When I aim high

*hope's ashes with the winds fly!

Sinking low in fathomless misery
The poet seeks an escape vent.
Takes this as an outing into darkness
A free fall in a gliding motion
Into the depth of the ocean
Away from the surface storm
Knowing he can’t be down beneath bottom,
And even there would be swimming
With all the life that make it their abode
Wrapped in blackness yet luminescent
In the filtered glow up from above
Dreaming one day to find their way back
To the warm hug of sunlight.
This affords him a survival, belief-driven,
Alike the last breath that hopes a heaven!

Instead of penning a poem
if I had a heart of gold
would have taken the puppy home
dying out there in the cold.

Useless all my rhyme
creativity a veiled gloom
doesn't matter the sublime
if I can't make some room.

Instead of penning a poem
if my hands could lift up
give it warmth of breast
make there some room.

I confess in full shame
I don't have a heart of gold
don't have the gut to pick
the poor puppy dying in the cold.

My hands smeared with inks
metaphors timeworn old
of plain and shameful lies
while the puppy in the cold dies.

If I had a heart of gold
I would have put the pen down
throwing my writes as trash
give the puppy a home.

Crispy leaves winter brown
crackle neath her feet
she looks good out of town
her eyes are playing sweet!

A little haze morn at ten
the place is real peace
on my lips desires rain
wishing stealing kiss!

She knows it quickens feet
maybe she wants too
her eyes when my eyes meet
read the twinkling cue!

Just we two froths a brew
none to find and look
blushing lips’ crimson hue
knows only that nook!

Outside of poetry
I would still be living a life
lightened and carefree
merrily chatting with wife.

I would let a poem rise in my head
throw to wind and see it dead
return to sky all breath of pain
watch them fall as joyous rain.

I would darken the screen let it sleep
burn the poems with none to keep
retire to the nook not been for long
brush up the web on a dusty song.

To be away from poetry I would strive
sail on the river go on long drive
snuggle tighter to a fathomless space
outside of poetry discover happiness.

The kingfisher knocks to call me
friend of you I do beg
make some time from poetry
find me a place to lay an egg.

My nuggets of small oval white
where to put them kind soul
where to find one good site
on some wall a small hole.

This summer the ponds are dry
my eyes are weary with watch
futile my desperate try
to pull out my hunger's catch.

Now I hardly ever sing
hold a mouthful in the beak
dying is the blue on my wing
I'm growing lean and weak.

Friend make a try to save me
our habitats are on the shrink
make some time from poetry
save us from falling over the brink.

The kingfisher knocks on my door
of you friend I do beg
if you want to see us anymore
find me a place to lay an egg.

A year is going to die
but its memories will stay
in the times ahead.

The success, the failure, the try
will be there next day,
the worries to carry to bed.

But over all else
the love I got
will still warm my heart.

As certain as time sails
what can't be bought
will be life's special part.

Was I as generous in giving
for this special gift I received
was I as kind?

The question is haunting
though I tried indeed
my best wasn't good enough I find.

Forgive me where I failed
didn't shine in the light
you let me be in.

I promise to make amend
and keep it in sight
loving you more is all I mean.

In owl-moon night
when doors are closed
in shut out light
lanes breathe morose

He carries the weight
dead in drunk sleep
in chilled night’s sweat
of tightened grip

On side of street
men burning logs
seize some heat
as need too dogs

But he must run
errand of hell
till job is done
moon’s face goes pale

Jangle hand’s bell
veins swell up taut
marks frame frail
battle hard fought

From lane to lane
his stone feet roam
till rests his pain
on pavement home!

To where the red soil road loses itself to the sky
she walks in dusted heels

One after other rising and falling the harvests die
can’t wilt her wills.

To where the red soil road loses itself to the sky
she plucks corn in the forlorn noon

Sickle in hand her wishes fly
her dreams won’t die soon.

To where the red soil road loses itself to the sky
she rues not her fate

She pauses to look up to the heaven high
hopeful in her emerald wait!

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!

Often I ask myself,
If being penniless
Is being painless!

A lifelong pair
till one flies away
and makes another!

