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 ****!

What I like best
Is when the sun dips west
To come with a hop
To the Rooftop!
I see how red with blue blends
As another day ends,
After a tiring day looking for rest
The birds haste to find their nest!
As the light grows dim
Colors spill on the sky at whim
I feel a peace rise in me
That breaks all shackles
And sets me free!

You can smell blood in the air
See billowing smokes of gunfire
Feel the fettered men that died there
From hunger disease and hard labor!

Still reek the tennis court and the bakery
Of the sweats of penal toils in that island
Till they fell and died in slavery
To the lashes of the whips of ruler’s hand!

The water plant stands like a cruel mockery
Its ironed frame now ruined in century’s rust
Reminding those souls killed for bravery
Never got a drop of water to quench thirst!

Over the wails of the prisoners were made a paradise
Where the monsters retired to seek love at night
But the crumbling ruins of that island cannot disguise
the stains of blood and denial of prisoners' right!

I too will go to you, says the son
to the face of the father.

He broadens his smile
thin and gathering dust for long
as if to acknowledge
he always knew
one day his son would stand before him
resigned and weary
willing to join on his route.

The son sees his father's lips
move in the briefest prayer..

Welcome.

Summers ago when he was ten
his first blush was born from her glance
on his yard fell the first rain
he had but met her only once.

Most precious gift gave her tiny hand
one that he kept in a matchbox
no ring it was a red rubber band
long lost still at his heart knocks.

How can stop time by a girl's whim
stales never a moment of closeness
when love was an unripened dream
lust was an unknown address.

The boy soon grew to become a man
the girl went to some faraway land
they come but once in one lifespan
his first blush her hand's rubber band.

Cinnamon and black grey
breaks the summer's doze
the voice gives away
it's sitting somewhere close.

The shade of a mango tree
that rests the wings from sun
breaks the day busy
to a lonely space for one.

In its eyes black bead dark
solitude wears a skin
a sadness makes its mark
of a silent cry within.

It dips beak deep for preens
cleanse that's daily a chore
another day quick spins
shadows are longer more.

The majority are for the law
But laws are for the fools
The mighty breaks it with guffaw
Fools blindly abide by the rules.
Laws are made for the mass
To force them to follow some rules
By a few known as the ruling class
That frames them as disciplinary tools.
Laid down to prevent anarchy
Laws turn weapons for the powerful
Legalize the might and hierarchy
Of the forces that control and rule.
Laws apply differently for colors of skin
Some are treated more equal than others
Depend on appearances ***** or clean
They don’t treat all mankind as brothers.
The strangest thing about the legal rules
Is most often for the poor they turn deaf
But then you know rules are for fools
The rulers can get away with mischief.

In my most perilous times
I go by the devil’s book.

Burying conscience its tender rhymes
I find myself the safest nook.

In my times of hardest deals
I act as the devil wills.

Shedding my fragile conscientious guise
I find haven in compromise.

In my hours of moral crises
I decide what the devil please.

Stripping my garb of holy goodness
I find refuge in the devil’s face.

In my times when rages tempest
I qualify in the devil’s test.

His writs make me override
My morals and move onto devil’s side.

Before the east glows in the sun
Run boy run.
Only they who run
Know the fun
Of leaving the bed
And going ahead.
5 chimes the bell
And off you sail
Sniffing the smell of grass
Past you the winds rush.
Run along as if on wing
To reach where the larks sing
Up down down up the feet
Lub-dub goes up heartbeat
Like invincible one you run
To feel the morn so sweet!

the July sun stabs her cheeks pink rose.

where is that wooden bridge i ask her
some way more she says some way more

she never forgets.

the bridge was half finished the last time we came
left us longing what mysteries the other side held.

i think the water has eaten it up
tides are so fatal you know

no way she says only some way more.

then it shows up

six months of wooden planks
six months of waiting
now proudly hanging on the river in spate.

let's go on the other side she cries
in wind scattered voice
her hand upon my shoulder rests.

her way she never forgets.

Each to do in the morn
he stays focused on
still suffers the nagging doubt
something he's leaving out.

