I made a man of me this morning

A small will made it possible

To have one day away from me
Setting my self free from me
Still be a man under the sun
Easier said easier done.

For me a giant leap
At a price too cheap
Of all the days countless
For self grown
For self owned
Taking just a day off from me
And doing that easy.

I was tired of seeing only self in the mirror

A little will made me shelve it this morn

And in the mirror came a man’s vision.

See what comes of your life's toil
woke me up an eerie nasal voice
she reeked of putrid soil
her look was no rejoice.

I wondered being at that forlorn place
with two dark holes peering at me
smelling of varnished wood
and eyes watery.

The air smelled of wild moss
under a sky pallid grey
shadows rose from the silent cross
where I too dreadfully lay.

you needn't lie down anymore
her voice betrayed a mirth
now that you're thru this door
cleanse yourself with a bath.

Two holes held me in their stare
rise man there's nothing to fear
once you wash your earthly tears
can write your first poem here.

Says the owner of the roadside eatery
For each day of work you’ll be paid fifty
But more could be your take home keep
If you serve them well earn their tips.

Your polite bow a courteous smile
Showing you care all the while
Helping them to feel quite at home
Could get your pocket extra income.

Treat them well if you treat them must
Wear a face that breeds their trust
Will do you good if you are sweet
Help them pick the best to eat.

Fifty rupees will be your day’s salary
But dimes in dozens would pour freely
When you don’t just serve them food and water
But present yourself as a caring waiter.

Bit by bit the monster river
swallows her flesh
her chunks a little quiver
then break in lumpy mess!*

She loves him in high tide moon
bears him children in insane fertility
falls for his sweet lapping croon
loses her in his enormity.

Since he mouthed her his first kiss
she had given him her ego
shrunk with his each bitten piece
washed away with his flow.

In love she never wavers
to offer her to the river
yielding to the monstrous slayer
knowing him her destined lover!

Knocks on wall
Tugs to a veiled zone
Allures with unseen face
Invites to uncover
Drives a groper…

And then goes

Leaving the reek
Of lost way!

(1)
recedes everything
only i move forward
the unknown lies ahead.

             (2)
for me
she stands under the tree
wears photogenic smile.

             (3)
a home i'm going to
did i leave behind another?

             (4)
hardens my belief
i'm coming from nowhere
going to nowhere.

            (5)
in wind's embrace
hear it whisper
traveler seek no purpose.

           (6)
won't stop
till the end of day
come what may.

HOPE

always points to

MORROW.

spent the longest day
in the shortest possible time.

slept.

there isn't a time in life
when our smiles and cries
are not simultaneous
unless we are morons.

my broadest stretch of lips
stalk pains

has my success made someone sad?
has it been at someone's cost?
has it eroded someone's happiness?

and when I cry
as sufferer loser

in the corner of my eyes
shimmers a smile

it's not the end

it's not the last mile.

the blue marble below him
looks a distant dream

wrapped in silence
frighteningly dark
he drifts away from it.

how he now lusts
for that curvaceous sphere
where he left his human part
to be adrift in the dark matter
rimless endless infinite!

once a patriotic earthman
he now travels a space
without nations borders
sinking into deeper ink of silence...

**he never loved his planet more
than from this distance!

In what hidden pain
says he

*I'll never love again.

I sit alone on the pond’s ghat in this rainwashed noon.

Her ripples dead
She ruminates once more
In the deafening silence of the crickets’ buzz.

*Came the men to splash upon me
The women within me bared shame
Frolicked the boys in me carefree
Made me alive in their joyous game!

Swam on me hope’s stretched hands
Sunk in me the broken heart
Left over me the girl her hair strands
At the end they all did depart!

Now I must wait for the sun to set
To drown my memories of the noon
Dreaming the stars to open heaven’s gate
Wrap me in night’s ripened moon!

Often I wonder when I closely look
See her eyes a little too small
How love grows in my heart’s nook
What is it makes me for her fall!

Her nose is too short broad and low
Her lips are pale and thin
She has a skin dull without glow
How my heart she continues to win!

She isn’t curvy lithe and tall
Nothing to write home of her face
She doesn’t possess what you may call
Hallmarks of great beauty’s grace!

She is no svelte of proportioned girth
Her frame can’t be model for an art
How still she seems most precious on earth
The one and the only for my heart!

What beauty lies within your poem
how they me enlighten
in me burns their undying flame
make me forget own pain!

The moments my eyes on your thoughts pause
my mind rests on your speak
are the ones giving me my life's purpose
your words poet do the magic!

Your poems light a beacon on the way I walk
feed me rains and glorious sunshine
upon my sky when clouds are dark
cheer me your ink's lovely lines!

*Don't ever stop writing my heart
don't ever close mind's door
go on poet once you make a start
vent all that's hidden in your core.