Come for a little sum
I’ll read you your palm
Lend me your hand
I’ll read the rivers of fate
Tell you where you stand
What’s the future’s state!
Know from me life’s each twist and bend
Like your chance of going farther with her
How things will turn out in the end
They’re all designed by your star.
Grab this one, this golden chance
I’ll tell you what you’re dying to know
Marriage, children, fortune, finance
Know them all from me blow by blow.
The engraved strands on your palm
Hold hidden the troubles of your life
To which I offer remedial balm
For children gone astray, unfaithful wife!
I can read your lifespan and Saturn’s effect
Jupiter’s blessings and planets’ impact
Misfortunes on your way I can deflect
To make your future absolutely intact!

If you're ever on the riverside
where the sun beats your head
you would see the old man
selling hats of palm leaf
but you care not to notice him
having already smelled the sea
and too keen to cross the river
travel southward on the island
till the saline wind scalds your eyes
your skins itch to jump into the waves
yet the man with the palm leaf hats
would not cease to tell you
how burning would be the sun on the sands
and so badly you need to protect the head
by parting bucks that mean nothing to you
but a world to the mouths he feeds
and before you stamp on him a final no
she has one atop her hair
beneath which her eyes flutter like butterflies
her sun rouged cheeks untimely blush
and two born anew lovers
merrily head for the sea
having bought romance
for forty bucks.

Come to me I’ll decode the meandering streams on your palm
I’ll take you on a time travel to know what are yet to come
Though heavens have determined what path your life will take
The ups and downs all upheavals happiness and heartbreak!

Lend your palm if you trust it for the planets there have etched
If you sign off your life in sunshine or end up feeling wretched
For all your grinding endeavors may close on you all doors
Your strivings may go in vain leaving you with no recourse!

Sit with me a session see what future holds in store
Love marriage family friendship finance and much more
For each hurdle is a remedy each hindrance an overcome
For misfortune a ward off for bad time a curing balm!

Come have your dreams come true your fortune take right turn
I’ll get you blessings of Jupiter keep out conspiring Saturn
Protect you from all evils offer you the right stone

*I wish I knew my fortune too if only could read my own!

Leaving the papyrus for me
she leaves for the river.

Don't follow me
she says
instead
pick up my pages
unread

and with that

she goes with the river wind.

the papyrus
scattered on her trail
before I could pick them all
fly with her

to the river!

Can’t say
If dreams
Help me *find or lose way.

Hands
that fold in prayer
turn slayer

Grown up child,
you don’t love your dad and mom
anymore,
at least not in the way
they would have liked you to
as you are to them
their entire world
but to you they are now
just a man and a woman
who begot and brought you up
because they had to
which in no way was exceptional
as you deserved to be brought up
in the best way they could
and shaped for a life
as the nicest dream they could dream
for you to grow up
and blossom into a flower
whose fragrance would see them thru
the rest of their life
and would complete the circle
that god designs for mankind.
But they find,
the grown up child doesn’t love them
the way they had dreamed
when they held its hands
for its first steps of life
and they died to hear
its first papa and mamma
and stood beside their child
at each step thence
embracing it
as their best company
and finding in it
their heaven on earth
ever ready to do
whatever it would take
to see their child happy.
Grown up child,
your dad and mom
though feel debarred from your world
still hold onto their world
that’s made just of you!

Pariah dogs pain me.

I feel for those mute sufferers
But can’t fill their life.

Many a times I have dreamed of
A doggery in my backyard
For those giver only friends.

Do for them something tangible

Send appeals to kind souls for charity
Creating a kind of NGO for these bravehearts
Giving them something from the more
They deserve.

I haven’t done anything of these.

Under twinkling stars
I feed them scraps
And mourn

When one is less.

