I                         choose               to                 live                    a                     positive              life
choose                to              ­     make              it               purposeful            and             worthwhile
to                      make                  it      ­          rosier               and                 prettier              everyday,
live                     it                     rosier            and              happier              with     ­               love -
a                   purposeful          and             happier       existence -       perpetually       peaceful    
positive          and                  prettier     ­    with         perpetually            no                     sorrow
life             worthwhile       everyday,     love -           peaceful             sorrow                 alive!

Copyright © Vijayalakshmi Harish

Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling dying
flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . .
How did it go?
How did it go?

Trees are amazing
Living sentinels
They protect us
Whispering
Hidden knowledge
To those who
Are willing to listen
Giving us shade
Air to breathe
Offering life
Wherever they plant
Holding each other up
Supporting each other
And everything around them
We should all learn
To take more after trees
And revere them
For the amazing
Life giving
Sentinels of the forrest
Instead of cutting them down

Sometimes we can
Miss the forrest
Trying to look
At what is right
In front of us
Instead of focusing
On what is around us
Not understanding
The true beauty
Mystery
And healing
That living
Can bring
We have to be able
To see the bigger picture
Understanding
We are more connected
Than what we think
Living in peace
With each other
And everything
Around us

Silence
Can speak
Volumes
We have
To break
The silence
When it comes
To some things
There are some
Things
In this world
We can't
Be silent about
We have to
Speak out
Speak out
For the people
Who don't
Have a voice
Break the silence
For the ones
Who aren't able
To articulate
Their needs
Or articulate
Their pain
The people
In the dark
Who are searching
Searching to find
Themselves
In a world
That seems
So cold
Lonely
Barren
Devoid
Of life
Love
Hope
Living
In darkness
We must speak
Break the silence
For we can't stay
Silent
Any longer
We have to speak
We can't just stay still
Any longer
The world
Needs people
Who are willing
To speak
Break the silence

Your letter came
Did I not tell you?
It's not as if
I've housed it
(little treasure)
In the pockets of my jeans
Or as if I pull it out
All the time
Because then it'd surely
Have been aged by my eyes
Which dauntlessly would
Explore the vast landscapes of your words
And, in each one it meets,
See everything you do
And feel
Surely if this were true
It would've been softened
Into tissue paper
By edacious fingers
Who can't help themselves
Because they think they're
Touching you

Almost overnight the landscape
seems to have shrugged off
winters debilitations
and risen refreshed
garbed in the bright clean fabric of spring
the sun soars high
in a cloudless sky