Morn is the rush hour.

giving the parrots a shower
feeding budgies making tea
making things for office ready.

Morn is the time for hurried food.

foul temper sullen mood
in the monstrous urgency
forgetting all decency.

The volatile morn fast departs.

it's enough if on time he starts
for a place he must be for hours' grind
leaving nothing behind *but his mind!

like dead leaves they fall
to the scissors ruthlessly mean
some on the ground aimlessly crawl
some in the air spin!

drooping eyes rue losing them
so does the lightened head
a sigh falls for all those slain
with little chance to be remade!

quietly drop on the white linen
the slaughtered by considered choice
once nurtured upon the brain
erstwhile silken joys!

a breezy walk out in sunshine
can't take the weight off mind
somewhere inside is heard a crying
of the ones scattered behind!

Oh what salvation lies
In rain’s musical note
That gathers the dreams for eyes
Makes reality remote!

No salvation
From salivation
When hunger
Sees food

come here beckoned the sea
though I have receded beyond *******
come awhile to be with me
low tide has taken me far.*

my eyes pierced the haze saw beyond her crown
glinted in the tidal greed narrowed in longing frown
the heart pumped and the feet itched it is not that far
her kiss and the saline hug veiled behind *******.

what if it's just a dream and much more is at stake
going there for her embrace gathering wispy flakes
may seem unworthy on waves the wishes' ride
she would reveal none or little she would only hide.

what if it's a trap her feigned bait alluring
the hovering mirage before touch would fly away on wings
the shining buzz of the haloed night drowsily winking stars
they all know I mustn't yield to travel beyond *******.

I could hear the deafening voices coming from shore behind
they chorused *be alert of pitfalls of a tempted drunken mind
too long cocooned in comfort zone can no more go that far
come back pick up the broken pieces this side of *******.

He scoops sands in baskets

then balancing neatly on the shoulder
carries to where needed
through bone breaking hours.

Upon his footprints is there a name
or a home
where he goes back for the night
lands featherlight kiss on a woman
awakes her sleepy bones with her hands
forgetting his days sinking in the sands.

Ever heard
The faint flap of wings,
When planted
Saplings?

Before I take one last bow
Plunge it hard deep it go
I beg

*When history writes its page
Mark me not a savage
But one who loved his girl well
Till to the trap he fell
Of being too fussy
In love’s jealousy
A trait that breed
Possessive greed
Pay reasons no heed
In love blind and mean
Doubt the ******
And end up
Spilling misery’s cup
Cursing fate
Realizing too late
An act badly done
Killing the beloved one
Losing patience
To see her innocence
And then beg
The history’s page

Not to mark him a savage

Night though deep
Still elusive
A drooping eye,
Toss on bed
The thoughts in head
Moon passes by.
Needs a break
But wide awake
The racing mind,
Thinks it best
To forego rest
Search and find.
The night no bliss
Peace goes amiss
A trying time,
Though sleepless
The saving grace
Is a streaming rhyme.

I’m so happy,
This morn god used me
Save a life
At least for the time being.

A water-hen chick
My cats’ fav pick
Its groan woke me.

Chased with a stick
The predator so to speak
It dropped the bird free.

The early sun hour
Blessed me savior’s power
The chick escaped with a broken wing.

a few strokes of scalpel art
reveal the man's heart

awhile ago it was throbbing

wanting
loving
smiling
weeping
committing
fearing
fail­ing
feeling
filling
falling
rising
daring
dreaming

end of a fable

lying in peace

on the mortuary table.

Soon his car was full of scars.

Was a time
He kept it clear of grime
Dusted off even a speck of soil
Put in his labors all his toil
To see
His car scratch free.

But in this running game
One after the other came
Streaks upon streaks of rough embrace
Leaving behind the ugly trace
Of unerasable scars
On his new car

Now he sings in philosophic mode
*Scratch is inevitable as you run on the road
You can travel only that far
Beyond which waits the first scar.

Flaunt your joy
Dig your sorrow
You have only today
Who knows 'bout morrow!

The family is smiling on the dinner table.

