He wore himself out in her dream.

Saw her from a distance
That made her alluring
Hid what were not,

He crooned to draw her closer.

She remained no more aloof.

Proximity revealed the intricacies
When they started living under same roof.

I told her
But she wouldn’t believe
She would for life not believe.

I can’t stay back dear
I don’t belong here anymore
They know it
And they’re waiting
They too had a day like this.

And then I started to cry
Burying my head in her breast
Holding her tight

But I don’t want to go there
I can’t for your love
Leave this place
This house
This garden
These birds
These cats
The dogs...

I clung to her

Please do something
Tell me I’m dreaming
There aren’t none waiting
Your touch is true
My hugs are real
We stand here
Together
Bound in a fate
Nothing can separate

Time up they said
The more you stay
The more you suffer

She was weeping
I too

*Only she didn't see!

Your eyes say it all
Says your silent sigh
Through the day and nightfall
The sufferings under the sky!
Reflects your face
The apathy of earthmen
That tests your muteness
Tests limit of your pain!
You are loyal you abide
Break yet never bend
In life's uneven ride
Man's best friend!

Not hear my words but read my eyes
For words can fail eyes can’t disguise
That in my heart in silence speaks
Love’s fantasies and magic tricks!

Not hear my words but read my eyes
For words are stale holds no surprise
Can’t show the streams of love that flow
Sparkly diamonds in secret glow!

Not hear my words but read my eyes
Words are vain and crudely wise
Can’t paint the sun that shines for you
Rolls down as tears with the morning dew!

Not hear my words but read my eyes
Words can’t ever make it truly nice
Just waste the years leaving it overdue
To let you know how much I love you!

Tell me words simple
that on my heart
when softly land
I understand,
and when they depart
leave me a smile's dimple.

Creaseless warm bed
Soft pillow under head
Sleep tightening noose
Just then hell broke loose.
Breaking through that spell
A remote warning bell
Prised open the eyes
In streaming rhymes’ disguise!
Day’s stress though immense
Mind strained in patience
To find from maze a clue
For images one or two!
In that poetic trance
Sleep lost all its chance
In an agonizing dingdong
Clock said night was long.
The bed became one of thorn
Sleep died poems were born
Some trapped some were gone
Like night lost at dawn.

Seasons have weathered
left footprints passing age
yet something is spared
to draw her in my gaze!

It's not as pink as first crush
nor red as primal yore
but white residue of dried brush
that makes me want not more!

I wonder if she knows it
when hold her in my gaze
not slowed a bit this heartbeat
my eyes don't see her age!

She wonders if I know it
when steals on me her look
the pages left are still sweet
love stays an unclosed book!

When the night for the passing fairies stood breathless still
The full moon in molten sorrow broke down the hill
His eyes would fill with tears, his lips in anguish twitched
In drunken murmurs of a lost soul in moon’s spell bewitched.
He would be up there on Top Hill silhouetted in moonlight
Sinking in her spilling milk in ecstatic delight
Watching the moon scale upon the meridian’s peak
In the inexplicable awe of a frenzied lunatic.
There wasn’t no full moon without him on Top Hill
Perched on its crest dreaming to have his fill
Sailing in the silvery waves not knowing to anchor
Pledging his eyes to the moon till they couldn’t take anymore.

One night as he climbed up to bathe in the blinding white
The glowing disc was too much to behold, his heart stopped in fright
They found him atop Top Hill, his eyes in wide gaze
In them lay captured, his last moon’s passage.

The coroner opined that his heart failed him
To the taxing trek uphill he fell a victim
But the real cause, they would never get it right
That night having his fill, he died of moonlight.

The humankind was never kind to them.

From their peaceful Pliocene graves
they were dug out, doggedly read,
their skulls and bones laid bare
gorged upon every finest details
all the apparent lunacy
directed to determine a link
always close yet too far.

Roaming that placid basin
they could not dream
to be a mystery past two million years
crazily pursued to be cracked open.

They have been branded Nutcracker Man.

These Holocene men are truly nuts.

