Never is it too late, to love
Even if you have to move
From place to place
Without even setting a base

I may be thirty four years old
But that leaves me not, in the cold
Not to boast, but do I have a heart of gold
And never will I fold
Even when tested beyond my limits
Because I simply don't take ****
Not from anyone, not even family
If you try to mess with me
For you, it's gonna end sadly
Not always, may I be free
But if I happen to love you
Always, will I make time for you

Never is it too late, to love
Especially if you have nothing to lose
Coming to me, I've had a bad marriage
Which has done its share of damage
When it cometh to my mental health
However, fine is my physical health
Not to mention, do I have a good job
And afraid not I'm, to sob
Whenever I hit a rough patch
Because, usually does it end up making me a stronger person
Even If I find not a match
On any of those ******* dating apps
After all, is life full of lessons
For example, never blindly trust Google Maps!
See, I have a decent sense of humour!
So what If I lack glamour?
Sound am I, when it cometh to character
And never have I been a cheater

I may be thirty four years old
But rarely am I bored
Because, do I have the heart of a child
Which can make me wild
From time to time
Never do I give a dime
As to what the society thinks
Sometimes, do I find it difficult to blink
But if you really care for me
You should just let it be
Because it ain't nothing but a quirk
And if I truly care for you
Never will I keep you in the dark
That is love for you

Never is it too late, to love
Especially if you've already been through love
To me, has it happened twice
The first occasion was rather nice
A classic case of unrequited love
Which I can forget not, even now
Because it truly made me happy
Coming to the second occasion
It was something that I'd rather forget in a hurry
Because it brought a lot of tension
To me as well as my family
Not to mention, one of my best friends
My wife was worse than a fiend
Because she pretended to love me madly
While the reality was
That, about me she gave not a ****
Being slippery as moss
Truly was our marriage a sham
However, battle-hardened am I now
And mind not, going slow
Because, never is it too late, to love

Never is it too late, to love
Even if you've been through a lot
Because, as long as your heart is in the right place
Never will love become a race
If you have family and good friends
Eventually will there be an end
To the search for love
Because there will be someone for sure
Of course, hardships you may have to endure
But in the end, you will get there
Do not worry, dear
Surrender yourself to God
Because he'll never leave you in the cold
Finally, even if you get old
Never is it too late, to love!

Killed, have you, thousands of innocents
Truly, are you Satan's agents
Destroying an entire nation
In the name of counter-terrorism
Completely abandoning rationalism
And carrying out mass slaughter, with chilling precision

You call yourself a democracy
Yet, you show absolutely no mercy
Even when it cometh to children
Your humanity is absolutely barren
When we call you out
"Anti-Semitic", do you brand us, without a second thought
Jesus tells us to love even our enemies
However, your sheer hatred never does cease

You pretend to be the victim
However, filled to the brim
Is your cup of everlasting greed
As you continue to occupy land after land
And never allow the world to take a stand
Even as there are millions to feed
While the genocide reaches a fever pitch
Because, always functions, does your killing machine, without a hitch

You are so evil
That you **** and ****
Without giving a dime about incurring the wrath of God
Over goodness, do you run roughshod

You think you own Palestine
However, enough have we seen
And enough have we had
The world is mad
Soon, will you pay the price
For your insatiable avarice
Your days are numbered
Soon, will the tide be turned

You may continue your state terrorism
Which you call "counter-terrorism"
However, it is only a matter of time
Before there is divine retribution
For the numerous crimes of your so-called democratic nation
Viva Palestina!!
Amen!! Hallelujah!!

As 2023 cometh to an end
Thankful am I, to have many a friend
Who have been there for me
Through an emotional rollercoaster of a year
Some of whom, are as dear
As a family member or a cousin
And who ensure that I don't sin!

Truly, this has been a tornado of a year
Many occasions there have been
When I have shed many a tear
Sometimes, the grass has been green
Other times, a mess of overgrown weeds
However, planted have been the seeds
For a new beginning
Though a lot of work is still pending!!

