Here the pines blush
in the cloud's embrace
the sky comes low
falls for earth's face

the winds kiss
long lines of wood
fog weaves dense
peace of solitude

Here the curves
meanders blind
on magical turns
stumbles mind

all inner demons
the high lands slay
on angel's wings
you fall love's prey.

She remembers the lump of joy on her breast
Where love made a permanent nest,
What she didn’t know was between smile and sigh
Years would quickly pass by.

Years would quickly pass by
Years would quickly pass by
Riding on smile and sigh,
She would never know
She could never know
The nested love would soon die.

When I held the lump of joy between my hands
I saw only love quietly making its nest,
But now in my eyes sorrows’ rain lands
Knew not the years would pass in haste.

The years would pass in haste
The years would pass in haste
Riding on smile and sigh,
I would never know
I could never know
The nested love would once die.

When we brought the lump of joy between us
Love made a nest in our heart,
We never knew the years would quickly pass
Leaving love’s nest a barren desert!

The years would quickly pass
The years would quickly pass
Riding on smile and sigh,
We would never know
We could never know
They would leave a gulf between us.

Waking up with the first sunrise
Dreams roll on, land on my eyes
I stay alive coz without them
I would've long given up the game.
The day surely has enough in store
More than just a daily routine chore
It's up to me to go get them
If I fail there's none else to blame.
You may ask, 'What's there in a day,
other than work and a little play? '
Surely you're joking there's a lot more to it,
Enough to give you a jolt miss your heartbeat.
Rabbit out of hat, the day's magic show
Of pearly white rains and the cutest rainbow
The puddle on the street that trapped the sky in it
The fragrance of flowers and wind's soothing treat.
Surprises galore, of beauties no dearth
All for our joy, happiness and mirth
They're the dreams that roll on my eyes
Each day of living is a magical surprise!

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.

A man of his words
I could never be
Nor a man of deeds

Oftener time my commitments
Lay broken like shards of glass
Dead as the trampled seeds!

Good words are easier said
Good deeds are not easier done
Words not kept are loan unpaid
Good work left undone!

It’s sad that oftener time I fail
Spoken words I let them rust
If I weigh myself in an honest scale
I have been too long unjust!

Good deeds undone are forever lost
Good words are wasted dearly
When I think of the ones it cost
I can’t say I feel heavenly!

Another day falling
from the crack of yesterday,

a patch of pearl
burning in the amber west
flaring up heaven
firing me up
in the pains of solitude
and poetry.

Home beckons through a dark way
where hope breathes eternal
as lanterns of moonlit leaves.

I won't mourn the loss
but fill all the void
with paper and ink.

there's almost always
an ambiguity
between what my words mean
and what my mind intends them to mean.

like, with loving intention, i tell her
i can't praise you enough

she smells a ploy in praise and enough.

she interprets them as
she hasn't done enough to deserve my praise.

then, when i tell her
with age you're maturing in beauty

she takes them to mean
i'm digging at her age
and her beauty is in doubt.

last, but not the least
when i compliment her thus
you've made my life full

she retorts

no more fooling.

At the mid noon hour
above the cell tower
over two frolicking kite
swoops a plane on flight.

It has grazed the sky
spotless and dry
smelling ground cavorts
nigh is airport.

Amid wind's flutter
diurnal moon quarter
eyes droop to a rest
weighed with dreams' harvest.

The plane port bound
is circling on a round
waiting landing call
slowing to a crawl.

Love this time alone
up from dirt and grime
fiddling my cellphone
keying nonsense rhyme.

A moment of love
Turned me beggar and blind
I made my bed on moon dust
Everything else I left behind.
Love just once
Left me in a trance
I put my heart on stake
Living became loving without break.

Where are you now the magpie-robin?
The fleeting moment I saw you
Lies imprisoned with me
Though I never met you again!
Where are you now the magpie-robin?
I'm drunk with your innocent eyes,
Your songs of the sweetest melodies,
Your smell of the earthen love!
Where are you now the magpie-robin?
I hope having found a place to roost,
You've gone back to the greenest garden
Leaving me your whiff in my heart!