This morn the hearse lifted the pall of hush
as white flowers rolled on wheels
lifting the spirit to heaven with the incense smoke
and the electric furnace like the magician
shrank the remaining kilos into neat pile of ashes
for the river to scatter to the sea of infinity
amid the silent prayer we're alive, long live the dead
the trudge back home where the count is one less
on the dinner table
mourning and celebrating.

can't say have found it
though trying every bit
now in broken wing

an eluding greying wish
one thread of missing piece
i'm still searching.

from all the cluttered mess
doors windows address
sky and trodden ground

beg this weakening arm
to have it hold it firm
what's nowhere to be found.

from surround's all the sight
daylight darkened night
milky way and stars

seek these rolling eyes
unravel from disguise
that hidden universe.

feebled though this mind
crushed by daily grind
inching to depart

might one day lift the shroud
hear its voice speak loud
reach the mystery's heart.

Getting out from the waves
She walked away to the rice bran haze
As the summer heat drove the sands mad
I knew what she had gone for.

She would hunt it like a child any day
A few seashells if came her way
My skin burning and eyes dust borne
Moments all to herself she desired alone.

On the distant shoreline when she was a speck
Stirred me a tremor then a rumbling quake
What if so happens she is gone too far
Turned a sea nymph to return never!

The tides were falling weaving a lull
The sun slanted on the wings of gull
I rose up to find sand prints of her trail
She bloomed like a hope in her handful of shell!

In the depth of the ocean
Swells a cruel motion
Submarine rocks rattle
Furious is earth's mantle.
The sand and blue seashore
Doesn't tell what brews in core
The silent revolt deep within
Can cause havoc and ruin.
Innocently I sip my tea
Before me the peaceful sea
So cool and beautiful
But elements, they still rule.
They build it up slow
Pounce on you before you know
Unshackled, wildly they break free
As calm sea's torment called tsunami!

Every evening I find him at the bus stop
Under the semi-dark shed
In posture meditative
As if he isn’t waiting for bus
But something more serious
Like god’s second coming!

When I greet him
He bows in ponderous nod
But not a word passes between us
Breaking his impenetrable aloofness!

I find his serenity alike the evening
Softly descending to lull the day’s noise
That he in perfect meditative poise
Let envelope his whole being
And it looks he isn’t waiting for bus

But god’s second coming!

Golden sun and molten chocolate
under a tree
full of birds singing
babies swinging and slipping
an old man sleeping
in dreamy reverie.

I took the second right
and right before me
emerged the paradise.

They pecked my cheeks
the children unescorted
wind spreading soft on my skin
their rose tinted saliva.

I pushed a swing
and her giggles
filled the air with mist.

She soared
and when almost
her feet touched the sky
came down upon the grass.

I took the second right
and there wasn't a park,
only dusty grills
with a rusted lock.

The rosy lips
were still whispering
on my cheeks.

Tick tock tick tock
The seconds hand of the clock
Ceaselessly goes round,
It doesn’t know to stop
As the moments gallop
Stretches time without bound.
Tick tock tick tock
The seconds hand of the clock
Sweeps time without rest,
It doesn’t know to pause
Cannot break the laws
It can’t slow down or haste.
Tick tock tick tock
The seconds hand of the clock
Counts the time in motion,
It moves on ruthless
In a cruel orderliness
With no touch of emotion!

Looked around to make sure he wasn’t seen
Then with a self-mocking grin
He put on the funniest pair.

His face glowed in an unimaginable happiness
Born of his fanciful whim
And the secret was only known to him.

He felt he had stumbled on a precious find
To hide in his mind all day.

His feet too felt tickled
By those strange disparate mates
How everyday sameness they hate.

As for his shoes
They hadn’t a clue.

(he chuckled)

Like is not heard the nocturnal bird’s wing
They would never have inkling
No one
About this grotesque fun.

It harmed nobody
Not to know the secret of his feet
All day he would be carrying with
His selfish change-seeking self.

When he sat and the trousers went up
The sight of his own feet
Almost gave him a hiccup.

(he chuckled)

Come boy if this is not boundless joy
what is?