As the countdown for 2024 begins
Hoping am I, for a lot of things
To be cleared, are my dues
To be overcome, are my work blues
To be conquered, are my fears
With the help of my dears
To be fought, are my insecurities
To be handled, all are uncertainties
To be managed, is stress
To be bought, is a new dress
To be controlled, is my intake of sugar
Even if my problems get bigger and bigger
To be developed, is confidence
To be taken, are many a chance
To be less dependent on, are people
Else, get caught I might, in a tangle
And finally, must I be happy as I am
Including not giving a ****
About what the society may or may not think
While I enjoy a drink!

Just like every other year
To 2024, do I look forward
Hopefully, it may bring a reward
For all my sincere efforts
Even if I haven't followed all the dos and don'ts
You may see a new Ashwin
More capable of handling pain
I may even find love
Even if it doesn't seem possible right now
Finally learn, may I, how to say 'No'
Though the process may be slow
However, fear I need not
If I follow Jesus' teachings a lot
Because, he is the most important person
In my entire life
And will always save me when there is strife
To be learned from him, are many a lesson

Finally, to 2023, is it time to say goodbye
And leave all my anxieties high and dry
Dear 2024, do I welcome thee
With arms wide open
Let this be the beginning
Of a new innings
May we all smile more often
Even when not required
May all our pain be buried
And finally, may we all love each other
Including becoming friends across borders
Wish you all a very Happy New Year in advance!
Let us begin the dance!!
Amen!! Hallelujah!!

All the best again, dear Sis
You, I am gonna miss
All the time you were here
Never did I miss a gear
While driving the car of my life
Even were it never free of strife

Whether it be the tea you made
Or the pastas and noodles you cooked
Never will the memories fade
No matter how hard Satan tried
To put a spanner in our works
Very endearing, are your quirks

Your presence, did I almost take for granted
Because, no matter what
There was nothing you missed
Including meeting our neighbours and their cats!

You turned Despair Into Hope
Even if the devil in me
Tried its best to make me mope
You turned Hatred into Love
And never was there a problem
Which you could not solve
And finally, you turned Stress into Peace
With a remarkable ease

Always, was there a smile
On your beautiful face
Because you went the extra mile
To help us achieve inner peace

You, I am gonna miss badly
But all that matters
Is that you should be happy
And unless were I mad as a hatter
Always, will I love you
And always, shall our bond be thicker than glue
So, wish you all the very best
Sure am I, that you will face a stern test
However, equally am I sure
That, everything shall you endure
As ever, with a smile on your beautiful face
Irrespective of the place

India is our country
And we are told
It's a great country
However, I beg to differ
Rather, we are sold
The idea of an utopian nation
A country with a myriad variety of cultures
Races, religions and languages
United by a common feeling of brotherhood
However, look beneath the hood
And the idea implodes spectacularly
Crumbling in a heap
Instead, emergeth a divide so deep
That it can be bested not
Even by the mighty Pacific Ocean
Truth be told, we are but a Hindu nation
In all but name
Instead, we put the blame
For all our evils
On the British, one day
And the Mughals, the very next day
While more and more blood spills
In the name of religion and caste
How long will this last?

India is our country
And as per the Constitution
All Indians are our brothers and sisters
However, if you use your imagination
Understand, you will
That this is just a facade
Designed to protect our international image
As you turn page after page
Of our so-called glorious history
Emergeth the true picture
A land comprising thousands of castes
Fighting each other since the beginning of time
Something that would put to shame
Even the fickle-minded Romans
During the reign of Julius Caesar
We Indians are indeed pathetic humans
Falling like nine pins
At the slightest hint of pressure
While boasting about past wins
That no longer matter

India is our country
And a time there was
When, a proud Indian I was
However, passed have light years, since then
Oppressed, have been our women
More so, those who are underprivileged
Brahmins, were the rapists of Bilkis Bano
And hence, did they go unpunished
Meanwhile, ***** by the Indian Army
Are the women of Kashmir and the North Eastern states
For which, not a single mainstream feminist bothers to show even the slightest sign of empathy
Something that truly makes my blood boil
Even as hundreds of wrongdoers get bail
Because, our justice system is an epic fail
On the other hand, you have innocent people
Languishing in jail for ages
Because nobody bothers to turn the pages
Of the Constitution of India

Yes, India is our country indeed
But patriots we are, no longer
Because, ultimately, humanity is stronger
A field where India can never take the lead
Yes, Indians we are
However, humans we are first

