Monday, 8 March 2021

Payback

 

They looked at us helplessly

As we, through their world plundered away,

Burnt down forests chopped down trees,

Leaving most of them astray

 

They assured themselves often

Saying it was only temporary

Soon our needs will be satisfied

Then they'll have nothing to worry

 

Years rolled by and turned to decades

They turned to mother nature with questioning eyes

For our needs, they understood, were endless

And Mother Nature herself paid the price

 

And we ignorant fools went about life

Believing we are forever invincible

Busy engaging within ourselves a strife

Ignoring all signs which were visible

 

Then one day, quite unexpectedly,

We were hit by a force, invisible to the eye

But the army of virus attacked virulently

Our best laid plans went awry

 

Panic drove us helter-skelter

Burrowed in, alone, lives bland,

They finally came out and roamed free

Yes, Mother Nature had reclaimed her land.

Beloved Friend

 

Beloved Friend



I walked miles each day

In sunshine and in rain

Only because you sat with me

Whenever I paused when in pain

 

I could climb up to the tallest tower

And see the world below

Coz you walked a step behind

And not let my fears show

 

I could laugh at sights I saw

Even if we were in a closed place

For you never let your fear

Show on your beautiful face

 

I could sit on the bench for hours

Soaking in the wondrous sight

Only because you sat with me in silence

Taking in the beauty so bright

 

I struggle for words to thank you

I don't know where to start

But I know you will understand

For you feel the same in your heart

The Rhine

 

                                            The Rhine

 

I walked up the forest path

To a summit not so high

Found myself a lonely bench

Nothing above but the clear sky

 

Down below winding serenely

Flowed the beautiful river Rhine

The sun shone on waters blue

Causing it to glow and shine

 

Far away, on the other bank

Nestled in the mountain fold

A lonely castle, which stood the test of time

Revealed tales previously untold

 

I sat for hours quietly and alone

Looking at nothing particularly

Taking in this breathless sight

Absorbing every moment intently

 

For I know years later

In a sad or pensive mood

I can close my eyes and be transported

To the banks of the Rhine where I once stood

 

I know I shall experience once again

The comfort, bliss, solace divine

Those feelings I absorbed years ago

Sitting alone on the banks of the Rhine

Wednesday, 1 August 2018

Yearning for a lost love








She stood by the shore on the soft sand,
Gazing at the ocean so deep,
A mile away far from land
Formed waves,so strong and steep.

They gained speed as they rushed to the shore,
Just like the thoughts in her mind.
Came crashing down on the sand,
Rushing, destroying, not so kind.

The pain of his loss hit out like a wave,
Lashing at her heart and soul
Peace and quiet she did crave,
Before pain swallowed her up whole.

One phone call had changed her life
As she recalled that dreaded night
She cried and tried everything she could  
To hold on to him with all her might

The storm within her intensified
Her only companion was grief
The tears, to stop, in vain she strived
They did, but for a moment too brief.

The outpour she thought would pave the way,
To a new found feeling of peace.
Yet the wound so deep was there to stay,
The  pain, on extended lease.

Will she  ever overcome, she wondered long
The torment, ache and anguish.
Time will heal, they say, and make her strong
Yet all she does is lament and languish.

The Path Ahead
















I sit here lonely every night,
Searching for answers that evade,
No strength to stand up and fight
Watching all my dreams fade.

Is it societal pressure? At times I wonder,
Or the love for my only child?
That urges me to stay , I often ponder
While I suffer in silence inside

For oft I find myself in a quandary
Unsure where I am headed
Leaving behind all and sundry
As I walk the lonely path ahead

A New Road




Recovery isn’t about going back to how you were, but creating something new
Breaking free from the shackles of the past can be done only by a select few

The journey to a new world should be welcomed with pomp and show
The challenge of change is arduous though, leaving you with scars in tow

Your new life is within reach, beckoning you like a beautiful bride
As long as you can take the thorny path leading to it, in your stride.