A cruel reminder of the passage of time
Is the old utility bill.

This day last year
It arrived fresh
With an amount more than the previous year
But this year it looks cheaper.

Cost of my living rising
My utility diminishing
Except to her

*She needs me by the hour.

I strained to hear her whisper

ears impervious
heart envious

if only rewind of years
could get me beside her
reliving the ecstasy on a lover's date

*listening her lips' precious secret!

for one step forward
reach one grief
say one kind word
for a moment’s relief

hold one hand
walk up a bit
help the blind man
cross over the street

achieve a feat
a little try would do
offer old one a seat
reap a thank you

not look away
pat it on the back
the dog on the way
needs love that it lacks*

Do them we can
in this small lifespan
and they don’t demand one
to be a very good man!

In painted moonlight of neon
her dart
pierced his heart

you are my good friend
but can't love you in that sense

and as the ground parted in his pain
he fell to where

he couldn't rise again.

O drifting clouds
please awhile wait
carry seeds of my love
shower on my beloved!

She is now too far away
pining without me
wash her tears this rainy day
pour her my heart's poetry!

Tell her o clouds as you pass over
bereft her my days are arid
wilted long her last flower
now my garden is only of ****!

Carry o clouds my tears for her
soothe her with my kisses' touch
tell her though she's gone from me far
I love her as ever very much!

the girl lived downstairs
the boy two floors above
through me exchanged letters
of immature hearts in love.

he wrote:

can we meet love for a minute?

handed to me his secret chit
why I came down the girl only knew
his letter brought her a blushing pink hue!

quickly on that same chit
she scribbled a hand girly sweet

she wrote:

I would die to meet you just once
but today there hardly is a chance
papa hasn't gone to office
through this letter I send you my kiss.

I, love's tender messenger
went up with her love letter
as he read it heaved a deep sigh

at home, *******, why?

he wrote:

slip out when he sleeps at three
we meet under the mahogany tree
please love do this much for me
I beg you some minutes only.

thus rhymed two hearts' dancing beat
the boy was too young to fathom it
nothing though he could understand
yet faithfully he ran their errand!

Do you remember last cascades of laughter
Till your breath couldn’t take it anymore
Your seams almost opened belly ruptured
From standing you came down to floor!

You laughed first once and then couldn’t hold
Their peals kept gushing like a flood
Mouth hole bared from eyes tears rolled
Laughter invaded your blood!

People wouldn’t know if you laughed or wept
As tears flowed down your cheeks
Such was the fun it did you suffocate
Seemed wouldn’t stop for weeks!

If you remember please pass onto me
I’ll preserve in a bottle that stuff
Only to uncork when it needs be
In the days that I find pretty tough!

She looks at me with that ***** youthful smile
Happy to be hunted out in daylight
From her permanent abode in the treasure box
Fully enjoying the remorse shimmering my eyesight!

She looks unreal like an alien from a land too far
Frozen in that mocking smile in prime’s full vigor
Proud to have made her place in forever love’s mime
Occupying a chunk of me a part of space time!

A wave of desire passes through me bleeds anew the scar
I let her go couldn’t possess her **** I still love her
Or is it that lump of fire still burns alive inside
That years cannot extinguish time’s layers cannot hide!

She lives there in full moon’s glory right beside me
Shining light of a dead star in old album a galaxy
That in June sky on the meridian waits for my eyes
Wakes with the grass flower blooms with the sunrise!

Young lovers I beg of you once you love never dither
Before summers pass you by come winter the leaves wither
Hold hands tight not let them go travel in love that far
Where you rue not like me in blurred eyes **** I still love her!

worry not* I tell her
finding her morose
better time is not far
things can't get worse.

she pulls a smile on her face
basks in my wish
in my hope refreshed
her lips glow pinkish.

what we do are tries
to the rest have no recourse
life's turns and surprise
we can watch not force.

does she believe me really
when I say leave not happiness
or seeing through the cries within me
pulls out a smile on her face?

serves a lifetime well
a man's clock

without the l.

She was nowhere to be seen.

But I had stepped awhile aside
For a moment to myself
From the crowd jostling the railway station
And here she is gone
With the platform empty!

In that briefest time
I remember arguing with two guys
That we need to remember not everything
And they were dissenting.

Where could she have gone
My mind yelled
what if the train had arrived and left!

We were supposed to board it.

As I looked frantically around
There wasn’t a ticket counter
There was no train
There was no trace of her

When a shiver told me
The station couldn’t be this empty!

Then my fingers fell on my cell.

Oh I forgot
She was just a speed dial away.

Enveloped me a cold sweating

The platform was bare
She wasn’t there
And her cell returned no ring!

It was then two women I saw
Pulling a cart
Of trash and the station’s dirt.

Where’s the ticket room?

They smiled

I froze in fear

Ten miles from here...

my cries traveled far
woke her

*why I keep losing her!