On a mid summer’s day if the north wind blows
The sun goes hiding rain nests on eyebrows
You are madly joyous at this topsy-turvy
Your mind goes cartwheeling you feel carefree!
The weather turns cool blessed by the rain
Freeing your limbs from the summer's pain
The sky loses fierceness wearing the cloud’s tone
You are tempted to run wild in gay abandon!
By some mystic touch the day turns angel
Don’t touch it too hard don’t remove her veil
Drink the day softly go and have your fill
A god-gifted summer’s day with unexpected chill!

I wish I could be like the street urchin
Unpampered uncared but not sad
Wear daylong a cloudless grin
Be in manners and etiquette bad!

I want to be bad
I need to be bad
Am too shackled by the good

I want to be like him
The street urchin
Carelessly capriciously crude!

Too long I have been by the good enslaved
Hold captive in its pretentious cask
Too long for good I have naggingly craved
Let it cut out for me all my task!

*I want to be bad
I need to be bad
Am dying for the untasted brew

I want to be like him
The street urchin
Treating good too good to be true!

Under the sunburned clay tiles
Her face was a pond.

Sweats’ dewdrops on her almond skin
Keenly waited for the kiss of soil
And in the tree lined coolness of the thatched hut
She paused for me from her rustic toil.

Why do the beauties we deform
Bury the raw under heaps of vain
**** the eyes’ wild glowworms
Plant there a mascara stain!

A girl of toil a girl of soil she’s rustic bred
Never deems never dreams for beauty’s parade!

Her face was a tree lined pond
Her heart’s ocean
I never could delve.

Only know this much
Under the sunburned tiles
Her one fleeting smile
I would carry through the coming miles.

From my pal whiskey a peg I borrow
To drown therein my load of sorrow
It takes no time for the peg to be gone
But my darned sorrow not leaves me alone!

I plead with whiskey to lend one more
As my empty glass is quite an eyesore
A ****** liberal he pours me more
Still not gone sorrow when pegs are four!

My cheeks are flushed red and hot
One on one he pours me shot
Can’t stop me though a *****’s son
My sorrow still flows in plenty gallon!

The more he pours more get me dumbed
My brain takes leave thinking is numbed
From the empty glass sorrow winks a smile
I hear it say *won’t leave you a while!

A young man from Spain
Fell in a cold dark drain
When asked, “Are you Mad?”
Said, “No, I’m insane.”
This young man from Spain
From the fall in considerable pain
Attracted a large queue
But him none did rescue.
In his fall he saw no gain
This injured guy from Spain
He exclaimed “Oh, what surprise,
I’m showered with only advice!”
Many suspected his brain
Asked if he was or wasn’t in pain
It really was suspect which side was sane
The ones gathered or the man from Spain!
“How funny” said the men and women
“Surely your eyes were not open”
Some said, “It’s simple and plain,
The fellow is plain insane.”
They said, “You should have been more alert
More cautious and certainly more smart
They all agreed the men and women
He should not have been in the drain.
The unfortunate man from Spain
Wondered what’s the bargain?
Though pain made him blue
Why was nobody coming to his rescue?
They left the poor man to his fate
Expressing anguish and regret
We never knew which side was insane
The crowd that gathered or the man from Spain!

Every night on the divan divine
Beside her when I recline
In the comfort of that precious chance
My mind in the sit finds a hidden romance!

It may seem her eyes are glued to TV
But I know they aren’t but riveted on me
In her sensuous silence I don’t fail to notice
The charm of her cheek how they still entice!

I utter not a word love those times’ silence
Like an old lover never out of patience
Stealing from air her old wine fragrance
Just happy to be there clutching the romance!

My finance is getting no better
Fast is thinning my purse
My pocket is now a deep crater
Where money is growing sparse!

Spending what came was my craze
Bucks pouring in didn’t stay
Blissfully forgot the adage
Keep aside for rainy day!

I spent my earn on what not
Bought everything catching eye
Possessed by the only thought
Should spend last penny fore I die!

It had gone like this for years
I went on a spending spree
Till one fine morn in tears
Bade me goodbye the last penny!

Now in old age and low spirit
With money dimming too faint
I can no more be a spendthrift
With my purse’s meager remnant!