It’s something that try we should
To provide the parrot its basic food
Apple minus seeds mango banana
Grape orange guava papaya
As for vegetables cooked dried bean
With beet broccoli its heart you can win
Cucumber carrot and cauliflower
They surely love like they love a shower
Corn on the cob is fun for parrot
They aren’t fussy as them you thought
Hot peppers peapod lettuce
For them delicacies you can choose
Sweet and baked potato well cooked yam
They devour in delight add to their glam
Parrots are cute friendly and nice
Give them oatmeal millet brown rice
They’re not greedy from you they won’t beg
Though these birds love scrambled boiled egg
The parrot is innocent gorgeous and sweet
Can’t call them carnivore yes they like meat
Must talk to them and not keep your mouth shut
Your loving pet the parrot loves occasional nut.

Now words of caution what don’t do them good
Candy and chocolate and all junk food
I know you are smart and not at all mean
To offer this wonder bird mushrooms caffeine
Believe my words they aren’t my opinion
Use them in your food don’t give them onion
Dairy products for them are a big ‘no’ ‘no’
You surely want them to healthily glow
Give the parrot shower keep its cage clean
Give them just fresh foods no sugar no caffeine
Say ‘no’ to pesticides choose only organic
See in their bowel nothing goes toxic
Follow what I’ve said the task is not hard
Spend your time well with this beautiful bird.

O lonely parrot
It’s such a pity
You’re perched on a wire
High above the city!
The forest was so green parrot
The forest was so neat
Why did you have to leave it
For the urban dust and heat!
O lonely parrot
It’s such a pity
You abandoned the forest
To dwell in the city!
So warm was your nest
With choicest foods galore
A wonderful hole for rest
And singing heart’s outpour!
O lonely parrot
It’s such a pity
Leaving the peace of forest
You prefer to be in the city!
The songs were so soulful there
The melodies so sweet
Your heart you could fully bare
To your throb you could tweet!
O lonely parrot
It’s such a pity
You can be caught and caged
In this heartless city!
So parrot make haste
To recover all you miss
Go back to the forest
Your own abode of peace!

At one corner of the subconscious
she waits to land on my dream

this morn too she came

offering my hungry mouth
a piece of guava
part eaten it was laced with her saliva

*stoked my lust from the first bite
she never ages a bit
wished she came to me on each night
bringing youth endlessly sweet!

Key them with forearms,
Submit mind’s creations to poetry forums.

On the grills the rust
Stands in stark contrast
To your serene eyes

They see it all
Ocean black eyeball
Still hold surprise

Brimming passion
What love in that ocean
Your pleading eyes

It makes me pause
There’s no greater cause
For a passerby

Your gestures bold
Said words untold
Your droopy ear

Ever so keen
To lovingly listen
Holds a stranger dear

You looked at me
With a loving plea
Oh passerby

Greet me awhile
Lend me a smile
For that I die

on the ripples our shadows
the river flows on
this moment they are here
next tide they're gone!

a run to the end in scorched wing
flames licking the bloods dry
do i hear the bell's ring
the shadows coming nigh!

when my heart is bleeding
my eyes are river dry
i don't break in a mournful wail
hide in a passing sigh!

pause awhile in the life's dance
hide in the passing sigh
death is too remote to break the trance
see shadows passing by!

do i see faces ashen pale
hearts bludgeoned by doom
breaths broken by a dreary tale
leaving hopes no room!

life is too cosy too precious a trance
and death too starkly nigh
i take a break from the life's dance
to see the shadows passing by!

Keys
Find it hard
If often not
You change password.

The daughter married off went to a distant land
Leaving them to rue absence of her tender hand
He would till the garden she would tend to him
In that house the couple passed days in dream.

How love hides itself for years stubbornly mute
Till loneliness gives it a face grows it a firmer root
In the tears of sunset years brings it one restart
Once more finds the door to the old couple’s heart.

Two doves of love they looked standing at the gate
In the evening hours together two perfect soulmate
When one day told her wail she lost her living spark
Dropped down dead her man in the garden at his work.

Months passed and she would be seen alone at the gate
With a vacant look in her eyes in white mournful wait
Pleaded though her daughter she should live at her place
The widow clung to her wish of staying at his address.

She lived few more years then went to look for him
The house was left empty like an abandoned dream
A notice was hung on the gate it was put up for sale
The couple was forgotten their memory soon grew pale.

