Life is either
this or that:
thus,:it makes us
either happy or sad

Don't say
     you love me yet
     me you hardly know
      and would later regret

      watch and study me
      in every facet
     my warts and all
     where my goals are set

      love should not be
     the subject of haste
     abide by your time
     in patience, diligently wait

We are each
an author of our life
our story differs
from others
but the same goal
we aim to achieve-
ourselves and others
to understand and reach
and thus our life
to fulfil and enrich

Near or faraway
    it matters not to me:
    I decide, I choose, I venture
    I dare-- I'm always an agent free-

   every life bears  its dignity
  and tells its own story
  each in its uniqueness and honesty
  coloured with beauty and poignancy

Bruised
     but not broken:
     the spirit of man
     lives on

     bleeding
    and wounded
    despite the pain
    not giving in--unafraid

  in  worst tribulations
tested
not bowing out
made stronger instead

never broken
ever standing tall
the Man Insuperable
who conquers all!

If I can't write
clearly and simply
every reader is entitled
to mock and shun me

It's because

of today

that I have

my say:


I'll stay

I'll not walk away!

We can't be completely sure
   some element of doubt we must endure

We are all scattered beings
hither and thither blown
by the mindless winds of life
like leaves into the air carelessly thrown

from the beaten shaken tree
as though we were born
into sighs, groans and moans
each in suffering,  bereft and alone

before us is the road unending
there's no way of turning home:
we are scattered and neglected
and what we were--we now no longer own.

The smile of the old person
    from that of the young does widely differ
    it hides an element of sadness
    which words can't properly utter-

    youth is too proud and too sure
    and knows not yet what it is to suffer
    the Via Dolorosa it hasn't experienced
    it has miles upon miles wisdom to discover

Life is not
     what you think:
     it's a mystery
     beyond reasoning

     wise are they indeed
     who live without questioning
     all energies applied passionately
     in loving, working, creating and sharing

We are drifters in time
carried by its ceaseless tide
which direction it will take
we can't ever decide

so few indeed will say:
' pleasant is the ride':
  the voyage will be rough
  and restless, full of fear and plight

If love
weren't freedom
would it have
any worth?

Silence
is wordless excellence

I have no religion but I pray in my own silent way

Don't praise me
you didn't see me fall:
if there you were
such words
you wouldn't have said
at all-

you're an outsider
and much of me
you don't really know

praise me not
look elsewhere
it's more worthwhile there

myself
I search
and examine
and see only
my many faults

Life has a large element
of fiction
( in various forms)
which into rich literature
I convert
in my imagination

This we can't escape:
the nexus
between us
and the others-
we are interwoven
and intertwined
in the common thread
which can't be detached
but only in our death

thus
in the interregnum
each has their role
to be played
whether
in congruence
or dissonance

yet
an open mind
I'll have
in humility
charity
goodwill
and tolerance
such that
no discord
between us
will emerge

then
the nexus
will bear
fruitful meaning
and we
in oneness
can together
our common humanity
joyfully
celebrate

A good sleep
is a prayer
answered

You hated me
that much
and thus
by the end
you'd have
nothing left
to call your own
and you'll be
sadly
morally dead

If you remember me
you'll be unhappy
if you forget
you'll be set free!

I'm glad--truly
that you've stood up
against me-- it's courage
grit and personal integrity

It's very hard
to convince
a stubborn person:
such will never stand to reason

When numbers grow
problems there will be more-
if I'm myself all alone
how can I quarrel with some 'whom'?

After the act:
pause
reflect
what next?

Memory
is more powerful
than reality
despite its unreliability

Every love
has its own story:
some sad, some happy
the two ambulate

It can wait---the universe-
just understand yourself first

The billionaire
I truly pity:
he craves
for more
despite his plenty-

he guards his money
like Scrooge did
in literary history-
when he loses
a dollar
he sleeps badly
and curses destiny

and here am I
penniless
in my poverty
yet can find
some moments
to be happy

perhaps
me
he does envy
but he deserves
not my sympathy

Judge me
such you are free
to do
but justly-

did you study me
adequately
or were you guessing
carelessly?

I do admit
if it were folly
on my part
but I shouldn't feel guilty

I don't know you well
how could I judge you fairly?
It would be best we agree
to refrain and join each other over coffee

I'm never
a philosopher
only a life-observer-
the former I don't qualify for!

ALL factors considered-
is that possible
or is it only
your conjecture?

To love
is to risk
can you
such afford?

There can be no true freedom
without sacrifice of impeding elements

It's beyond my ken
my life's literature to write
but some consolation
I do draw
from the authors
who have had
the same experiences
and have the gift
to set forth
their writings
for the benefit
of others

a new relationship
is somehow forged
and a world
of its own emerges
in the oneness
of human fellowship -
a chapter of literature
is written followed
by another
until a whole life-book
is brought into light-
with a small piece
of me
( unnoticed by others )
concealed inside.

In the labyrinth
of self--
the deepest
personal sea
there lurks
a  darkness
hidden
that its owner
is fearful
to venture into
or to look at-

another world
that is--alien
unfathomable
mysterious-
the twilight
of the unconscious
totally
and irretrievably
submerged

it's real
not fantasy
but can't ever
be drawn
to the surface.

Fear--the sense
of impending doom
courage flees all at once
and has no room
to stand on its own
by imagination
compounded
which adds further
to the gloom

the cure
is not to fight
but to empty
the self
that which
is empty
has neither
uncertainty
nor fear-
at all

Perhaps
there are more failures
among positive-thinking individuals
than those without such mindsets-
such people tune themselves
to pitches beyond their limits
only to see the demise of their dreams-
on the other hand, the others
who have moderate ambitions
tread on surer ground
and score so much better!

Positive thinking-
the scourge
of the modern age
doesn't wear the crown
and does instead
deserve
the ignominious ' thumbs down!'

It can wait---
  wisdom:
  I must first
  learn to be human

My conscience is higher
than the authority
of the Supreme Court:
I judge myself over all else:
this is my immutable thought

You are keen
to reach out-
the other party
might think otherwise
this is human nature-
don't be surprised!

Pieces of your mind
          don't give them
         too easily away-
         keep some for another day

Those who knew me
were silent
those who didn't
were quick to dissent

Much of life
  is not reason-
  much more
  is the guesswork
   and speculation

Beware of the unreason
of reason--it's so common!

He said before others
'I stand by my principle'
  those around knew him well-
  he had no scruple

In the meantime
don't laugh or smile
your gap is showing
your denture takes a while

My heart to books
is inseparably bound
from all their looks
I know I'm on sacred ground

I know
I'm not ready yet:
in my patience
I'll wait--to celebrate

Myself I'll not promote
being not a person of note