This One's For You...

With words in my head,
Laughter in your heart; 
I'm hoping you'd have read 
Everything that I've said...

In our lives we're similar 
As disparate as we may seem.
No matter who's greater,
It is with you that I most dream!

Romancing the Rain

Down the pavement, she skipped along

With a song in her head, a smile on her lips.

As large drops of heaven came slowly down,

She couldn’t help but gently sway her hips.

Barefoot and wild, she swayed away.

Heels in one hand, an ice-cream in the other;

Innocent as a child, lest your mind goes astray.

Never once did she look for cover.

A lick of the ice, an upward glance at the skies;

Memories of yesteryears - Her eyes brightly shone.

A flash of pain but love quickly rescues...

And keeps her no longer alone!

The ringing of a bell, the heaving of clouds above.

He opens the door, lets her in...

Towel in hand, eyes filled with love.

"I knew you'd need this" he said, with a grin;

And just a hint of envy 

At the heavens, that had caressed her hair

And driven her, Oh! so crazy.

But he knew this was just a short-lived love affair.

Inspired by and written for the "Romance In The Rains" contest conducted at Atta Galatta for the book launch of Nandita Bose's The Perfume of Promise.

Seven Days Too Much!

If all goes well,
It would be just enough!
If you miss a step,
Time would stretch into eternity...
If I walk with you,
Days would pass by too soon.

If life was to be lived again and again,
Seven days are just too much!

Out of Body Experience, you say?

Light-headed and heavy-hearted I sleep
Through the afternoon sun.
Not a care in the world,
So I'd say to some.

Falling into an abyss,
A dream so deep,
I dread to remain asleep.
Wake, I must and peep
into this world and, creep
Around a jungle so deep!

Do I want to?
Do you even care?
Have I missed the light?
My last chance?

Awake at last!
Reminiscing of that chance I had
To sleep and never wake up!
Alas! You've got to live
With me now, I guess!

Letter To A Daughter

You give me wings but...
I like being here on land with you.
You give me dreams but...
I am happy being your reality.

You give me light but...
I like keeping you safe when it's dark.
You give me laughter but...
I am happy when my eyes well up in pride.

Thank you my baby,
for choosing me!
Your mother I'll be,
most joyfully!

Silent Words

Words fail me,

Silence is my only friend.

These words that flow,

Oh! So silently,

Someday they’ll be sung.

For today, they’re just silent words.

Sing them for me, will you?

Not today, not tomorrow...

But someday, with music in your heart!

Lives will be lived,

New lives created.

With magic will your fingers move,

On that lonely guitar, standing there!

Strum this tune,

Oh! Hum these words.

These words to a silent song,

On a cloudy July night!

Remember these hands that wrote this song,

And smile for me; For these silent words.

Make them eternal, my dear,

These silent words,

These lonely fears!

A No Song, Song

When I sat down to write this song,
I didn’t know where to begin.
I sat for a few seconds,
Put down the date and even the day;
I continued, not knowing the words,
Only coz I knew I wanted to write this song…
And to write it today.
I guess it turned out alright,
Else you wouldn’t be hearing this note.

So here I am, come to the end of this song,
A tune in my head and a spring in my step;
I am set once more, to face this world,
On my own steam, to find my own dream.

- 29th May, 2008 (Thursday)

A New Fire

Senses become numb,
The fire has been doused.
Years of embers have been replaced,
By cold ashes, flying amass.

As I seek new pieces of coal,
Dragging my feet;
My mind cons me into believing,
The fire’s still alive.

A spark has been triggered,
Even the monsoon rains can’t stop
This fire, from spreading.

Coz I found myself some
Old forest wood, sun-dried for years.
It’s been hidden, safe and secure
For many a years.

Now’s the time to bring it out
And with all my strength,
To feed it into the fire.
You, my friend, are my inner strength…
Now, I know! Now, I know!

- 30th May, 2008 (Friday)

Sunny Reflection

The sun cast patterns of desire,
As I sat writing in the garden.
An inner calm spread through me,
Inching its way through every cell.
My thoughts distinct.
My writing firm.

It’s a November morning,
A chill is in the air;
But the sun is out,
Nice and bright.
I warm my feet,
And freeze my hands.

As I write these words,
The sun casts a pattern of desire,
On this hand that writes.

What’s on your mind?

Ramblings, lust, burning happiness.
Disparate, conjoined, chilling minds;
Distant, intimate, lonely sorrow;
Black holes, sand grains, testing waters.
Waves, roads, meandering thoughts;
Logic, nonsense, without a word…
Without a word!