The Cherished One



Apple faced, tiny and delicate,
They put him in my arms and asked me to hold,
I looked at the bundle and did contemplate
How he would change my entire world

He would cry so loud and I never ceased to wonder,
How a tiny tot could bring the house down
And his wail could break my heart asunder
Till I picked him up night and morn

His innocent smile was so charming
Looking at him all worries dissolved,
The infectious laughter so beguiling,
My world,  around him revolved.

Sunrise



As the skies turn a crimson hue
Dispelling the darkness of the night
And the waves this morning gently roll
Quite unlike yesterdays might

The shades of midnight turn a soft blue
Right before my very eyes
Welcoming new hope, no time to rue
Just what the wise would advice

As the orange glow of the big ball of fire
Turns the blue sea to gold
You cannot but stop to admire
A wonderous sight to behold

Nature tells its story each day
If only we’d stop and listen
Learn from lessons that come our way
As our mind and soul awaken

Cactus - The uncrowned king of the desert


Head held high, standing alone and proudly,
On the  sandy, dry landscape, it was
Seemingly untouched by nature’s fury
Silently braving the storms across.

Where does it garner the strength to live and thrive
When others in its place would perish
To manage alone it does contrive
The rare rains which it does cherish

Facing the wicked world with a thorny exterior
Lacking both friends and foe,
Known the world over as a proud survivor
The uncrowned king of the desert show.

Friday, 22 September 2017

Lackadaisical Loafer



He yawned and stretched, opening a lazy eye,
The alarm had long since rung
Wondered what was there to eat – porridge or pie,
Or should he leave the blanket so snug.

He woke up lazily, eventually,
Staring blankly at the walls without care
Stretched himself on the sofa with a cup of tea
While the silence in the room filled the air

Looking out, he saw people rushing to work
While he snuggled in the couch for a quick snooze
“The poor fools” he thought with a lazy smirk,
And smiled as he thought of another ruse.

For it bothered him little,
To work, earn and provide a living
The family’s hopes began to whittle
While he remained uncaring

Nothing affects  the lackadaisical loafer
Neither the woeful pleas of his wife
Nor the children who now have to suffer
For the decisions he takes in his life.

The Lonely Lady






In the peak of summer with the sun scorching bright,
Sat a woman in the corner covering in fright
Wrapping herself in a blanket tight,
Holding on to sanity with all her might.

It feels like winter, to herself she thought,
Sterile and stark with coldness fraught
Tears on her cheeks, her heart distinctly wrought
Feeling despair, her thoughts distraught.

Happiness is what she sought. Instead,
A lonely life she saw, all feelings dead
She struggled to put out of mind the note she read
That filled her being with pain and dread.

The anguish she was going through was no fault of hers,
Her life stretched before her in a never ending curse
Through the sorrow that made it increasingly worse,
She put on a façade which she did rehearse.

With all her might she slowly stood
To face the demons with strength as she should
And find the way out of the dense wood
To a life as far away as she could.

Thursday, 21 September 2017

Reality





Oh! What a beauty she is,
They exclaimed, when she walked past
So full of confidence and poise
And serenity that seem to last.

She glances their way, a smirk on her face
Sadness clouding her eyes
A flash of pain left a tear trace,
Masked quickly in a trice.

“If only they knew”, she thought to herself,
“This life of show and pretence”.
They know not the pain, she covers in vain
Losing an identity of sense.

To the rest of the world she shows a smile
Of  belief and self assuredness
Even those close, it does charm & beguile
Pretending with such finesse.

Under the blanket of the night
In the shadow of gloom,
She sat alone, cowering in fright
With an awareness of impending doom

For the pain and anguish will engulf her again
Taking her to a sleep deprived state
The monsters of fear on a free rein
Agony and torment unwilling to abate

With a struggle she wakes up, haunted and exhausted
Slowly putting on her facade
To face another day, with emotions frosted
And a life that is nothing but flawed

Stranger in the Mirror





There’s a sadness in her eyes, I see
Her cheeks stained with tears,
Shoulders slumped with lack of energy
She’s lost a battle against her fears.