There was a time
When I couldn't give a dime
As far as destiny was concerned
How the stars were aligned
It mattered to me not
Even if I suffered a lot

However, as we all know
Times change
We've gotta go with the flow
Facing crisis after crisis
Decided I, to turn to Jesus
Thus, with every passing day
Come what may
More and more did I begin to believe
In the power of Fate
And the miracles it could bring
As we all would be knowing
It's never too late

Yes, believe do I, in destiny
Because, of great importance, is faith
However, it means not
That we do naught
And simply pray to the Lord
Never will inaction beget a reward
Instead, does it mean
That, always should we do our best
And let God take care of the rest
Pardon me for the oft-repeated cliche
But, difficult is it, to carve a niche
Especially when you don't get a chance
To select a topic of your choice

Destiny can favour us
Or can it ruin us
Remember the old but extremely valuable cliche
"There is no gain without pain"
Were we to fight a war
Prepared, must we be, to be slain
Or can we go far
And achieve a glorious victory
Thus, leaving our mark on history
Depends, does it all, on destiny

Take me, for example
I had to go through the ordeal of divorce
It is but completely natural
To believe that destiny favoured me not
Yes, I did have to go through a lot
However, the reality is
Destiny DID favour me
Because, saved was I
From total disaster
And closer did I get
To my sister and father
Not to mention, free am I
To live my life on my own terms

Equally true, is the opposite
It may seem
That, from destiny we benefit
However, turns out instead, destiny is a cheat
For instance, look at the Indian Men's Cricket team
In the recently concluded World Cup
Winning ten matches on the trot
One would have thought
That, destined were we
To lift the trophy
Alas, it was not to be
Lulled were we, into a false sense of security
By all the early *******
And believed, did we
That, on our side, was destiny
However, when it mattered the most
Destiny made sure we lost

Yes, destiny does matter
But your mind shouldn't shatter
Were it to turn against you
Because, it is ultimately YOU
Who are in charge of your life
Even were you to have the best husband or wife!!
Yes, extremely frustrating is it
When things are not in your control
And on your mental health
May it take a toll
However, faith is powerful
Were you to surrender yourself to Jesus
He would make your life wonderful
Of course, certain sacrifices have to be made
But never let your personality fade
And always do your best
Free are you, to turn your back on destiny
As long as you live happily
Yes, destiny does indeed matter
But how much does it matter
Is entirely up to YOU

Right from the moment
Did I clap my eyes upon you
In the movie "Jagame Thanthiram"
Felt, did I
That, was there something special about you

Lies in you, a burning intensity
Which can reduce your enemies to dust
With the same frightening ease
Did the West Indies dominate cricket
Many a decade ago

Not a big role did you play in "PS1"
Or for that matter, "PS2"
However, come when your scenes did
So enraptured were we
Unable, were we
To take our eyes off you
Never had anyone played the role of "Poonguzhali"
With such simple elegance
Combined with wit and humour
Of the highest order

However, "Gatta Kusthi" was it
Where came you, into your own
Transitioning from a fiery wrestler
Into a traditional housewife
And back
With remarkable ease
The scene where you single-handedly took on those armed goons
And beat them to a pulp
As though it were child's play
Will remain etched in my mind forever
Seriously did I think
Hath arrived, a new superstar

Truly versatile, art thou
Thus did "Archana 31 Not out" prove
Where played you, the role of a teacher
Struggling to discipline a class full of troublemakers
And at the same time, facing a future full of uncertainties
Due to ongoing layoffs
Not to mention, facing rejection after rejection
When it cometh to marriage proposals
Quite the emotional rollercoaster did it turn out to be
And truly did you own the character
Rooting for "Archana", was I throughout
And when came the ******
Truly inspirational, was your speech
Showed us all, did you
The importance of taking our life in our own hands

Blessed with beauty, art thou
However, it stops not there
An exceptionally skilled actress are you
And a humble and down-to-earth person
Who, nevertheless, is afraid not
To speak her mind, no matter what
May you continue rocking and inspiring young artists
And shall the Lord bless you
With all the love, happiness, peace and prosperity in the world
Amen!