Laments soul my unheard muse
If only you had paid me heed
Put all those money to better use
And not just cared for own need!

not behind everything is my hand
not everything even I understand
I try to craft from chaos some order
leave some unfinished some on the border.

my home though cosmos I reside within
without being choosy about skin and sin
the good and the bad I have to take along
like I take in my stride all right and wrong.

if you have faith I make some sense
to the faithless I'm just nonsense
so made I'm no grudge can harbor
satan and angel find my favor.

I feel burdened when see the mankind
finding in everything my hidden hand
not realizing if only I had a magic wand
would have made this world an unblemished land.

Raindrops wished them
colors seven
obliged sunflame
sliced heaven.

********

Far from hometown
day hangs still
last sun falls down
nimbus hill.

********

Reign they all day
changing quick
rain and sun play
hide and seek.

********

Skims she gaily
July shower
gathering merrily
wildflower.

*********

I see the King
standing on ruin
madly searching
where is Queen.

**********

Say her smiles
though places she roam

love end of miles
waiting home.

Hurry dear it’s fast darkening
We must be home before evening
So saying she looked at her
The walk was long home was far.

She glanced at her daughter’s face
Then held her tight in sweet embrace
Knowing the child’s little feet
Couldn't do much to achieve the feat.

When she started she thought it best
To take the shortcut through the forest
But shadows here quickly descend
Daylight fades with each bend.

She quickened pace strained her ears
The silence spoke in many whispers
She heard something that scared her wit
Sound behind her of some dragging feet.

Someone was following her in that wild
She heard its footsteps didn’t tell her child
Paused awhile and picked up her daughter
Kissed her soft cheek put her on shoulder.

Mummy there’s someone coming behind
When I look for it none I find
Don’t be scared dear just the birds' wings
I can see it clear behind us is nothing.

She kept walking as fast she could
To escape the something lurking in the wood
The footsteps behind seemed to keep them in watch
Quickened its pace any moment could catch.

The forest thinned out their home came to sight
The small white cottage shone in moonlight
At the gate was her husband waiting in worried face
She told him we're safely back by kind God's grace.

The little child was still scared she too had heard the sound
Of someone coming behind footsteps on the ground
Though wearied out by the travel it kept haunting her head
After end of dinner when mummy put her on bed.

When the house fell quiet she heard her mother say
Darling I'm terribly scared I had a horrible day
In the forest was someone behind us it did follow

*I saw a figure with no head but a hollow!

I haven’t seen your face
Across the seven seas
Yet you have made in my heart a place
I’m drunk in your poetry.

Truth said doesn’t matter your face
If your eyes are black or brown
In your poetry’s grace
I so blissfully drown.

Don’t know if your name is real or pen
Your skin is fair or dark
Knowing your poetry is enough gain
You have made in my heart your mark.

I know this and only this much
You from across the seven seas
Have always let me feel your touch
Made my living days worthy!

She lives a petaled hope of summer’s bloom.

drinking droplets of dew
catching the wind in each breath
sunning by the window
holding in her eyes the sky
where clouds bring no rain
its blue no dream
yet she unaware of times passing by
exists in lifelong amnesia
without a why
where and when
but live and die
in her unmindful giving

and *unfathomed pain!

Blessed are the poets
who read more and write less!

burn up nights in passion's flame
breathe in breathe out every poem
hours rewarded in busy ingest
no repenting on forsaken rest
a drift a wind a stormy rush
din of mirth a grievous hush
won't forgo once embark
heart's vent in light or dark
like a mission promise to keep
wake they up in a world asleep
read and read till the seeds are sown
in heart sprouts up own poem full grown!

Blessed be their tribe
for them the poemdom thrives!

bloodstains on my hands say
countless times have wounded her
yet she loves me to this day
weeps on my shoulder!*

You don't remind me woman
each time I stroke your hair
of the times I act a hurting man
of all the times I've been unfair.

Rather you hide all past scars
cover up my stinging bite
pretend things could be worse
thank god it turned all right.

You don't remind me woman
when I hug you tight
of the times I act a hurting man
bare to you unmanly might.

Rather you hide the flicker of pain
smile away my sins of past
pretend things would be same again
thank god in me you trust.