Back home
He threw them in the wash-tub
Only to catch next morn her surprised stare.

You’ve worn again

*Socks from two different pairs!

I am just a name
No money, no claim to fame
Just an ordinary guy
Who holds his head high!
You can count me as any
One among the countless many
Just another face in the crowd
Who has not stopped being proud!
You may ask why the vanity
You can pity the humble's dignity
Not knowing the true measure
Of the possessions in my treasure!
I have a richly simple life
An undemanding girl as a wife
My heart she really does win
She's a woman no boasting queen!
We have a son (a daughter it could be)
A bubbly one that babbles in glee
I don't mind missing the sunrise
We see it every moment in his eyes!
I have a house with little to show
But a patch of blue from window
And a backyard so cutely thin
To barely hold a streak of green!
But it's not the house so much
The wonder is my wife's magic touch
That tides whatever the weather
And keeps our home together!
So you know dear reader my mate
The key of my pride the secret
With all the world's wealth on my side
Shouldn't I bear myself with pride?

Wilts beauty of flower.

Take heart from her seed's power!

As the sun rose,
vermillion on her nose,
weary from the night’s consummation,
she was by the seaside.
She smelled of a fragrance
cheap but astonishingly sweet,
her eyes incredibly melancholic
gazed as far as the sea.
The worry shadowing her face
made it look outlandishly beautiful.
He is sailing to faraway sea
whence many have not returned,
and here she is to see off
her fisherman on a perilous voyage.
Soon the boat crowned the waves
and merged with the horizon.
She turned back for her hamlet,
determined not to cast her eyes on a widow.

Hey, sir, take home this razor
The sharpest one in silver chrome
While you would have the shaving pleasure
I could cut bread at home.
Cuts so fine your face would treasure
Get it and have the smoothest cheek
While you would have the shaving pleasure
I could feed my kid for a week.
It’s so cheap sir, just a shilling
Your fortune’s armor in silver chrome
May bring you good luck, god willing,
I could light a fire at home.

The old woman not rues loss of yesteryears
Crumbled though her wrinkles still break in cheers
Her lips parched long dried up her eyes
But if you look close they hold residues of sunrise.
In festive times her folks light her peeling skin
Burn on her candles ornate her within
Revived she feels in the glow of a cobwebbed blush
She turns a petite feminine splendid gorgeous.
But like her past glory they soon in time fade
She grows still older more in years decayed
Staunchly holds ground with the memory of bygone
Knowing when the end comes nobody would mourn.

Her wings not willing to fly
Her heart heavy
She gave it another try
It was her baby.
She looked at the frosty surround
Herself covered with snow flake
As in groups they flew homebound
To leave a deadly silence on the lake.
She was praying for one flutter
To bring alive the wings of her baby
So it could soar far away from winter
And with its mother could be.
She held it close to her breast
Uttered a shrill soulful cry
Then from the graveyard of nest
She launched herself into the sky.
The chick gave a painful wail
Its eyes brimming with dark cloud
Downy flakes from up ceaselessly fell
Weaving on the baby a shroud.

Two blue duck eggs
Had got me smitten
Halted my legs

Picked them to be eaten!

Had enough of the hen’s
They tasted so stale
Said my clever sense

Duck eggs would serve well!

Brought home the oval two
Two pearls whitish blue
Thought it precious gotten

Lo both of them were rotten!

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!

Seven trees* she cried
Clutching each other
Seven trees all heading for the sky!

Past the distance I saw her smile
As the drizzle passed us by!

Not all them can grow as tall
Though each would love to go high
But the seven trees tied in one dream
Would one day soar to the sky!

One bore alluring fruits
Another stuck out thorns
One grew maze of entwined roots
Another was bitter born!

One grew without even one care
Yet shades men in all weather
One was dark bark another fair
But all happy to be just there!

I took her hand in mine
Her eyes turned after rain shy
Then drunk in the smell of earthen wine
We took one flight to the sky!

