Flash Poem : Distortion

Dreams dive unto the night. Distorted imageries, fragments of fiction that never was. Never will be. I have walked million miles with the moon to reach out to you, to your universe of blissful songs. Perhaps you will wake up to my despondence. Not once but everytime I cry out for you. Hold me into your embrace of stars. But you have only echoed the silences making me believe once again that there never was and there never will be.

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Method In Madness

holiday chaos

lost in the hope of 

finding myself 

Shared with Poets And Storytellers United

O Ye Wildflowers....Will You Let Me Be Like You

I have often trampled you under my feet

Like others have done to my dreams

Ignored your ever smiling visage

Pulled a face at your wild ways

How you grow unintended without a care in the world

Even plucked you brutally out of my way

And you not even winced once

Cried out in pain or spilled a tear or two

I have disgraced you more than often

Dispelled you from my comfort zone

Called you a burden on this Earth

Growing, grooving, happily dancing where you should not

I have never wanted you, understood you or cared for you

Never have I given a thought what will happen to you if I don't tend or care for you

Will you forgive me ever...my despicable ways

O ye wildflowers!!!

Whatever I have done cannot be now undone

I have wronged, I have sinned, I have weeded you out of my life

Not realising you are me and I am you

Forever the uprooted, the distanced, the unwanted

O ye wildflowers if you'd once bared your soul to me

I would have recognised those scars, those charred wounds, those desperations under the guise of Bohemian delight

Give me a chance to make amends please

O ye queen of wilderness

Let me be you one more time

Let me live life on my own terms

Without explaining others

Why was I born when I was not meant to be

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Recipe Of Love

Poets and Storytellers United

Day breaks

With a steaming cuppa tea

No sweet please...only dairy whitener

No milk either

Sweetness does not go with 

Crackling of dreams

Mid morning 

A cup of coffee with milk again no sugar

Sometimes it's too strong

I tell him to make it a frothy one

With just a sprinkle of coffee powder

On the creamy layer of froth

Afternoon

Twice a week a bowl of starchy corn soup

"You should not be drinking this", friend says

Still I do

Though it does not go with the

The warmth of a dry curry with lentils

And bread (we call it roti) and a bowl of boiled rice

Destarched ....snowy white

Thereafter

My craving for something sweet is satiated

By my room mate

He offers me churme ki laddu

Made by his ma-in-law

With lots of love and care

Divinely delicious dissolving inside the mouth

Like a star de-moulding in a black hole 

Mid afternoon

Again a cup of coffee

To make me realize am still alive

This time ti's rather drab

The maker is tired by the rut

Evening

Again a cuppa tea just like morning

Dinner

Simple -- left overs of the day

That's the way it is

From breaking  till remaking of dreams

To forget during the gruels of the day

We feed ourselves the recipes of love

Not exotic nor exorbitant nor exhilarating 

Had it been so we would not have doodled an irresistible garnish

Or perhaps taken our last breath 

Turning and tossing in oblivion

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Waking Up

Often

I ask God

why He denied

me a moment 

of silence 

staring at the sky

with clouds floating by

a bird streaking past

the leaves dancing to

a spell of His magic wand

was I that impure?

were my vices so deep?

disallowing censure?

that He left me just

with a pinhole of a window

where even a dream 

can't breath in the

breeze of His own choice?

more often than not

with a patient smile

He tells his child

I am the Santa, y' know

you chose to deny

the pillow underneath which

I could have slithered in

the key to your fistful of sky

your yarn of cotton clouds

that soaring delight

of a bird's flight

the dance of leaves

to the song of silence

as you were too busy 

my child engrossed

in your din of thoughts so wild

and missed that moment

when dreams come true

in rainbow hues

so close to your pinhole yews

क्या तुम वही हो ?/Are You The Same?

क्या तुम वही हो?
जो भरी दोपहरी में
धुप से खेला करती थी?
तीसरे माले की बरसाती की
वह कोने की खिड़की
जिसको सहलाती नीम
के पेड़ की टहनियों पे
दबे पांव रख कर
कपास सी बादलों को
गुदगुदाना चाहती थी
क्या तुम वही हो?