There came a monkey on the roof
he had this raised in his mind
long stayed in the jungle aloof
was time he met his superior kind.

He tried to charm showing tricks
made all kinds of faces to entertain
they ran after him with sticks
causing him considerable pain.

To make friends only he had come
thinking they would mix freely
offer him a pleasant welcome
and not act as if he was an enemy.

In the ruckus he forgot the road
fleeing from the stones that were thrown
thereby for good losing abode
got no home to claim as his own.

The monk with his disciples was traveling by car
The journey was long and arduous
When with a screech stopped it a flat tyre
Causing them a break from the rush!

The monk was upset with still a long way to go
Halted by this unforeseen obstacle
When caught his eyes the river in calming flow
Upon her an island’s spectacle!

He asked his disciples to find him a boat
For he had some time in his hand
The island beckoned him alluringly remote
With its forest and the silvery sand!

With one of his disciples he took the boat ride
Soon his feet touched the green of the forest
He felt the pleasure of being on the other side
For a stroll and in the green a little rest!

Walking some way they came upon two men
So emaciated their ribcages jutted out
Sitting under a tree couldn’t be said for what gain
The monk thought them mad men no doubt!

He made a coughing sound expecting them to rise
For those men seemed lost in a trance
Their spell thus broken they opened their eyes
And rose to their feet that instance!

They bowed to the monk in the most courteous grace
With folded hands and stooped head
No distress of being famished showed on their face
They stood tall and ***** instead!

The monk asked what the duo was doing there
In that forest wasting out their day
Beneath a tree sitting nakedly bare
It was not meditation’s right way!

A Guru they must get and follow his creed
Must chant the secret hymns taught by him
There are rituals to follow rigid paths to tread
God cannot be reached by mere whim!

To all his words they nodded humble and serene
Not an utterance once escaped from them
Remained bowed in respect their frames frail and lean
In the forest two seekers without name!

It was time for the monk to get back to the car
For remained for him still more mile
The island and its forest would soon recede far
In his lifespan some memories awhile!

While boarding the car he saw an incredible sight
And it broke the hard shell of his pride
Those two men were walking in the sun’s failing light
Across the river without the aid of a boat ride!

you're no good

A drop of tear fell on his food

earn your meal or go to hell*

in his mouth froze the morsel

the swallowed burned in his pit
wished he could *****

then pouring they came
raindrops of shame
flooding the part eaten meal
crushing his will
ever to live again
in hunger's pain.

It's a small bed we share
barely enough for the two
but big enough for the pair
to see the years sail through.

The wood now creaks with age
shrunk thin the old mattress
weighed down with passing days
buoyed up with embrace.

The pillows are thick with stains
of tears that flowed all the while
from rivers of joys shared pains
upon travel of the long trying miles.

Loyally it carries us along
our bed of priceless worth
could mere wood be that strong
if not bonded with warmth!

We know each other the two of us
I was in a hurry in a time of rush
He was happy his eyes joy-lit
"Spare a little time, for one biscuit".
Just then came the red office bus
I was annoyed, I was in a rush
A moment's hesitation and I boarded it
Glanced at him and our eyes did meet.
Something I saw moistened his eyes
A surprise it was he couldn't disguise
He couldn't believe, the thing of the street,
that I would leave him without biscuit.
It found me again back on the street
Someone was needed to buy him a biscuit
Other things could wait, such as office
Not for the world could I give it a miss.

On the floor mat stains of blood are still not dry
The hole at back of head now clogged with blood clot
The body lies on its face the room is filled with her cry
The sleuth is hot on the trail to unravel the plot.

In solving such crimes the sleuth has spent a long stint
He has been through cases simple and macabre
Now as he examines on the windowsill a footprint
His lips break into a faint smile noticing the odd affair.