On my walk by the house if I happened to look at it
Would think of the days they spent in love so sweet
The iron grill was rusted and cobwebbed was its door
As if never would come there two loving souls anymore.

This morn as I was passing by saw a woman's face
Standing at the weeded lawn of that lost address
In my eyes danced a thrill into the heart it spread
*Must have made their love's abode a couple newlywed.

Our pause is momentary.

What for we pause is eternal.

like poetry she's giving me bad habits

*whenever she eats
her fingers would scoop a morsel or two
and pierce my hungry lips

it makes me wait keen like ***
when the night is nine o'clock
it makes me slave of Pavlov's reflex
for her hands in my liplock

i crave not much for one morsel
yearn more for her hand
it makes me feel lovingly well
to see her closely stand

one morsel or at most two
when she pushes in my mouth
that says to me her love is true
she loves me out and out.

I have you in rein
Coz with superior brain
I tamed the wild in you,
Wolves transformed to pet
No more from me you get
What’s your due!
Now a canine on the street
With no way to retreat
No hope for you in sight,
You caused me plight
By barking with might
Throughout the night!
So it will be your fate
It’s what you’ll get
You they’ll hound,
For you it looms
Cramped stinking rooms
Of a mortuary called dog pound!

None can
Help
Bring you peace
Other than yourself.

Pelican
Slurps on
What its
Belly can
Put stay
Whole day
In the sun
On the run
Just wish
Big fish
One stuff
Big enough
It can pick
With its beak
That can hold
Manifold
Bigger than
Its belly can
Wonderful Pelican

The road bends in a serpentine whim
It’s evening and I must scurry home,
Before the chill freezes my bone
And my last words echo in the trunk hollows.
She must be wrapping herself for warmth
She must be stoking the fire a little more
She must be closing the windows
But she mustn’t for god’s sake shut the door.
The road is throwing up endless bends
It’s night and I’m frozen to the bone
The trunk hollows are eager to be filled
No way now I can reach home.
She is now warm beneath her blanket
She now hears the fire’s crackling roar
She has closed the window
But she mustn’t for god’s sake shut the door.

Perfection is perfectly boring.
Trying to be perfect is interesting.

Starved in daylight,

survive on ready meat of permissive night.

I have it in my dreams
The shadowy bus stop
On a nowhere zone
Where nobody waits ever for a bus,
To get off there and wait
For the shadows to gather
And take strange shapes
To turn into a phantom bus
That would vanish with me on board!

It all started after two deaths struck the family
The house was devastated it happened so quickly
They were still in mourning coping with the shock
When was heard their presence the eerie nightly knocks!

The sadness was soon replaced by a sense of horror
Footsteps were heard with none on the corridor
The lights went off their own stones pelted from nowhere
Doors banged without a gale lost things weren’t anywhere!

Ashes dumped on food filled jug was soon empty
Wastes lay littered in rooms locked and debarred entry
Nights were spent sleepless each stayed on bed awake
Praying for the knockings to stop arrival of daybreak!

The terrorized house lay numb without a key to the mists
Till they had them enough the pranks of the evil spirits
Too long was going this at their cost the ghostly ruckus
Not deterred by one’s boastful claim we got a gun with us!

When the unwanted visitors showed no signs of retreat
Priests were summoned to drive out the evil spirits
They said not one but the house is playing host
To not one evildoer but a bunch of malevolent ghosts!

They performed for three days got bagful royal treat
Then they were gone but the visitors didn’t retreat
It was by now known they would go on till
Their mission accomplished they could close the deal!

One day it all stopped as suddenly as did start
Quietly they left sprightly souls did depart
But also found were gone with the phantoms’ revelry
Grandpa’s saved gold coins all Grandma’s jewelry!

when a boy finds a girl pretty
his mass of love gains velocity
and in that moment(um) of trance
he sees a chance for romance!

when a girl finds a boy attractive
though she first plays a little evasive
can’t hide for long her cheeks’ blush
in the growing velocity of her love’s mass!