क्या तुम वही हो ?
जो ख्वाबों को संजोती थी
कल के लिए और
गुनगुनाती थी गीत आशाओं भरी
क्या तुम वही हो ?
जो दहलीज़ लांघ कर
अजनबी किनारों के धुल छाना करती थी
और अन्जान चेहरों के
मक्कार इरादों से सहम गयी थीं

क्या तुम वही हो ?
जो दिन रात के मेहनत  के
बूंदों में आंसुओं को छुपा लेती
और ज़िन्दगी के खोखलेपन
को एक नया अंजाम देने
का हौसला जुटाती थी
क्या तुम वही हो ?

Are you the same ?

Who would play with sunshine

In desultory afternoons

And dare to step 

Oh! So lightly on

The delicate twigs of

The Neem  tree

Brushing against the

Lone attic window

To tickle the cottony clouds

Are you the same?

Who would sing

Lullabies of hope

To save dreams

For the morrow

Are you the same?

Who broke the bounds

To caress the sands of

Unknown shores

Are you the same?

Who dreaded the masks of

The masqueraders …

The inevitable betrayal

Of deceit …

Are you the same

Who would diffuse

The tears in the

Sweet smelling sweat

Of days’ toil  to live

A vacant lie

With bravado

Are you the same?

Dancing To The Tune

On the tip of an iceberg
I so gently place my big toe
Ever so lightly...
And haul myself up
A wee bit....a wee bit ....a wee....more
To nibble the sky
Just this much

Dreamzzzzzzzzzz.......
Poised so delicately
             On the rim of reality
And I...

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Voyage

Mellow morning…

A blue bed spread hung

Outside my window

Without much ado

The cushions of clouds

A patchwork of snow

The gold silk thread

Interspersed in the weaving

I know its His doing

                           

Afternoons are long

At times sun is strong

At others shadows draw

Silhouettes deep and long

The balmy breeze whispers

A hummable tune

I hum along

Its His catchy song

Dusk  a rush of colours

An intense stroke here

A languid touch there

Deepening in moments

As evening strolls in

The echoes gather words

A few hurriedly spoken

A few uncommoly blurred

Nights are placid

My boudoire opens

To a sequined sky

Whiff of jasmine

 Gleaming panes afar

Of strangers and householders

Solitude is a Gift

So precious from You

My due

Dawn is stealthy

Feathery wisp

A knock so soft

Like the moving lips

To a rosary of chants

No! More like the hymn

Of the Carmelite nuns

Dousing the soul

In symphony rare

Or like a bouquet

Parceled by an

Unknown Courier

Pleasant surprise

May be for some

But I have a hunch

You had come!

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Shoes And Soul

Shoes on the rack

I wish to make amends

By changing size

She holds me back 

With whip in hand

Poised to strike

The lashings whine

I try in vain

To stifle the cries

Shoes on the rack

Tell me why

I can't tread beyond

The limits drawn

By that number on the sole

Are  my feet to be defined?

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Mother And Child

I have nurtured hatred
unendingly so................
bags full of trash
valueless to the world
priceless to me
as all other worthless thoughts
churned and cherished
within the fragile membranes
                  of a puerile mind
now appear to have lost their shine
in the blinding glitter
of mushrooming malls

I have parented dreams
wailing in the womb
of silenced nights
throttled sobs
and muffled cries

I have sung lullabies
to sooth them to sleep
and woken them up
at the wrong time
fed them what
money could not buy
nourished them well
so that they  not die
an untimely death
schooled them to believe
they have been immortalized

Yes, I have mothered dreams
but never a child...

Tote Bag

From Google

tote bag

rests in peace within

my memoire

Let It Be!!

"Let it be....."
I said tossing a lock
In cold air
Stomping a foot
In dust
Pouting like a
Pampered brat
"Let it be......."
I repeated haughtily
As though I never cared
"If dreams break
Let it be
If words dry up
Let it be
If heart loses
The only chance
Let it be
If the world
Turns its back
What do I care
And what do they care
If I lose my way
In dreary desert
Without leaving
My footprints behind
What do they care
Let it be....
Let it be....
Let it be ...."




The mad moon
Looked down
And laughed heartily
Deriding my clumsy
Act.........of not caring
The night air stung


While I swallowed
A lump of ice
Battling a rage


Defeat is not easy
Neither is winning
So...