He moves to her saying I know how shattering your pain is
And I’ll not add to it by questions that at this moment hurt
Please be composed and point out when something I miss
I’ll recount the events as told by you from the start.

Last night your husband had come back unusually late
From your room you had drowsily heard his movement
He hadn’t come to you and his room too was soon quiet
Found him dead next morn as I gather from your statement.

You say ma'am you remember having closed that window
After you had your dinner and retired for the night
Someone got access through it and delivered him the blow
With the flower vase on the showcase with all his might.

So an outsider must have entered in the cover of the dark
Some enemy business rival that would love to see him dead
Only thing remaining unexplained is the windowsill’s footmark
Pointing the intruder had gone out through it and not entered.

It points too ma'am the culprit if entered from outside
Came not through the window but came in by the door
Even the worst of murderers their trails cannot hide
They leave some clue as visible as this body on the floor.

What happened is when last night he came home late drunk out
Poured on you his hatred’s venom you couldn’t stand anymore
I had enquired from your neighbor who had heard you shout
Go back and spend the night with that ******* *****.

She breaks down and her sobbing face is now ashen white
I hate to tell you the ******* was never a loving husband
In drunken brawl when he called me a **** on last night
I banged his head with the vase with full might of my hand.

I stole out of the window to leave thereupon a foot mark
Got in through the door feeling unburdened and light
No trace of guilt touched me as I lay in the dark
Dialed the police when ended my happiest night.

You can now give me up to the law having known the fact
I am ready for it in the delight that I did grab the chance
To let myself free from that devil and his wedlock’s pact
I won’t mind if I die now having achieved this great riddance.

The sleuth’s lip broke in smile as he gave her a knowing wink
I too ma'am am delighted to rightly track and follow the clue
But let me tell you I’m yet to discover this case’s missing link

Since your hand’s print is not on the vase
who was it that did it for you!

Today I made love with a goddess
Before a god peering down from the wall
And I can't say his face was all happiness
God, he was the lone man that saw it all!
God was unhappy that I had him tamed
Passionately unclothed but never ashamed
But when he created he could never measure
How much it means the carnal pleasure!
My act was so unkind, on his senses a tax
To be a mute witness to the steaming ******
While we lay there worn out and spent
He found little solace in his own testament!
Or did he feel sad and woefully dismal
Passively peering down from the wall?

Do I look I could trouble anybody?
I’m just a quiet nobody,
Can’t even hurt an ant.
Look close my face
See engraved lines of patience,
Trouble I keep a safe distance.
Never ever thought of war
Held storms locked within,
Walked limits than walked far.
A no danger man to the bone
Always left conflicts alone,
My place is in trouble free zone.
Can’t be pushed anymore
My back is glued to the wall,
I’m peaceful to the core.

Girl, I meant you no harm,
Touching you was an accident,
Do I look anyway troublesome?

more rings added to it
must have grown in height
towering for skylight
the tree is there all right.

on its age worn bark
upon the darkened stem
my nails scrap and search
if is there her name.

I etched it within a heart
her name a small sweet word
times have drawn us apart
forgetting seems so hard.

knew would wither that moment
on the bark would remain my write
warm in its place permanent
reminiscing in the depth of night.

there’s no trace of that word
but in the languor of pain
forgetting seems so hard
this heart can’t weather her name.

They flowed easy the tears of her
In her core was a kindness’ river
With a heart of gold a love too pure
Her bags were full with pains to endure!

Married at teen and a widow too soon
Her youth dark dimmed an eclipsed moon
Dragged to abyss and feasted upon
Bereft a blood she could call her own!

A wonder her life though ravaged much
Growing not hard she broke to the touch
Would come to grief at others’ pain
Her cheeks overflowing in sobbing rain!

As a child I felt at a time now far
On one short span spent with her
When my innocence could easily tell
Neath her frame was an earthly angel!