I ask the price before buying.

There's a price tag for everything
upon the breakeven a levied charge
for life has not one bit
bought sans the urge to profit
taken home void of bargain
friend, lover, companion
at a price not to be alone
without a fallout of gain or pain
of sweet or bitter taste
lifelong joy or sooner regret.

Do I have a price?

As for my own
I feel always underpaid..

the woman I took to the bed
the child I raised
friends and companions
seem all miserly in paying the dues..

maybe they rue too
I haven't paid theirs.

Not a thought that me haunts,
A smell,
That in fiery times me lends
Respite from hell.
It’s no fragrance wafted in air
No sweet scent,
It I feel right there
As healer of torment.
I smelled it first
From my time in her cavern
It was to begin my thirst
For the love of a woman.

That hour made me busy
questions were easy
not yielding a moment

he was sitting glum
peeping at my diagram
of Michelson Morley experiment!

I could hear his sigh
from the corner of my eye
could gauge he felt bitter

all he had read
had quickly fled
clouding him in ether!

It was all in mist
what those darned physicist
had theorized in vain

no lover’s tryst
but a paper of physics
an agonizing pain!

My worst fear
was remembering the year
when the experiment was done

for once did it Michelson
then with Morley redone
was it ’87 or ’81!

That boy behind me
was thinking bitterly
worrying in fright

soon the time would be spent
without his writing the experiment
on the wavy behavior of light!

Tense was the air
when I heard him whisper
push your paper to the right

in his voice was despair
bothered little to be unfair
quite visible was his plight!

*With all my toil
burning the midnight oil
how this I lost sight

covered all nitty-gritty
of magnetism electricity
missed the chapter on light!

The pauper’s bread is his philosophy
The affluent’s philosophy is bread
Though the pauper hasn’t a bread too many
His dog is always well fed!*

The joy of sharing he knows best
His bread he cuts into two
The pauper the vermin the nagging pest
At heart is the most well-to-do!

He knows the joy of togetherness
To divide from his scrap of bread
The pauper a slur on the human race
Sees his dog doesn’t remain unfed!

He knows he can’t do without this help
He is too alone on this ride
The pauper knows better than to live with self
Loves his dog on his side!

My house seemed unusually quiet
As I rang the hoarse calling bell
Quickly it passed my thought
Did I come to the wrong address?

The bell’s hoarseness shattered the peace
Something my house never did grace
The trademark noise one can never miss
So had I come at the wrong address?

She slowly came and opened the gate
The house was dark but for one room
I wondered if she slept till late
So there still hung a pall of gloom.

I sniffed the air to find what was amiss
Shook my head a little to shrug off the fears
Reigned everywhere a distraught-ing peace
In the house I’ve been returning for years.

I tiptoed on the floor lest it broke the silence
The hush appeared so incredible and fragile
The thought that peace even could make one tense
I couldn’t repress the inward flowing smile.

‘Why the house is so quiet dear what’s the mystery?’
I saw a flirting smile prancing on her face
‘For a change I have switched off the TV

*So you think you’ve come to the wrong address'!

A B C D E F G
for my own comfort I’m busy
H I J K L M N
I give a **** for others’ pain
O P Q R S T U
‘I’ is more valuable than ‘YOU’
V W X Y Z
but the world is not just for me made
A C E G I K M
if I a little differently aim
B D F H J L N
not just live for my own gain
C E G I K M O
but care for the other fellow
D F H J L N P
feel good when the other is happy
E G I K M O Q
not just mind ‘I’ but mind ‘YOU’
F H J L N P R
know how precious also you are
G I K M O Q S
and love to see your smiling face
H J L N P R T
share this world you and me
I K M O Q S U
its wealth and beauty ‘I’ and ‘YOU’
J L N P R T V
love all life as I love me
K M O Q S U W
give each one what is its due
L N P R T V X
thus save me from the ‘I’ complex
M O Q S U W Y
to take my life to a new high
N P R T V X Z
where I can hold high my head
in a world that’s not just for me made.