Ashore

These calm waters,
As I stay afloat,
Gives me a sense of peace.
It’s not the calm before the storm,
It’s a calm that will stay for long.

The laughter, the joy,
The sorrows in your eyes,
They beckon me to let go.
The sparkle in my life,
Is you and you alone.

My roots are strong,
My beliefs unshakeable.
This, my dear, is a treasure,
An heirloom, I’ll gladly
Give to you.

The strength I feel,
This energy within,
It’s all, a part
Of my past and my future.
This future I give to you.
This future I give to you.

Re-living a Moment

Surrounded by distractions,
Awaiting a sign,
I stand alone in the crowd,
To catch your eyes.

The sign evades,
Distractions keep me at bay.
How will I know?
Oh, how will I know?
When you’ll start looking,
For me, once again…

Everytime I gave away,
Little pieces of my heart,
In exchange for a glance,
A glance into a soul;
I missed an opportunity,
Once again, to meet your eyes.

When you look for me again,
Will you know it’s me?
Will you recognize my soul?
Will you feel my heart’s call?
How can I keep these,
Remaining pieces of my heart;
Nurture it back again,
For you and you alone?

Fight Them

When dragons dare
To breathe in your face,
Don’t just look away.
Stare them back in the eyes,
Give them a cold, hard stare!

Freeze their hearts,
Numb their senses;
And only then, talk to them;
To their face, don’t look away.

Fight your dragons girl.
No, not with swords,
Nor with guns.
Fight them once with
Your simple, honest words.
No games, no games…

A step toward calmer waters

The same old story;
A little spice maybe,
Every now and then.
Don’t settle for those sprinklings,
They aren’t here to stay.
Your intensity will melt them anyway.

Go find your steed,
Go on a journey.
None dare question you,
Lest you burn them down,
Like good weed.

Take me baby,
Hold my hand, and
Pull me up onto the stallion,
Riding ne’er scared me;
The unknown and the hazy,
Tempt me so today.

The longing, the melancholy,
Makes my head unsteady.
Your embrace, I know,
Will renew my beliefs once more.

Until then darling,
I’ll just sit here;
Reading my book,
Drinking my beer.
I won’t sleep tonite,
Lest I dream of you…
Again.

Meandering

Beneath the calm,
Behind the smile,
Burns desire,
So intense;
Fuelling rage within.

Keep me away,
Away from you.
I might just hurt,
Yeah… this time I might be the one.
Return every lie,
With a truth so bitter,
Till you break down.

I know you are just weak,
Using another’s pain,
To hide behind.

Go away; So far away,
That my thoughts can’t
Touch you either.
Coz baby,
I ain’t going nowhere.

Run, like you’ve never
Run before.
You’re so good
At running anyway!

Mesmerised

The wind was strong;
Looked up into the dark sky,
The North Star, shining so bright,
Leaves swayed,
Covering her a moment.
At that moment,
I know you looked at her too.
I sensed your eyes in the sky.
When the leaves uncovered
her once more,
she shone brighter,
with the brightness
of your eyes and mine.
One day, we’ll see the brightness
In each others’ eyes,
Without the messenger.
I wait for that day,
I wait for that night.

She Is The Wind

Gentle winds,
Rustling the leaves;
A message in her being,
Perfume on her lips;
Someone’s tears,
Chuckles of a baby;
Laden with these,
And much more,
She travels the world.
Free, yet restrained;
Calm, yet anxious;
Fast, yet gentle;
She passes you,
She passes me.
Caressing my cheeks,
As she carries my words,
Hidden in a silent whisper,
Across the globe, to newer worlds.

The Weather Beckons

Cover those steps,
Bury those thoughts;
Look out the window,
Walk out the door.
Run into the greenery,
Run wild, like
Them plants around.
Shake off those feelings;
Make sure you know,
Your feet are firmly on the ground.

Better Life… Forever?

Mortality scares;
Immortality, even more.
All things temporary,
Here for now,
The magic of the moment.
Not power, nor forever,
It’s the moment that
Makes, life a little better.

Oxymoron-ic

Lose your sense of self;
Hold onto it till the last straw.
Let go off everything that’s you;
Don’t change a thing about you.
Go on, fly away;
Ah… stay grounded forever.
Resonate with practicality;
Add more things magical.
Think with pure clarity;
Oh no… thrive on confusion.

Do things fast;
Take life real slow.
Change and stay the same!