Straws and twigs litter the balcony
leaves withered from winter
pigeons have homed here safely
dirtied the place
but I don't mind
not replaced the broken glasses
we can make do with them
our family has grown
somewhere we left the nest
to wither in winter
barely holding together
me and her.

veiled behind the barbs of acacia
the river bathes in the lazy sun

she's a thousand years or more
but knocks my heart's door
like a flirtatious teen

come deflower me
bare me in your poetry
wear me on your skin

soon she would be lost to the sky
leaving on the banks echoes of her lust

i pause for a piece of her
before my dream turns to dust!

Where bathes you the morning dew
lights you the sun
colors you the dawn's hue
a moment newly begun.

Where shelters you the blue sky
soaks you the rain
lets out your heart's cry
words shape your pain.

Where dazzles you the sunshine
glooms end of day
hope is the silver line
living the only way.

Where gnaws you the sorrow's worm
runs you the smile
speaks to you the soul's calm
happiness is only a mile.

Fluffy kitten love smitten fighting over milk
Itching finger on them linger cuddly glossy silk
Ocean blue eyes love undisguised seven heaven’s glow
Oh God be broad see they do not quickly enough grow.

On the cushion mischief mission ripping pillow part
Though it demand can’t raise hand cruel is not heart
Indulgent look mildly rebuke faked in anger’s voice
Watching them mad in game is heavenly rejoice.

One on other sister brother dizzying somersault
If the vase is broken surely not for their fault
Sing lullaby show the TV sleep is far away
Make the pretense all nonsense but a playful day.

Again a boy lovingly toy tender tiny paw
They’re too smart never do hurt haven’t grown a claw
Frolic funny keep time runny feel the silence deep
Comes when night robs the delight weary bodies sleep.

Raindrops pelted the earth in fiery spill
Clouds drove away the submissive daylight
Warmth tamely surrendered to chill
It was then those eyes came into my sight!

A bare bodied riffraff hardly into his teen
He looked an absurd picture in a silent film
Standing there exposed in streaming skin
One shivering model playing rain’s victim!

But this wasn’t the way I thought like then
Myself a kid returning from school
Rain-coated and knowing no pain
Living secured under parental rule!

I just felt then something was not right
He shouldn’t have been left in such a state
A cold or a rain fever catch he might
The kid who could have been my mate!

Your mom and dad, I asked, where’re they
Leaving you in the rain to roam
Should have been indoors on such a day
And not stray off from home!

The boy it seemed couldn’t surmise
For long deprived of kindness
Filled up his eyes in sheer surprise
But soon grew saddened his face!


*No dad no mom I’ve never known them
Known only to play in the rain
Live in the street without a name
Orphaned too long for any pain!

Impale me with truth

Break me not with false promises.

A poem a day
Keeps the doctor away
Two he may need to be called

Three poems a day
The doctor’s on his way
No way could his coming be stalled!

Four poems a day
The doctor has to stay
Five and tough is his work

If the number are six
The doctor’s in a fix
How could he stop the flying spark!

Poems by the hour
Is beyond the doctor’s power
Poems by the minute is his bane

It’s where he loses self
Badly needs a help
To be declared utterly insane!

Some poems are better not birthed
be locked with the key never found
their scripts be seen by no eyes on earth
like the sigh’s dewy tears on the ground!

Some poems are better not carved on papyrus
be hidden in the deepest nook
unworded pains nurtured in hush
flowing within like a brook!

Some poems are better not shown daylight
be buried neath sorrow’s growing pile
unvoiced aches lost in the night
dawning in the morn as a smile!

Some poems are better not ever revealed
be breathed on the lonely walkway
living in heart feeling fulfilled
dying when the days die away!

Does the poet live his own words
Measures up to what his verses promise
Strives for the heights his thoughts reach
Plays the part his writings reflect
Goes to any length to be good
Rids himself of all meanness
Is generous kind faithful trustworthy in his personal life
A lover a friend an aide a benefactor,
Or at the end of the day
Just a preacher
Who never is as tall as his sermons
But remains a run-o-mill guy
Who endowed with poetic skill
Spins in self-deceit webs of lies!

Does a poet ever endeavor
To become a poetry in motion?