Submit your work, meet writers and drop the ads. Become a member
I rummaged through the cabinets
opening and closing
the cupboard doors,
sliding plates aside
and lifting up each coffee mug.

then, I checked underneath the sink
moving the cleaning supplies out of my way
when finally she asked,

“what are you looking for?”

“a girl who doesn’t think I’m ugly,” I replied,
“it seems to be impossible to find.”

she stood there silent.

it was the first 5 seconds of peace I’ve had
since I broke it off with the last one.

after that, I double-checked the oven
for good measurement,
found nothing
walked out of the kitchen
and back into my rumpus room
where I give up my endless search.
Get up, show them what you're made of
...but my knees are jelly
and my head is full of marbles
Get up, dust yourself off
...but I want the dust to settle
The more I move the more it floats
Get up, move on
...but each step is a climb up stairs
and I feel unstable
Get up, show you care
...but my friends have not been kind to me
They just laugh or stare
Get up, don't be so soft
...but I feel powerless
and my expectations are aloft
Get up, swim for your life
...but I forgot how to swim
and each breath feels like my last
So what are you going to do?
...get up, smoke, lie down
Get up, smoke, lie down
Get up, smoke, lie down
In an Edinburgh square, pale frosty dawn,
my collar upturned to ward off the sleet
a-pattering on the grey stony lawn
of slate flagstones and cobblestone streets.

I see a creature of myth that flies a flag:
The unicorn wields a white cross
and spites iron clouds of sullen ****:
Her golden horn gleams in the dross

of short winter days of sickly suns.
As daybreak crawls out slowly from grey
and fog’s misty veil turns light to dun,
I long for a glimpse of sun’s gilded rays.

This Scottish sunrise sends its weak beams
of wan threads of silver to kiss the gold
which sheathes the unicorn’s horn and gleams:
Her white coat shimmers in summers foretold.

Her sunbright horn pierces the pall
of grim grey winter’s grip on my heart —
In this moment her lightness enthralls,
her horn a flame that freedom imparts.
Inspired by a photo I took of Mercat Cross in Edinburgh. It is a column topped by Scotland’s heraldic symbol, a white and gold unicorn, which is holding a standard with the Cross of St. Andrew. The day was very gloomy and dreary, but the unicorn seemed to shine out.
i gaze upon the horizon
in the stillness of the night
moonlight spilling  
from the blackness above
as if cut from another realm
pouring into the ocean
a reflection in the water
an ethereal ghost
wandering across the waves forever
in search of their beloved
that’s the curious thing
about memories you see;
no matter if you’re thinking
about the best ones
or the worse ones
they each leave you feeling
a little emptier afterwards.
We got married,
She was messy,
Unable to cook,
Undisciplined,
Sauntered around the house in nighties,
Never did laundry.
With patience and lots of love I groomed her,
She became a better person,
O
N
L
Y
For another man.
20/12/2024
In That Moonlit Night Standing In The Abaft,
Watching The Towed Flaccid Wooden Raft,
I Thought That I Saw An Angel Resting,
Lying Exhausted There In That Craft.

I Call The Girl Out Unbeknownst Of Her Kind Name,
"Hey Young Lady!!" To Which She Didn't Much Respond,
She Looked Up Towards Me Once In Anguish & Collapsed,
I See Desperation In Her Amber Eyes & Resolve To Help Her.

The Crewmen Had Now Been Doing The Paddles After Resting,
I Summon My Captain & Ask, "Do You See That Girl In The Raft?"
The Senile Captain Smiles To Say, "Commodore, Better Get Married,"
I Look Just Clueless To Which He Simply Replies, "There Is No Girl."

True He Was As She Had Simply Disappeared,
I Started Thinking Of My Sleep Needs That Day,
I Looked Around Again In A Hope To Find The Girl,
I Had Compromised My Routine As The Commodore.

Then I Immediately Realized It Was My Wild Phantasm,
Now This Was Just A Plain Illusion Of A Tired Sailor's Mind,
No Mermaids Could Have Ever Existed In Reality & Were Fake,
I Turned Towards The Deck To Go Back To My Bunk For Sleeping.

As I Climbed Down The Stairs To Enter My Room Amazed & Dazed,
I Saw Her Standing And Waiting For Me By The Side Of My Bunk,
I Accepted That Delusion Of My Mind & Started To Lie Down,
She Said, "I'm As Real As Your Thoughts, Don't Fear Me."