Wasn’t a beggar returned from door
A stray unfed to die on the road
She was there with a saving aid
Her own life though was left unpaid!

As I write this rebel locked tears
Break floodgates of long lost years
Reveals from the mist a haloed face
Of an angel of love and godly grace!

The struggling man
When he mugged a guy
Outside Museum of Natural History
Never thought
Nor ever thought his victim
They would be part of history
Not quite natural
Not archived within walls
By an apology
From beyond three decades
By the hunter
To the hunted
Now going to be forever preserved
In the Heart’s Museum of Unnatural History
One asking for forgiveness
And the other responding

**You’re a bigger man today

Apology accepted

Under the canopy of trees
Spots of sunlight,
Figures cuddling like bees
A surrealistic sight!
An apparition like reality enacting a mime
As if they would be there and not move with time
I have been through it like forever
Holding onto it, scared to lose it ever
This winter morning I’m part of their game
Happy to be there frozen in the frame!

I tell a lie when I say
Poems in mind always play
Streams on endless output
My mind is never vacantly mute.

To tell you the truth it oft happens
When riding to work on buses or trains
Like a lost river dry up my thoughts
Stubbornly dry much like walnuts.

Funnily it doesn’t for long last
It’s preordained mind mustn’t rust
A fellow traveler brings out an apple
Nibble at it with it grapple.

In boredom my eyes at the scene gape
How the apple gradually changes shape
With each bite a chunk is torn
In each bite a poem is born.

She has not engaged a hand, cannot call that her thrift
It’s a delight doing it herself, to give her home a facelift.
Armed with brush and color, seizing time from her chores
She gets engrossed in the pastime, painting windows and doors.
It’s the festive season, she loves its smell in the air
I love the smell of fresh paint, her labor I don’t share.
She looks a dainty artist, colors on hands and face
Her eyes lit up in creative joy, beaming in happiness.
To partake in that graceful sight, when beside her I stand
She asks ‘why watch me idly and not lend a helping hand’!

What do I write about her
a girl artless mundane
fading years don't heal her scar
can't bury her smoldering pain.

Yet can't keep her out of mind
shut her behind closed door
time and again a place she finds
her face comes to the fore.

A bird she was dreaming a nest
a home and cold night's hearth
one shoulder to perch for rest
a caring heart to berth.

How cruel is the worldly way
that denies a soul of peace
shatters a life leads hopes astray
grants not the smallest wish.

For one night the moon was hers
stars bloomed in her eyes
till dreams broke by a monstrous curse
lay dead in the first sunrise.

She still lives a lonely spinster
on the ashes of long dead fire
her empty heart begs not a care
love she never aspires.

Here the autumn makes
prettiest place for me
a quaint placid lake
with wind’s lullaby!

A cloud mirrored hush
thicket’s lone butterfly
spell stricken grass
in awe of the sky!

This sight the autumn makes
seems so wispy to my feel
like flying pollen flakes
catching dreams by the jhil!

The feathered bloomy light
on this day by the lake
soon would melt from my sight
leaving trail as an ache!

a funny game i wanted to play with me

writing poem within mouth holding
a seed of blackberry.

the fruit was fleshy sweet
till tongue exposed its bone
staled, made it insipid,
as if, was never grown.

spit it out i could not do
that seed utterly dry
for i had given word to you
a poem to write must try.

as i thought up cutish rhyme
that must pleasure fetch
****** grew the seed with time
my mouth was messy wretch.

my tongue was thick of blue
too intense was my plight
but i had given word to you
must hold till end of write.

it's over now this awkward game
what a relief to throw it out
and never again shall i write a poem
with a blackberry seed in mouth.

