes slowly
Creeping towards you like a lizard on the wall
With soft steps
That become louder as the feet progress .

It's an occurence far away ,
Your near and dear does it steal away .
When they're stolen with might you grieve
Your own demise you can't perceive .

But about that occasion you often ponder .
"What happens then ?",Do you often wonder .
"Where will it lead me to?"
"Is there life after death ?Is it true ?"

The prospect of death scares you too .
When in some form or the other it glares at you .
You know your moments are measured and few .
Neither do you want life snatched away from you .

But sometimes it is an unimaginable blow .
You don't expect it at all .
It doesn't bother to warn .
An accident's disguise does it often don .

Sometimes it just approaches you ,
Taking you in it's dark caress , which becomes a tight grip .
But fortunately it releases it's grip on you
And leaves you free , only to take you again .

Now death is far away .
You don't worry about it night and day .
But it just flits across like a thought
A new zeal to live has it brought .

Is death as frightening as it's made to be ?
Time will tell and we'll see.

Birthdays

Another year has come and gone ,
Another birthday has finally dawned .
Bringing with it a new chapter of life ,

How I wish , a child I should be forever
To be weighed down with responsibilities never .
To be enclosed in safety's bosom ,
In a place where life is a bed of roses and a shower of blossoms .

But a part of me wants to grow
Seeds of opportunities in life's soil , I'm willing to sow .
Even if I have to encounter bugs and pests and rocks and stones .
The difficulties will never never break my spirit , even if they break my bones .

But life is a constant tug of war .
Am I a child or an adult ? I am not so sure .
Sometimes I want to be safe and sound .
But I also want to live a life of responsibility , I have found .

I am going to take everything in my stride .
Sometimes I'll swim along , or I'll direct life's tide .
I'll be cared for and I will care .
I'll absorb all there is and all what I have , I'll share .

A Boring Class

Yawn !! , I am in the middle of this boring class .
How I wish it would get over fast .
The teacher is going on and on and on ,
About some alien concept that's making me yawn .

Why can't i get out of here ?
If i do , my fate i'll fear .
God , when will the bell ring ?
I'm waiting for the sound of that joy inducing ting - ting .

How i wish she'll go mad and dance .
But no , of that there isn't a chance .
She is too sane for her own good .
This glaring truth is spoiling my mood .

Perhaps the loudspeaker will fall on her head .
Then for good she'll pass out , and be stuck in bed .
Wouln't it be excellent if she wouldn't return forever .
But this idea is not too clever .

Because the loudspeaker is too steadily fixed to the wall .
Of it's fall , there is no chance at all .
Okay then , forget it .
If she finds out what i am dreaming , she'll throw a fit .

Ouch ! What has hit my head ?
" It is a chalk " , my partner has said .
I say , " From where ? "
She says , " There "

She points towards the teacher in rage .
Who now looks like a tiger in a cage .
She looks at me with an expression such
That I regret my inattention very much .

She says to me , " You dreamer , get out of my class "
I think , " Yipee !! In fun my day will pass "
Just as I am on my way out ,
I hear her shout .

" Don't children have manners ?
Can't they say sorry when they err ? "
Just before she plunges into a lecture , rings the bell .
Finally , some relief from hell .

I am not Alone

I am not alone .
The world is filled with my kith and kin .
I am not alone .
Perhaps the story of our life is different
But the path is the same .
The pursuits aren't so
Some may want riches or wealth .
Some may seek knowledge
A few may strive towards fame
Some inch towards excellence
While a few desire peace and health .
But all want eternal happiness , don't they ?
All go through those brief moments of happiness
And those moments of anger and pain
Those moments of wonder
The few moments of realisation
And painful experiences of humiliation .
Therefore , I am not alone .
Yes , those feelings strike us at different times .
The circumstances aren't the same .
But there are also those feelings of unity
Those strong waves of togetherness .
A strife exists still
when the differences are made stark and similarities discarded
Maybe this strife may end
When humanity breaks down the walls of differences
And we embrace each other as we are
No matter what the intricacies of the character
Then maybe everyone will be saying
We are alike so I am not alone .

Why doesn't life give them a second chance ?

Why do some babies die ,
even before they learn to cry ?
Why do a select few birds fall from the sky ,
when the first time they decide to spread their wings , into the open sky .
Why are there eggs that never hatch ?
Or crops that don't grow from a well prepared patch ?
Why do some flowers wilt before they bloom ?
Why by danger are all lives doomed ?
So many dreams are crushed ,
When the life from a body is flushed .
So many missions crash before they start ,
leaving behind gloom in the dreamers heart .
Why does life choose a few and not all ?
Why even before their rise , do some fall .
Fall so badly that they never rise again .
It is difficult to get the hope to rise again .
Why doesn't life
Give those seeds the chance to bloom and rise ?
Why doen't it give them a second chance ?

A New Year Wish

The tree has shed it's old leaves ,
now it's branches are bare .
I'm waiting for that golden moment ,
when my vision , of the shoots of a challenge , gets a proper share .
A challenge so insurmountable ,
that it takes every ounce of energy I have .
A challenge which makes me wise and able ,
which I feel does difficulty enable .
This challenge should elude me .
Huge and mountanious it should be .
Just when the summit is in sight ,
there is more to climb , realise I might .
It matters not whether the summit I reach ,
But I should get something to learn and something to teach .
I don't want medals , i don't want an award .
The immense satisfaction of learning and improving will be my only reward .