Let it be....na?

Celebration

Sky afar
Stars glitter
Moon smiles
The night is young
Visions emerge
Dancing waves
Reaches and recedes
Evening song
Croons the breeze
Warming my heart
Melody divine
Destiny adorns
A nebulous haze
Labyrinthine maze
In vain I seek
The path beyond
But will l stall?
Or hesitate?
To surge ahead
In quest forlorn?
Not till my soul
Satiated rests
In bliss sublime
In bond ever strong
Hope is my torch
I lift ablaze
Grit is my arm
Wrapped along
Hold my hand
Despair I lest
Hold me tight
In embrace strong
Stars shall swoon and;
Fall at our feet
Moon shall glow
All day long
We shall then
March in tune
Hug in delight
The horizon beyond
Sun shine then shall
Never elope and
The nights shall
Stay forever young

A Sacred Oath

Words die on quivering lips
As I hold on to a broken wish
A wish to make, a wish to break
Of timeless hold, of ephemeral swish

Words die on quivering lips.....

There's yet more to learn on the path
Of life, how to hurt and how to strife
To get over the pain of prolonged days
Of endless nights of interminable anguish

Words die on quivering lips....

Its an art to survive when you want not to
Its disastrous to die when you ought to
Navigate the waters dangerous to wade
At the other end perhaps joy awaits

Words die on quivering lips....

At the far end of the horizon there appears
Alive a rainbow of colours so bright
I think I can wrench it free from the sky
Squeeze it tight in my palms and make it mine

Words die on quivering lips....

Alas! Roars the thunderous fate
The torrents of pain how to abate
How to reason with demons within
How to let the angels win

Words die on quivering lips......

Free I shall be from shackles strong
Soul's songs are yet to be born
Dirge of pain, the venomous peg
Reign I shall within to check

Shan't let the melody die
Shan't let spring say goodbye
Shan't let hurt on self inflict
Shan't let words die on quivering lips

Footprints

I had walked up the miles
By the shores of a roaring sea
On a wistful dawn
And footprints were etched
On the carpet of sands
Earthy sketches on a canvas of gold


Years later ....
I went up to the beach
On a dazzling morn
And looked hither & thither
Footprints were none
Swept away by the unruly tides
Left were a few broken conches
Marooned sea shells & dirty corals
But no! the footprints were gone


***


You brought spring
In  greying autumn
You brought a smile
To parched lips
You brought sunshine
On melancholy days
You brought peace
To a frenzied world
You brought solace
To thudding heart
You brought dreams
To sleepless nights
You brought songs
To deafened ears
You gave life
To deadened soul


But now you are gone
And left behind
Is an empty shell
A few tear drops
And a night
Mourning in quietude
Of muted music
Of yore

Vagrant Shades

Its good that you know me not

Far apart shall echo muted pain

In intimacy, a hesitant blush

Deep, in the rush of spring 

The surge of shades million

Paint the breeze melodious  

Fragrant, the jewels be cherished

In dreams of a perfect mating

Glimpsed have I the  

Tempest reigned in unkempt

Locks, the bohemian jazz of 

Unchecked hush of whispers 

Loud and the unsaid stays 

Embedded in my flute tuned

To sing your songs unwritten yet

Its good that you know me not

(Inspired by this wonderful song by Tagore which can never be told in any other way....)

Conviction

Where there is no hope
I trudge along purposefully
Where there is no light
I glide through with confidence
Where there is no dream
I slink in deep slumber
Where there is no beginning
I look for the black hole


Perhaps I am the fool
Who beguiles treachery
I am no angel, I know
Yet I wish I had a magic wand
To sweep off the grudge
of trickling sands
And throw a challenge
To the Divine Lord
Oh Father!  fear you may not
I shall overcome.....


Someday.............

One Little Wish

There’s one little dream

I wish was fulfilled
Before I close my lids
To the world

To see you by my side

Caressing a note of
Thousand echoes
Melting hearts

The moment’s truth

Blossoming in spring
Untimely though
A poor finish a frail start

Yet I wish yet I hope

Hand in hand
We walk with pride
Till my darling
Death do us apart

(Inspired by Gulzar Sahab's immortal poetry)