Past utility
It's time to dissemble.
One last large blink
And he would collapse dead,
His fragmented pieces
Moved for recycle
To beget a new one
No one welcomes,
Like death was un-mourned.
He could sense the lethal blow.
It was sometime coming,
The premonition of end
The lump in the throat,
But not equipped with tears,
The emotions couldn't outpour.
‘I was a fool', he thought
‘to have thought them my own'
‘live them in dreams'
‘toil so they can be happy'.
Now one among many,
He waits for execution
By the ones he thought his own,
Though he couldn't otherwise,
It was built into him.
The anguished cries from his heart
Reverberate in the corridor
And the cries of the others
Melt and merge with his.

He wished he was not born an android!

And then there were none.

They came and they went..

silent joy simple fun

the starry firmament.

While for words this mind craved

the wind blew unheard

While this ink raved

flew away the singing bird!

The stars got weary of twinkling

real moon turned an imagined one

These blind eyes had no inkling
how they debarred the simple fun.

When they turned to behold

this madness was done

times hid in wrapped fold

And then there were none.

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.

You are interested in my face
You are keen for my surface
Your eyes lecherously tour
Seeking beneath my contour!
To you it means all
Where they rise and they fall
It sounds though a little mean
You're after my skin!
It really is a pity
You view me a commodity
Best found when undressed
Easy debauched, easy defaced!
I'm no one's person, none's pal
Just food for hungry animal
My mind doesn't matter nor my will
I am only there as an easy-to-get ****!

Hush descended on the birds of the valley
a horned owl hooted on the hill above me
emerged from the mist a pale blue moon
you know in the jungle the night comes soon!

Nocturne shimmered expectant still
the king had arrived to claim his ****
his shadow moved with a low mutter growl
stopped in its hoot the lone horned owl!

Thirty feet below neath the yawning screen
on the big oak the tallest on ravine
it so seemed but only a few pace
within the reach of the king’s embrace!

The two only knew who were in the war
one to be witnessed by the langur sambar
cries of caution they all would sing
not least bothered arrived the king!

On its track stopped the wind afraid
as the risen moon showed the king’s head
his paws advanced eyes fixed on me
for three days the king was going hungry!

Licking his **** he took an apple bite
birds took flight night froze in fright
to shoulder must raise my rifle on knees
while the king ate his dinner in peace!

His eyes glimmered in pleasure’s full glow
my fingers closed and inched up slow
but what I did over the valley rang out
cupping my hands gave a full throated shout!

It echoed in the hill such loud was the blare
the king ran for life with his tail in the air
and so long he lived couldn’t recover from daze
of being driven by a weakling out of village!

Milk rice curd and fish
brinjal chilli and gourd
not one item I would miss
not forget one word.

Mom would say write them down
so don't you leave anything
banana butter tea bread brown
a world of goods to bring.

I run on the way muttering those stuff
curd and fish fine tea
on my head they hit me rough
jumble my memory.

The sky today is yawning blue
clouds sail like milky raft
in the wind is a drift of sweet brew
incense's misty waft!

Walk easy boy don't go so fast
aren't the birds on mystery flight
look up to see how in wind's gust
soared high in the sky the kite!

There's a crowd in charm of magic wand
a snake dancer with his wooden flute
brought bagful tricks from distant land
snakes caught from jungles remote!

On the playground is running a match
ball rolling from net to net
why not stop for some minutes' watch
keep brinjal and gourd on wait!

The field is green trees' shade alluring
dreams come in bird wings' flap
milk rice curd now a distant thing
the boy takes a nebulous nap.

Under a dull gray sky
I suddenly felt happy.
It was a winter morn,
There was little to be happy about.
The trees were shedding leaves,
All around deprivations groaned,
Tears of agonies wailed,
Yet something in me swelled!
In the famished landscape,
I discovered an escape,
The drowning found a tip of rope,
Inside me glowed a beacon of hope!

Desire to live, love and dream
Desire to desire more
Desire is the flirtiest whim
It's an ever open door.
Desire to touch you once
Desire to break into a dance
Desire to hold your hand
Desire to build on sand!
It's an ever open door
You desire and desire more!