She sobbed ceaseless, her pretty face, was such pitiful a sight
It moved the stars, to think what curse, had befallen the night.
On her empty cot, left with her thought, pillow wetted in tears’ stain
Moon felt morose, stopped on its course, at her pain’s sad refrain.
In that moment, in agony spent, she hadn’t a comforting arm
To smooth her hairs, soothe her tears, ask what had caused her harm.
Was it her love that deserted her, some cruel blow of fate?
Loss of dear one, untimely gone or treated ill by her mate.
None knew what it was, why her eyes were awash, with steadily flowing stream
Did her man abandon her, moved away afar, shattering her heart’s all dream?
Her lips didn’t tell, what her befell, not a soul was there to know
Unbridled rain, spoke of her pain, she couldn’t rein the flow.

At that instance, as if by chance, a man stood on her door
Said ‘quickly take, the pill for toothache, don’t you cry anymore’.

In the mango tree
a pair of crows
have made a new home.

While up on the roof
watering the plants
I see the heavenly sight
how they raise their beak
to swallow the trickles
before the heat ***** away
and having this little favor
they're back in usual mood
cawing at their hoarsest
stay away, stay away
come no way near nest
which I do my best to do
stealing a look when they're away
at the three blue nuggets
happy in the thought of
little red hungry mouths

broken
the mangoes would grow
around an empty home.

My silent tears
my depressions
my implosive dreams

I'm leaving behind with you.

My love is all drained
to start anew!

My trust
my faith
relics of love

I'm leaving behind on your door.

My love is too dug out
to start any more!

love is too dug out
love is too drained
heart is too empty
to start once again!

My caring eyes
pairing hopes
lost sunrise

I'm leaving behind with you.

My love is all spent
to start anew!

*love is too spent
stuck in moments
sunk in lament
to start once again!

Leaves' dancing shadows on the piece of sun
missing the keen eyes
rebound on the vacant space.

The man played with shadows
weaving them into whimsy shapes
before most of them were pulps of paper
gone into the bin of night.

If not for light
would be no shadows
he was always churning in his mind
probing dark holes of moon
going into shady nooks
seeking playfully alive shadows.

The dead casts no shadows
he brooded
on the space he would leave

but he wished
they had
when he wasn't around.

Shadows move in the foggy streetlight
The lone dog's shadow, there's no food in sight.
All skin and bone, it shivers in the cold
O God be kind put the cold on hold.
The dog begs warmth, frozen is his nose
In pursuit of warmth two shadows get close.
Seeking the heat two shadows clasp tight
The dog is stiff cold, there's no warmth in sight.
The night will be long, hunger will bite
O God let the dog see another daylight.

Two shadows merge warm close and tight
The dog will not give up without a fight.

As it sank in the daughter,
She dug up a thing from deep inside.
“if I may ask you dear mother,
something you’ve always tried to hide.
why father moved away from you
why couldn’t you two together stay
did he make it too difficult for you
or was it just the other way?”
she wetted her throat once more
wryly looked her daughter in the eye
“would you please fill another pour,
to make sure I don’t lie?
I thought I loved him, my summer’s first rain,
My burning heart’s balm, among all other men
Madly I went for him, good at love that he was,
You can call it infatuation, a woman’s first crush,
As long as the storm raged, the fire had me ablaze,
I rode like a horseman in that blinding rain’s daze,
But once it passed and I woke up to real life
We were no more lovers but just husband and wife.
You would know it daughter, it’s only an instance
Before the passions dry up, evaporates the romance,
Under their layers I found him just another guy,
I couldn’t live for him nor for him could I die”.
The daughter fell silent not knowing what to say
She hasn’t seen her father who she dreams to this day
The mother poured herself another in the dimming light
The daughter saw herself receding into a darkly strange night.

On its sleepy stairs
The pond weaves me a dream

She comes to my mind
Like twin moon on still water
A pallid reflection
Broken to fragments
In wind’s touch
Sinking into muddy depth
Till a fish breath bubble
Catches a miniature moon

The night whispers
Too soon too soon
She’s gone to the stars!

On its sleepy stairs
The pond weaves me a dream
When moonlight bares
In my eyes
Night dew's gleam!