Should I say it again
dearest Lily?
walk away
forget me

I am not meant
for you--I would cause you misery
I love you, yes, I do
most sincerely

but I am not gifted
nor romantic in any way
too simple and common
you deserve better--for your sake that I say

love is strange--verily
such a mystery
the heart battles with the brain--let go of me-
should I say it again, dearest Lily?

DOES THE HEART REALLY KNOW?

Does the heart really know
what it wants?  Each gratification
leads to another--desire must be satisfied
without equivocation

never mind if desire
leads to destruction
what is life
if not lived in passion?

let the fire of desire burn
let love erupt in the most violent explosion
the heart will not rest
its longings know no obliteration

Does the heart really know
the pain of loving? Passion
dies too soon and in its trail
brings an end to gratification.

If you come to Australia
Be sure not to wear some flowers in your hair
Aussies are down-to-earth and not poetical people
For floral beauty they don't really care

If you do come to Australia
The qualification you must have is drinking beer
Everyone in the pub (especially young pretty Aussie women)
Will hug you till you weep--otherwise, please don't come here!

'ENTRY' --I go in
'EXIT--' I get out
'VERBOTEN' I stay away
  These three words ring so strong and loud

Should I stay ?
But what's this all about?
Should I get away?
Can't decide--due to my doubt

VERBOTEN
Forbidden
I don't bother to argue
Prudence--a rule that's golden

When to get out or stay in I'd know
If I do have wisdom enough
Living life is not as easy as changing your clothes
The journey is long, lonely, burdensome and unrelentingly tough

SOMEWHERE RIVER

Somewhere River
winding through time’s corridor
silent chronicler
of the heart of man and its sacred inner core

sentinel of history
record-keeper
of life's mystery
it forgets never

night and day
its waters meander
through every remote bend near or far away
further and yet further

can you hear its song so tender
when the night is hushed asleep
when the tired moon longs for slumber
when the stars in deepest silence  weep?

We are all like Somewhere River
we exist somewhere –each a traveller
through time,  a lonely unknown wanderer
this is our life-story—what else should we remember?

1

A glowworm flickers
like a tiny star on high
' Look, mum, look there, mum'

2   Last light of sunset
     old fisherman sets for home
     he wears a broad smile
3

Balloons in the sky
it's a public holiday
kids lick their ice-cream

4

Serene is the night
soft breezes drift in the air
roses droop in sleep

5

Over-grown grassland
wild yellow flowers flourish
birds fly here to rest

Life is but a view-point
yours and yours alone
sacred unto yourself
your inalienable right
your innermost sanctum
privy to yourself and none else

life is your raw material
which you shape and mould
in whatever way you want
into what your dreams dictate
the world has no say
nor have the right to know

with loyal, patient and faithful hands
you work
you give all you have
to this pursuit
of love, beauty and duty
you make life become
part of yourself
it begins to understand
and learns to speak your language

you and your life
then fuse into one complete whole-
one view-point
as immortal as time