So confident she used to be,
Full of happiness, smiles and joy,
She’d fight against demons that be,
Her love, so they won’t destroy.

Yet now, she’s given up on life I know,
Only anguish and emptiness to show
The stranger in the mirror, today I see
Once used to be a happy me.

The Dark Abyss





The days of glory have long gone past
Just a story to be told
The buzz and excitement did not last
Only in memories they'd unfold

Realities of life had struck a blow
While I reeled under its strain
It took with it the love and glow
Leaving me to deal with pain

Though in a crowd, alone was I
Bereft, shattered and lost
The thorny path caught my eye
And I realized what love had cost

As I stood there looking, all alone
At the vast and barren land
Escaping my lips was a whimper and moan
And emptiness in my hand

Wiping my tears I moved ahead
Knowing the pain I'd face
I chose to face the strain instead
Than return to the rat race

Dawn

Dawn




The cuckoo chimes its wake up call,
The birds chirp at dawn
The rustle of the leaves,
In the morning breeze
And the dew drops on the lawn.

I see the first ray of golden light
Spreading the warmth of sunshine
Passing through the cold gray clouds of the night
The whole new day is all mine

I stand alone and stare ahead
Watching the clouds clear
Dispel the darkness we all dread
The source of light appears

I gazed hard at the beautiful sight
Wondered what was in store,
Nature’s power and all its might
Now just a memory and then some more.

Monday, 8 May 2017

Chasing Dreams





Blessed are those who have,
Found their true calling
They may have tripped upon it unaware,
Just knew it was a strong feeling

When you walk that unknown path,
Maybe with trepidation,
You will soon see light at the end of the tunnel,
Much to your joy and jubiliation

Some may shoot down your ideas as trivial,
A few may call you an adventurer
They may say your thoughts are surreal,
Risking what seems to be a safe career.

Yet you go ahead and dream your dreams,
Let the naysayers cast their gloom
But for you, your future none other redeems
Nor do they live to see it bloom.

Wednesday, 26 April 2017

The Wall



I tried very hard to build a wall,
A wall, on the sea shore
The sea is the past where there’s a raging squall,
And to bits my wall it tore.

The only way is to bury the past
For it poisons the present, Im told
But the barriers I build never seem to last
The past has me in a stranglehold.

With effort, I try against it to fight,
Pain engulfs me while I struggle and strain,
Put it all behind me, with all my might,
Yet my efforts all seem to be in vain

For every wall I build on the sandy shore
To keep the raging past at bay
Needs a foundation of trust at the core
And belief so that I don’t sway.

Saturday, 22 April 2017

CHOICES



Walking along my destined path
Alone was I, though unknowingly
I came across a forked way
Each route leading to different walks of life
And to destiny’s power play

I stood and pondered for a while
Considering the options in my mind
There was one which would make me smile
The other to which duty would bind

On my left, making me honour bound
I faced a seemingly easy choice
For I had to fulfill, my creators will,
Giving them a chance to rejoice

Approval and acceptance was part of the deal
And I would be one of the crowd
My thoughts to them I cannot reveal
Though social standing would make me proud

Though they claim to set me free
They would tie up my spirit and soul,
All my actions others would decree
Never would I be complete or whole

Whereas on my right, filling my heart with joy
Though still part of the unknown
I saw love in sight, no conditions or ploy
Pure and mystic it shone

The path was long and tough to travel
Strewn with hurdles at each turn
Yet as the tale began to unravel
Made it difficult for me to return

For at the start you held out your hand
Promising me support and strength
Each step of the way, you said you’d hold at bay
My troubles at arm’s length

Pure as sunshine I chose the path of love
Well aware of what lay ahead
I risked the chance of hate and above
Yet I chose happiness for myself instead

For I found in you a better half
Someone I can love and cherish
With whom I can share and laugh,
And not let it all perish

Today, as I look back at the good times I’ve had
My past and future distinct
I  find no reason to feel sad
In trusting my love and instinct

Payback

  They looked at us helplessly As we, through their world plundered away, Burnt down forests chopped down trees, Leaving most of them ...