She & I-Me & Her, Had The Best Time That Night,
In The Morning She Was Gone & Was Just Gone,
Disappeared Into Thin Air While I Was Asleep,
Each Day I So Dearly Long For Her To Return.
November 28, 2012 poem.

7 Stanzas Of A Beautiful Open-Eyed Dream Written In A Lonely Evening Reflecting Upon What I Lost Due To The May 7, 2010 Accident.

Read the entire Angel Saga by me, Atul Kaushal.
https://hellopoetry.com/collection/13567/the-angel-saga/

My HP Poem #19
©Atul Kaushal

I thank you all so much for the overwhelming response that this poem has received.

If you get interested in reading any of my novels after having read this poem then do visit https://www.amazon.in/Atul-Kaushal/e/B00NIQ5MTC/ for buying any of my stories.
It's very late in the evening
     sun is going down
night is young
Among the crowd
     I see you
watching the southern eclipse
Pour out your heart to me
Secure all that you need
reassure for today
Temperature is hot
Southern eclipse
I open my mind
to see what I find
Among the crowd
I see you
It's you  who I want
I've roamed the world
looking for you
You have cleared my mind
I pour out my love
for you, for you
Ashore I'm waiting for you
southern eclipse
southern eclipse
I can face another day
because of you
your embrace is warm
No one can take your place
Southern  eclipse,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Neither you were mine,
Nor was I yours…
There is a rain here,
I lost happiness somewhere…

In this divulge of pain,
I am floating…
In this river of passion,
I am drowning…

And tears appeared…
Dripping from the eyelids…
And tears appeared…

Once in my breath,
Your fragrance was there…
Yes in my nights,
Your habit was there…

Once in my memories,
Someone was there…
Sometimes in my words,
There was a person...

Where did that friend go,
Where did that love go…

Neither you were mine,
Nor was I yours…
There is a rain here,
I lost happiness somewhere…

In this divulge of pain,
I am floating…
In this river of passion,
I am drowning…

And tears appeared...
Falling from the eyelids...
And tears appeared...
And tears appeared...
Falling from the eyelids-ay-aye-aye-aye!

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Na Tu Mera Raha,
Na Main Tera Raha…
Chhaae Hain Gham Hi Yahaan,
Khoi Hain Khushiyaan Kahaan…

Gham Ki Is Baarish Mein,
Bheeg Raha Hoon Main…
Tezaabi Is Nadiya Mein,
Doob Raha Hoon Main…

Aur Aansoo Aa Gaye…
Palkon Se Chhalke…
Aur Aansoo Aa Gaye…

Kabhi Meri Saanson Mein,
Khushboo Thi Teri...
Haan Meri Raaton Mein,
Aadat Thi Teri...

Kabhi Meri Yaadon Mein,
Rehta Tha Koi…
Haan Meri Baaton Mein,
Basta Tha Koi…

Kahaan Gaya Wo Yaar,
Kahaan Gaya Wo Pyaar…

Na Tu Mera Raha,
Na Main Tera Raha…
Chhaae Hain Gham Hi Yahaan,
Khoi Hain Khushiyaan Kahaan…

Gham Ki Is Baarish Mein,
Bheeg Raha Hoon Main…
Tezaabi Is Nadiya Mein,
Doob Raha Hoon Main…

Aur Aansoo Aa Gaye…
Palkon Se Chhalke…
Aur Aansoo Aa Gaye…
Aur Aansoo Aa Gaye…
Palkon Se Chhalke-ay-aye-ay-aye-aye!
Translation of an original song of mine

My HP Poem #2033
©Atul Kaushal
Her eyes are poetry and a blink of her eyes is a poem.
Her voice is poetry and each of her words is a poem.
Her thinking is poetry and each of her thoughts is a poem.

My love for her is poetry and each of my expressions for her is a poem.
My care for her is poetry and each of my suggestions for her is a poem.
My desire for her is poetry and each expression of my romance for her is a poem.

Our mutual attraction is poetry and each of our confessions to one another is a poem.
Our eternal relationship is poetry and each of our manifestations for one another is a poem.
Our way of talking to each other is poetry and each of our conversations with one another is a poem.
Redefining my poetry and poem.

My HP Poem #1812
©Atul Kaushal
Next page