It's midnight;
sky a black silky velvet,
moon a malignant metal disc,
with an ethereal glow;
a serenade of heaven's black,
support a chorus of stars

Ocean waves lap lazily,
a dancing hem of a long , flowing gown,
a jumbled concoction of  grey and  blue,
glowing like melted platinum,
in lasers of  moonlight,
spilling onto the sand with a loud sigh.

I close my eyes,
nestling deeper into my deck chair,
letting in fresh ocean air  
into a grateful pair of lungs.

It is the same ocean back home-I muse,
the same sky, the same moon, the same stars,
and yet it's  different here,
a surreal calm that feels almost godly,
I pull the locally bought scratchy kaross,   over my body and close my eyes,
the haunting lullaby of the waves ,
the swell and sigh are now  distant,
as the sleep catches on,
under a shimmering moonlit  sky.

As if triggered by a button on  remote,
life  **** starts
growing into a crescendo
humanity swarming like a robot,  rhyming with the relentless cacophony  

Air a strange  mix of perfume , sweat and burnt gasoline
with a dash of smoke from a nearby factory,
torpid clouds  in the blue oblivious of the commotion down under
parked like  boats safely moored in the celestial harbour.

And then it is all over in a jiffy
as the dark descends.
deserted, silent, litter strewn streets manifest under an incandescent crescent moon in all its glory
and  a thousand stars explode
like beacons of hope for lost souls of the world,
a homeless urchin in rags meanwhile,
crouches defensively,
preparing for a likely sleepless night

I walk lazily by the sea,
over the  cushion of a sandy beach,
as gentle on the eye
as a vintage sepia photograph
from my archives,
steady warmth emanates
from the golden grains  
I listen to percussion of  waves
rising and falling with rhythmic ease,
buzzing with its dormant strength,
crawling gently to the shore,
kindling its own symphony,
horizon impeccably stitched with a silver line,
hemmed  to perfection,
as if by a loving  adept seamstress
far away streamers of tapered light,
flow through cracks
in  languorus clouds,
a solitary albatross with sleek efficient wings,
streaks out towards  distant horizon
bidding adieu to a departing sun.

I settle down on the floury beach,
soaking the sun of dusk,
breathing in the salty air
life is so much like the sea I reflect,
sometimes  at peace,
sometimes a raging  storm,
so take bad in your stride,
dont beat yourself too hard,
stay undeterred, undefeated
for there is always hope
for  a better tomorrow.
Winter always turns to spring.

The forest river in her generous curves
shines blue amid leafy greens
whispering sweet notes
in cascading water strings
rustic hues of submerged pebbles
more priceless than precious  jewels
babbling and burbling it dances on
chords of sunlight spear down
bathing it's surface in white
like a thousand diamonds
blessed with an inner fire

The mountain stands regally in background
an imposing presence
of sky penetrating majesty
brooches of snow cover the lofty peaks
a weeping waterfall
oozing from a deep ****
in the rock face
glinting brightly feeding the river
the lifeblood of forest
I scoop a hand through water
and drink my fill
leaning back against a rock
I close my eyes
sweet aroma of forest
drifts into my nostrils
I reflect on the beauty of it all
could heavens be any different

I wonder...

Hope is bravery with rationale
hope is not some quixotic dream
it's  the steely will to seek the good,
to forge ahead undeterred,
seeking the light

hope is the starlight that whispers of the sun.
it comes riding on a galloping horse
reaching out to the horizons of victory
it's  the pilot light in icy winds

it's courage from bravest part of your soul
hope is seeing  beauty on a dark night,
when the inky black sky hugs the stars
as a mother to her newborn,
hope is the  power to see such beauty
and reach out to it with a naked heart

it's  the light that forms a rope
and anchors you to the resolve of a better tomorrow
Hope is the way  you smile
the way you pause
gathering strength to make a prudent choice

to breath and let love guide you
it's a belief in yourself
it's the way you walk ever confident
holding your head a little higher
hope is a firm resolve not to give up
Hope is an unyielding decision.



. .

Spring is in the air
so is love and hope
air warm and welcoming
fields a parsley-green
happy calves lowing in the fields
a carnival of scents linger in the air
daisies and edelweiss scatter the meadows
feeding happily on strands
of  light beams from the sky
nodding and dancing
in appreciation and delight
an optimist is the human personification of spring
like nature's fight to bring forth
new life, new beginning, a new order,
spelling death of winter
may death and disease
be doomed too
and bring life to life in 2021

-pradeep

He sits alone in  confines of  four walls
as melancholic silence descends
barring the crackling sound of fireplace
offering some solace on a dark cold night
incessant bouts of unforgiving pain linger
tears blur the vision cleansing his cheeks
barely pausing at wrinkles
streaming into his mouth
so he could  taste his own pain and sorrow
she left a week ago consumed by covid
leaving behind sadness
like death by a thousand paper cuts...
hope is  seeing  light  despite  darkness she whispers
though life has fated  we never cross paths again
I will never let you face this world alone
this bond of life and death
is unbreakable .