Like flickers on wall of candlelight
will what remain
of the shadows of night
and its memories of pain!*

When comes the dawn
bleed not your heart anymore
know you will not be alone
someone will be knocking your door.

Wipe them all tears of past
gather the broken pieces of night
walk in the rising wind's gust
holding faith with all your might.

This is one game
I always will choose
to lose.

can sense her from a distance
when she moves towards me
till it reaches a crescendo
when she is closest as close could be!

but those times her I badly need
when she moves away
her sounds faint as she recedes
can't all the time with me stay!

how she gives my spirits a lift
her closeness makes my day
do feel pang when she shifts
when she has to go away!

the nearer she is she delights
she must be my perfect mate
I can feel it days and nights
what you call Doppler Effect!

He drives with flair..
millionaire billionaire
and such people
on money's stack
all the time behind his back

he drives those racers and pursuers..

the chauffeur.

The fire crackles as it feasts on his flesh
burning all layers of skin
soon it will crunch the bones ablaze
gobble up the soul within!

When alive his mind was a mess
dreams only fulfilled his wish
now in the searing hot furnace
finds peace in disintegrated piece!

Thirty minutes in this solitary chamber
and he will come out to lie in an urn
from dust to dust each part dismembered
to be beyond all care and concern!

Soon his ashes will kiss the riverbed
for him is marked no other fate
will live the words vented his head
the man the thinker the poet?

Moves no more the glass bead eye
lies in a frozen stare
arms thrown up to the sky
it lies in silent prayer.

It's too late for its blood in rot
can't reach the god's smallest thought
the putrid flesh on the road red hot
will soon bring the feasting maggot.

Yet it prays if reaches firmament
moves the god to think of its pain
next time he spares it the bitter time spent
doesn't make it a rodent again.

You’re a poet flying on wing
Your world a great heart only rules
You’re no fighter in a boxing ring
You’re no charger like bulls.

We have done enough

to be devils to our children!

Today at dawn in windy rush
Before sun could melt its heat
Sinking my feet in dewy grass
I strolled merrily bare feet!

I felt on my feet a thousand kiss
Heart leapt in an unknown joy
Too long you missed this heavenly bliss
Grass whispered to a reborn boy!

Lost count of time when walked last
Retraced a stretch of green route
Forgot my root lost all trust
To walk on the grass barefoot!

The tickling grass as hugged my toes
Shed their dew like tears
They asked *ugly leather smell our nose
where have you been all these years!

see her salt feet rimmed in wet sands
wade the creek of the fishermen
gay abandoned black mystic strands
hair wildly adorned in sandgrains!

don't leave me girl for that fishing hamlet
where they count for the day's catch of fish
though times will go and eyes will forget
on the sealine your dreams will never cease!

tell me o girl your all the hidden pain
your desires winds carried to the sea
that along the creek you seek wild insane
long longed but never found in me!

come back my girl from beyond waves' roar
tell me of thousands one wish
before the tides go to come back no more
let your heart be for once unleashed!

for the dog
can't save my rhyme
each day he's dying
for the umpteen time

The child always thought mom didn’t treat her fair
Never one good word for her labor not one kind gesture
She got only her rebuke and never once her care
In his mind all these were when she started having an affair.

How would a child know about a girl’s love affair
Other than from the winds catching elders whisper
Mom was telling dad such are the maids you choose
Girls without trace of shame wicked morals loose.

From the day it was known grew strong mom’s doubt
The maid was barred an exit wasn’t permitted to go out
The brunt of mom’s ire was more frequent and sharper
And the child was left wondering what’s wrong with an affair.

That May was melting tar heat not yielding even at night
Days were leaving blazing trails nights brought no respite
The child wasn’t getting a wink of sleep tossed on bed restless
Staring out at the window moon the vain clouds upon her face.

One such night as he got up with eyes in sleepless gloom
They fell on the empty bed spread in the kitchen room
Where was she this stilly hour and as such thoughts him flocked
Caught his sight a slit of dark through the stairs’ door unlocked.

He caught a glimpse of two shadows hugging the moonlit street
Of them one seemed familiar the child’s eyes had often met
For a moment the sight froze him in a wild and unknown fear
Was it the maid his mom disliked for having an affair!

He tiptoed back in furtive feet worrying on his bed
What if mom found her out drove her out unpaid
How good this affair was the child was baffled in head
Was it worth all the trouble taken on her by the maid!

You can call it the end of story having guessed her fate
Though the child never spoke a word held onto the secret
Mom told dad enough of it from now maids I’ll choose
And be sure won’t find a girl with morals like her loose.

With only a lifetime to behold

*waste no time pondering.

not of blood
not of gene
not of love
not of kin
not of need
not of trust
not of creed
not of lust
not of skin
not of class
yet so much mean
its purpose

some relations...!