In the stillness around
I can hear the sound
Of life being born once more
A new day knocking on my door.
A day anything can happen
Some smooth some uneven
Whatever it would be
I want you to be happy!

He moved it across but the comb slipped
Little he could do
A cruel hand had them all clipped
Leaving a strand or two!
He breathed a deep sigh
Mercilessly the times fly
Leaving him a knave
To have once boasted of his black wave!
It’s always destined by fate
For the bushy to turn to arid plate
To himself he gave a painful smile
Why not take it as a new style?

The man when he fell in a manhole
To rescue him came not a kind soul
He cried himself hoarse for attention
If someone came gave him ascension
Help me help me he cried mad and wild
None came to stop no adult no child
Hours were gone the day turned a blur
Falling light told him night was not far
Despair ate him killing his hope
Wouldn’t come a hand holding a rope
When he was giving up on aid or redress
Shadowing his sky there appeared a face
The silhouette told him had come an angel
To fly him on wings raise him from the well
His hopes rekindled here was a kind soul
To end his plight lift him from the hole

From up the manhole spoke a deep voice
*Being in this mess was purely your choice
Your own carelessness has brought you ill luck
What was the need to take a hurried walk?

Riveted to the grass in frozen alertness
Limbs ache from hours of wait
It may be a day of their not being impressed
Fooled not once by tempting bait!

It’s high time the liner shook
The trap lured the willing catch
There’s a pull at end of hook
Rewarded is all the hard watch!

In darned breeze the heart grieves
The quietude isn’t getting to grow
The noise from the rustling leaves
Incessant caws of the lone crow!

Are the eyes too weary from watch
Hands are not fully motionless
Or the clever prey feels not worth touch
And rather survive in hunger’s distress!

Eyelids feel heavy and this’s such prose
To be awake amid the wind’s lullaby
Till the day closes with picking morose
The empty bucket in melancholy!

Each couple is stopped on the way
this March spring hour
with the city attired at its best
with gulmohar and flame of the forest
in mad bloom of yellow and red
and the hand touches each head
adorned with the season's flower

blessed be your love
blessed be your luck

and most of them yielded
to the blessings of the ******!

The house yawned at him

as he trudged to the gate
a warm wind rose from his bowel
and tore his heart out

the walls reflected an emptiness
as if they too mourned with him
the one face less
the one soul pouring heart's all kindness
forever gone

paused the son
his eyes grew wet with moisture of rain

the house would never be the same again!

When the clouds web a raven moon
His thirsty eyes your eyes may meet
And unless your senses frigidly swoon
Can hear may I have tea and biscuit!

The hungry seeker is ever on roam
Carrying in winds his heavy sighs
With none to call his own and home
Except night’s stray passersby!

If you stop some moments with him
Can hear war stories and his bravery
In soldier’s pride his eyes still gleam
His eyes are wet when speaks of Annie!

He roams the night till the moon is veiled
His home is here this earth his heaven
Loving to chat with the souls strong willed
About Annie who he left at forty seven!

on the back numerous hole
quite a few too on the chest
still it clings to my soul
I think it fits me best.

says my flummoxed wife
you’re a miser hopeless
holding on a rag for life
bringing yourself disgrace.

I feign not to hear and shrug
clutching it more to my heart
feeling warm cosy in its hug
my friend the many years’ shirt.

on it lie rivers of sweat
joy and sorrow’s tear stains
time’s all burden of weight
gloomy and dark hours’ pains.

a mere cloth and I find it so hard
to throw it and part our ways
wonder how humans discard
relations grown over years.

We sit by the pool
His eyes remote
He takes a mouthful
Doesn’t go down his throat!

Can you skip office
For me for a day
Give your work a miss
At home with me stay!

That’s what he said
Recalls the son
Back at home stayed
His father alone!

My old man misses me
His plea I didn’t heed
Needs my company
His I don’t need!

His lunch now gets cold
Something isn’t right
An old story retold
A lost appetite!