Forty years ago
She wrote me a note
Insubstantial
But ending preciously…

‘only yours’

In fountain ink
On a scrap paper
Written surreptitiously
But passionately
On a break period
Delivered through a common friend
And there wasn’t enough privacy
So it seemed
To read it alone
And not enough strength
To unfold that first call
Till the eyes
In youth’s first thirst
Spread it
In the stolen reflection
Of streetlight
In trembling hands
Barest words
Yet infinitely precious…

‘only yours’

She couldn’t be
For she was
Destined to be someone else’s
And leave me nothing
But her everything
In those two words
Time couldn’t stale…

‘only yours’

She
Possibly now a grandma
With everything
For she left me nothing
But two innocuous words
Barest infinite
Her everything
Mine too…

‘only yours’.

He had to get it anyhow
But the sleepy Sunday afternoon
Found all the shutters down

He had to get it anyhow
But a sad figure on the empty street
His sighs in himself drowned

He needed to get it anyhow
But it seemed fortune didn’t care
It couldn’t be ever found

He needed to get it anyhow
But his tries ended in despair
A life could bow out

If only he could get it anyhow
That small thing now priceless
He would forever treasure

If only he could get it anyhow
It would prolong a heartbeat
Reviving drops he could measure

On the sleepy Sunday afternoon
In search of a one penny dropper
A man a poet a philosopher
Was thwarted came a cropper!

Four years and his room is untouched.

I would love it that way

For years!

Stays ***** and span
The memory of my old man.

The southern window side of the bed
Where he laid his head

The eastern window that broke his sleep
With the sun’s first peep

His snapped photos on the wall of west
That ache my chest

On the northern wall the clock
That still of his time talks

His divan forlorn
Resting cold from his last morn

In each bric-a-brac
His touch his track

In ticks and creaks
His memory speaks.

Saturdays will never be the same.

My Saturdays

not seeing him a fortnight
is he gone with the light in his eyes
to the land of eternal light?

Come Saturdays

he doesn't follow me anymore
in his staggering walk to my door
hiding his worldly pains
for a morsel of my handful grains

Come Saturdays

he isn't waiting on my way
in another aching day
unable to stand on his feet
but not giving up giving
his silent greet

Come Saturdays

I utter his name

*My Saturdays will never be the same.

When love reaches its zenith
lovers indulge in pillow fight!

On that windless day
Sultriness sat heavily on him,
A convecting hollowness
Grooved in his chest
Spread to the throat
He was gasping.

Words echoed inside
But couldn’t make their way
As he sank into darkness.

Around him
Crowd of oblivious men
was without a clue.

Remained unheard a garble
Speed…dial…2.

If you have to go to the beach
Where the blue bends down to the sea
The eyes far the waves outreach
Salt sprays gurgle in glee,

Find the time to take a ride
Miles down the city’s edge
Over the greens of countryside
Past huts with thicket’s hedge!

When you pass the winding stream
See winds on the bloated sail
Hear boatman’s tune of forlorn dream
Catch a village belle with her pail,

Find the time to stop a while
Watch the sun shine her grace
Forget travails of the bumpy miles
Smell the dew on her labored face!

If the white clouds sail the sky
Bewitch you the rustic way
Break your path make a valiant try
Seize that moment of the passing day,

See in her eyes the river’s tale
In her hair the flower’s bloom
Feel in her breath love’s rapturous gale
Her desire’s rainbow plume!

Rue not the time lost on the way
For you paused for the boatman’s song
Viewed her frame molded in clay
As the river brought her along,

Regret not if you are late for the beach
Where the blue bends down to the sea
Think of the chance that brought to your reach
A glimpse of eternity!

The house resounds with mirth
There isn’t a nook left unlit
Death celebrated like a birth
Making separation look not un-sweet!

And this is what he had to say
In the style of a prophetic foretell
When I die I’ll be mourned for the day
Next day will be a memory on the wall!

To his credit he spoke what is right
One death is just a person less
He’s gone and not even fortnight
The house is back to beaming face!

It’s the right way to mourn the dead
By those who held him close to heart
Realizing life has to go on instead
Of stopping for the ones death do part!

Tempts jackdaws
A raven, because,
Ravenous jackdaws
Crave its gloss.