Under the banyan few bamboo stalls
Baskets of garden’s produce
Whiff of fresh fish from fishing trawls
Buyers the sellers amuse.

Brinjals and pumpkins papayas and gourds
Small catch from neighborly streams
With buy and sell exchange few words
Alike a sketch seen in dreams.

Small things small price wish don’t soar high
A few coins to relieve bowel’s pain
Will do enough to let the hopes fly
No need for too hard bargain.

Will be left behind not all will be sold
The fragrance of freshness will stale
They won’t rue hearts of true gold
Having learned this hard fact too well.

Some hours spent when shadows grow dark
Sun decides to recline in west
Wind up they all under moon’s arc
Happy souls homebound for rest.

Sighs the banyan long standing witness
Pains it the quietude of stars
Holds it through dark watches endless
Coming and going of pedlars.

Wrinkle our face
Twinkle weather
Quietly we embrace
Age together.

Each annular ring
Season’s turning breeze
In our ears sing
We are aging with ease.

What if she gets slow
My limbs are growing rust
Lacking youthful glow
We’re aging in good trust.

Her curves have lost the edge
My gait lacks olden spright
Yet nicely do we age
We’re aging without fright.

Have grown dim our eyes
Ears too often fail
There’s no disguise
We are aging well.

We are past that ride
Stuck on the surface
Reached that space inside
Where we can age in grace.

In her love smitten
my home's youngest kitten
I stroke her silky fur
to hear her mew and purr!

As soon as I'm home
this beauty's epitome
raises fluffy tail
holds me in her spell!

Of gracious royal class
this gorgeous little lass
cuddles on my lap
for a warm blissful nap!

I pamper her too much
hanker for her touch
she in my heart dwells
in pride her heart swells!

Though my love she rules
she ain't an inch grateful
this tiny cute empress
leaves poops on floor mattress!

When love reaches its zenith
lovers indulge in pillow fight!

Beads on her forehead
Drops on her cheeks
I love when they’re made
In hot summer weeks!

Some above upper lip
Trickle some down
A few on her nose tip
This hot noon in town!

Beneath flowery parasol
Flushed is her cheek
The shade is just too small
To avert sun’s *****!

I care for nothing more
But the walk beside her
See on her face pour
Streams of summer!

Easier revealing face of my mind
than revealing my face!

back from work when he rings the bell
his face tells me not all is well.

there's a dog out there,
seriously wounded, can't even get up
saying this he picks up a plastic bowl
pours some water in it
and to show him he isn't alone
I follow him with a bowl of milk
with breads soaked in it,

must be some insolent car tyre
crushed his hind legs
a black emaciated one
with a patch of white

and upon that grass
beneath the sinking night
we two mourn.

Brownish grey yellow billed
Babbling beaks joyous filled
With them around silence is gone
Have never seen them coming alone.

To pep up the world sent by heaven
They forage in flock of six seven
Never they break the brotherly band
Hence seven brothers called in my land.

In my surround they sprinkle joys
Prance and dance make cheery noise
When spring comes these feathered guests
In mango tree build chaotic nests.

I love to see their mock war game
Two males fighting for winning dame
I welcome them so long they stay
Give me good times a brighter day.

Form, style, structure are all in vain
If you when read a poem
Don’t see there a bit of your pain
In the lines a speck of redress
Return on read a grain of happiness
A part of you speaking in that poem
A recognized tale your traveled realm
Where your mind roams with your eyes
Dark labyrinths valleys of sunrise
And at end of ride through trough and crest
Moments invested leave you no regret.

some feeble tunes the ears catch
hushed dialogues overheard
in the shadows a lighted patch
windborne caught one word

you they haunt daylong chase
nibble your thoughts and tease
not revealed from greyish haze
yet keep your mind in leash!

what are they you wonder aloud
shadows in wispy outline
all those naggers hidden in shroud
you feel but can't define

day and night they gnaw inside
a lump of mass sans sense
drag you low climb you tide
fly you unseen distance!

with them within life you roam
spelled in all you do
why your mind they make their home
you haven't the slightest clue

only a few you can hold in hands
purge with the flows of ink
most them die stillborn strands
to a depth quietly sink!

If I had one long wand
That reached far up to the sky
Would have poked it in the cloudland
Can’t see the earth so dry!

Can’t see the earth so dry
Scarred and deeply hurt
If I had a wand to poke the sky
Would have torn the clouds apart!

The parched earth is crying for rain
The soil is a desert track
Need a long wand to break open
The clouds to heal the crack!

The peasant is waiting on his tilled ground
May not his toil go waste
It’s time for the clouds to be earthbound
Save the season’s harvest!

O god give me a long magic wand
To dispel this summer’s looming curse
Force the stubborn clouds to melt and disband
Come down on earth as showers!