Plump fruit on the ground,
Branches stooping heavily,
A big old green tree.
Plump fruit on the ground,
Branches stooping heavily,
A big old green tree.
I REMEMBER:
THE SMOKE… THAT THUNDERS !!!
My Family, 1990.
Photo credits :My dear Papa
At the end of a long day
Make a plan
Come home
To a date
When the city retires for the night
Light some aromatic candles
Pour yourself a drink
Run a hot bath
Disrobe your worldly roles
Slip into foamy bubbly goodness
Sink in
Settle in
Listen in to the quiet
Broken only by the sound of running water
Open the page of the book
And dream away……
A breeze blowing strong
Alerting our nerves to collect forth
Grassy knolls standing witness
To the circle of life and death
It is a sunny day
Today nothing about yellow is cheerful
It is a black day
Today nothing about black is elegant
Secrets whisper in the cave
Cry our private silent tears
Hearts thumping to the beat of drums
Feet marching to their onward journey
Courage rising and falling
Struggling to stand
But together keeping time
Secrets are a heavy burden
Only our collective conscience can shoulder
Receive our final salute
We are going down the hill
Fading out of sight, out of mind
Look away before it is too late
Grieving, helpless, unsuspecting humanity
Words travelling like bullets
Pandemonium of shock and fear
Topple feet barely standing
Am I in a trance?
I hear but sounds are arrested
I move but moves are suspended
Listen to my plea
Oh God! May this be not ending
And if it is to be
Listen before your hearing fades
And may love be your release
My eyes finally see what has forever being staring
I can finally leave
Knowing there is no escape to love within or without
Picture this:
A little black dress shirt belted,
Tresses shaken and tossed,
High heels clicking,
Dangerous legs,
Swaying hips,
A sexy stride,
The swagger of style,
The power of intimate red,
A sultry voice,
A flirty accent,
Dishing false compliments.
AND THEN
The surprise when soft turns tough,
Sassy turns savvy,
Attraction can be a distraction.
Vanity can kill,
A man’s common sense.
An inner diva released,
The famed femme fatale.
Amidst the noise and chatter,
Distant notes of music,
Waft towards us,
Calling one and all.
Arms in arms locked,
They race.
Hand in hand,
Wisk me away.
To a landscape of
Shimmering sequins,
Shiny disco balls,
Flashing 360 degrees.
Circles of light,
Revolving and dancing.
Faces glowing like
The constellations in the sky,
On a starry night.
Heads on shoulders,
We listen into
Soft lilting music,
Tilting our necks.
Synchronizing our steps
To magic, whispering,
Reaching a crescendo
In the reality
Now and then.
You looked into my eyes
You saw my soul
Now don’t look away
After opening the gift
Don’t wrap yourself again
You laughed at my every joke
Now don’t hide that grin away
After quieting all my doubts
Don’t fill the silence again
You raced into my heart
Now don’t walk away
You put the good in my morning
Now don’t call it a night
After getting close dear pal
Don’t get all formal stranger again
You opened all the windows
Now don’t close the door
You found me
Now don’t let me get lost again
Don’t go
Forever stay.
A tutty fruity coloured sky,
The last rays shining through the clouds,
Like skin peeping through white lace.
Waves racing then breaking at the shore,
Birds chirping noisily rushing to reach home,
Footsteps running to make it in time.
A smooth satin finish to the final moments
Before the vast stillness takes over,
Only a slight breeze keeping it alive.
How time changes!
Poetry a decade later…
This is a poem I wrote in second year of college. It was published in our college magazine Apoorva, 2000.
Woman-The tree of life
A tree, bare, standing with her arms outstretched to the sky,
Begging for the mercy of the Lord of the skies.
Falling snowflakes turn her into a white ghost,
Life sealed from the outside world.
Temperatures fall, ten, zero, minus, snowstorms rule;
Prolonged misery has killed all sensation, all rebellion.
Just as life ebbed away, the sun brings hope;
The snow melts, she sheds her fears and inhibitions.
A new leaf finds home on the tree;
She proudly displays her hospitality.
Come spring, the tree is one big green cloud;
Good times have attracted many a creature.
The tree is young and gives birth to many a fruits;
But Greed snatches away love’s labour.
Now only rotten, eaten, half skeletons remain;
The tree is surrounded by her dead children.
A rage emerges against the ‘Laws of Nature’;
But resolutely she decides not to quit.
She renews her faith in the vision of the future;
She will brave the times ahead and will emerge ‘A WINNER’
She knows how to make an entry,
She stops the traffic,
She halts every conversation.
Her features are chiseled
Her hair curly brown
Her grey eyes sparkling
Her lips tight and peachy
Her dangling diamond drops
Her jingling bracelets
Her smoky eye shadow matching
Her dress fitting like second skin
Grace at every turn
Elegance in her every move
Ignorant of her charms.
Her emotions are displayed
As transparent as a child’s
Her desires are hidden
As secretly as a woman’s
Quick to anger
As easy as to please
Her forehead frowns
As cutely as her dimple
Take care
She is a porcelain doll
Every eye wonders after
Every hand afraid to touch
Lest she breaks
Girl
You are an enigma
Not a child
Not yet a woman.