They never knew each other
Will never meet in life again
For two hours were brought together
Four men stuck in a rain.

Same shelter they chanced to come to
Strangers all they were
Each with other had nothing to do
No relations of love and care.

They started to talk about weather
How they were halted by the rain
Soon chatted like friends forever
Who had met after a long time again.

The strangers caught in the downpour got so many things to say
Unfamiliar men trapped in common distress
Who would soon disperse on their own way
Never carrying the memory of their face.

But here as the rain fell in ceaseless torrents
The four souls worked up a tenuous bond
Not minding fragility of those absurd moments
A rewarding camaraderie they found.

When the rain stopped for them to depart
They went their way with cheerful smile
There was no sadness nor any aching heart
They were happy to be together awhile.

magpie robin on her black and white wings
all day seems to frolic twitters sweetest nothings
is she singing her songs to lay a lover's trap
or love she isn't searching but her hunger's scrap!

she's the cutest damsel hopping the ledges for insect
with no rainbow on her plumes yet dazzlingly perfect
is she whistling to catch a heart find for her one good mate
or it's only her hunger's call still can wait her first date!

in the sleepy noons rends the air her plaintive cries
drunk in the desire that comes renewed each sunrise
is she pursuing tireless for her love nest a golden straw
or her pursuit is not of passion but fending hunger's gnaw!

when the evening comes she finds herself a perch
tranced in night's lullaby under the starry arch
is she still in her sleep singing for love to born
or she's is just dreaming her hunger's golden corn!

When I asked him how old was he
Giving a mischievous wink
Said won’t tell you straightly
But in a riddle to think!

If you add up the digits of that year
Multiply it by three
You would be almost there
But not there exactly!

Three more to it you’ve to add
And that’s my age no doubt
You would make me really glad
If can figure that out!

The two digits that make my age
Have a difference of one
You’ve enough clues to the maze
To work out my age with fun!

The digits added is short of ten
But from one too far
Would you now take the pain
To make my age clear?

I watch her picking shells
Drifting to faraway beach
It’s bad that I only remember
When she’s out of reach!

I could tell her when she was close
Could whisper in her ears
Could tell her with a bud of rose
Anytime all these years!

But why it seems the only time
When she’s out of reach
I shout it in sea’s din a mime
She’s busy picking shells on the beach!

I could tell her when she was beside me
I could tell her in the car
But why now when she seems busy
Straying on the beach afar!

Why it seems the best moment
A time most opportune
Though went years together spent
Holding hands in the moon!

I raise my voice today is the day
Her my thought must reach
But she’s gone far in the bay
She’s out of reach!

*She has drifted up the bay
Where I pine to reach
Tell her what I die to say
She’s busy picking shells on the beach!

Like the sandgrains on the stretched palm
with the wind have flown the years
the tides rolled back the sea is now calm
It's biding time on this heavenly sphere!

Yet I've started loving this life more
more than all that spent up before
with a growing desire to have it fullest
sowing hope's seeds to reap its harvest!

Inevitable frailness though makes it hard
more than the yore I dream step forward
still seek the way to get through the dark
explore the mist on unknown embark!

I stretch my hands for the farthest shore
roam mind's cavern for still unlocked door
churn up the residues of time on this side
ride on the comeback of sea's one last tide!

I held her in my gaze on the iron rail of summer noon.

This moment of humid silence wetting her heat burn cheeks

I knew would melt pretty soon.

Like moisture droplets on her lips and her palm’s sweat

This heavenly moment would retreat

With its phantoms of fancy it’s never too late!

Then sobered and in saner head

We would find our place under the banyan’s cool shade.

To him she’s an eyesore.

Early morn she comes to his door
Dog walking!

Not that he hates dog
A bachelor though
He holds no dislike for women
Secretly watches through the window
The leasher and the leashed
Very displeased

For in the evening’s dim-lit road
His shoes often meet soft messy things
Hidden in the undergrowth
and he being a gentleman
is left to curse under his breath
venting in the air his flak
and again next morn
they’re back!

He imagines the woman is alone and free
with only the dog as company
and given a chance
could bud romance
around her neck his arm would loop
and he would live happily ever after

*with her and dog ****!