Let the marginal tillers, handicrafters usher in prosperity
For life of labour and self-esteem sufficiency is worth living
Let the least and the lowest be granted affirmative action
For the good of an individual is in the good of all sections
Let us together structure mindsets, free of social evils
Showing extreme resilience against wrongdoings
Let us empower the exploited, weakest and oppressed
Let us eliminate hunger, brutalities and violence
Let the poorest ride on with humblest integrity
Let us all discard egocentrism and be sensitive
Let us savour the essence of hard produced fruits of labour
Let us groom faith and trusteeship in their abilities
Let us close the lid of past sufferings and hardships
Everyone will shine through integrated development
Sarvodaya shall welcome Universal Upliftment...

From depths of
churning blackness
into starburst
electricity

slow rising light
blossoming
into gentle
infinity

I set goals in my early childhood.
I was smart and pretty
And so I seemed unstoppable.

I wanted to be a singer
I have a songster’s soul
But I lacked an instrument.
I could carry a tune, alright,
But only in basket, not on
Angel’s lyric wings.

I wanted to be a movie star.
Drama coursed my veins like blood,
But every door I managed to open
Led only to a filthy casting couch.
And those with honorable intentions
Somehow never looked my way.

I wanted to be a game show winner
And I was lucky enough to be on three.
Won a car which I quickly sold
And parting gifts I still enjoy.
But quiz shows are a youthful  game
And skills diminish with the years.

I wanted to marry only once
And live happy ever after.
For 20 years I lived that dream
But time wore out the fantasy
And bad advice led me to ponder
And finally, sadly, walk away.

I wanted to be Mother of the Year.
I threw exciting Birthdays
Was chairman of the PTA
Never missed the least event
But when my Angel turned 14
She told me that I ruined her life
By telling her she was beautiful.

I wanted to greet the year two thousand
I counted up when I was ten to see
If I had a chance to live that long,
And it seemed that I could do it.
The computers did not crash and
I met a long time goal at midnight.

I wanted a 50-year Gold Watch
And a happy retirement dinner.
I labored faithfully towards that end
Even though the path became
A quagmire of racist hate and envy
And I was let go at year 48 with
No benefits of any kind.

I’ve given up on setting goals
There’s just one left I want to meet.
I want to live a century
And list one hundred as my age.
I think that I can pull this off -
I’ll stubbornly just refuse to die.
ljm

Let me never forget
we are still on the adventure

monotonous lows
or mountainous heights