I beg you
don't leave the sky

when dark clouds billow in the south
the weary winged hurry home

overhead on the dead blue
jupiter and venus are born anew

the wind slows to silence
trees loom night's shadowy ghost

nocturnal birds sing on their new day
you feel your breath as they fall

the clouds spread across the sky
cracked by the lightning

a drop lands on your stretched palm
soothes all the burns in you

you melt in love
by the torrents falling from above.

don't leave for shelter
I beg you
when heaven arrives here.

See what’s not seen
Hear what’s not heard
Find precious gem
From the seeming muck
Lift one soul
Bring one smile
Stop one while
To look away from you
Love one way
As if hearts live
To only receive
What you must give!

Then ask yourself
Judge yourself
In all the years done
You a poet a man
In what gain
Have dragged your pen!

You stop there
Afraid you know the answer

*I’m vain

As a poet as a man

The unseen not in my sight
The unheard not in my word

I’m vain
Echoes your sightless sight

I’m vain
Returns the depth of night!

Only when there is a power cut
down here are city lights dead
Can I see up there the stars’ glut
Unseen moon over head!

I need sometimes a power cut
It’s when they yell curse
I open all the windows shut
To stare upon the stars!

I need sometimes a power cut
Like the horse needs the hoof
Feel a thrill in my gut
Run up to the roof!

It’s when is heard the groans
Of people blind to night
It’s then I see the night’s bones
Get the stars on my sight!

I need sometimes the power to go
When sky bathes in moonlight
Her beauty’s fullness night can show
Starry heaven comes to sight!

A peace permeates my heart
lights gleam in my eyes
when I feed the little birds
feel all darkness soon dies.

Disappear chunks of my woes
a smile breaks on my lips
as I hold them warm n close
my fingers kiss their beaks.

A bliss they give without price
that dissolve my aches n pains
when I look deep in their eyes
touch there a divine innocence.

In rough tides my solace
rescuer from life’s quicksand
they import me a happiness
while pecking from my joyous hand.

If at all I reach that age

would I retain my faculty
my vision to read a book’s page!

If and when I reach that time
would my mind be still that keen
could this hand pen a few more rhyme
this ink could some tales spin!

Would you still surround me
light my path like north star
or leaving me with my poetry
you would be then gone far!

How would I feel at ninety
contented fully fulfilled?
or sitting alone and empty
only death each breath would will!

The only redress to all my pain
comes when I reside in my poem.

no matter what I write
buxom thin trivial trite
common rhyme mundane style

in poems I find the escape awhile!

Ask myself where I would be
if the ink never flowed for poetry
this mind never vented even one poem
born for me bear my name!

When my worries burst at the rim
agonies seem an endless stream
I board this carriage for a heavenly ride
reach the dreamland on the other side!

There so long I roam the corridor
tasting the treasured and the abhorred
I forget the measures all earthly yardstick

in the rainbow bubble taste the escape I seek!

When is Halloween what’s so special about that night
All nights post twelve I lie frozen in utter fright
Prearranged so by design I’m isolated in one room
On my bed alone in all nooks shadows loom!

My hands mustn’t stick out there’re hands to pull
Drag me to a dark well the hands clammy and cool
My feet too mustn’t be stretched beyond bed’s edge
Umpteen things can happen by lurking evils’ rage!

My eyes I keep them shut so as to make me unfound
But my ears are too keen to let go the slightest sound
Of dragging footsteps and whispering voices closing in on me
I lie alone not a soul in the room so ghosts they’ve to be!

But the scariest thing happens and it frightens me the most
When silence is deafening not a trace of any ghost
I ready for a peaceful sleep of which I don’t get much
*Just then the bed moves welcomes me a faint touch!

When I shooed the cat
It spoke out kinda human voice
So all your knowledge has come to that
Acting only on selfish choice!

Answered him without losing my grit
Pretentious cat a sly mean thief
Wise words in your mouth don’t befit
Most misplaced would be in you a belief!

Ha I laugh when you say I steal
A crumb of fish few drops of milk
Tribe of men when have belly’s fill
Gorge some more your hungry ilk!

Had been you a little kind and fair
And not just mindful of own wellness
Learned to live with caring share
The world would have been a lovely place!

In such a world never a cat would steal
Needn’t have to when kept well fed
Would discard all its furtive skill
Live cutely cuddled on human bed!

As the dawn broke into the night
A call pierced my eyelids shut tight
It was a weary and painful cry
Of a sadness bleeding under the sky!
The night was thinly hanging still
My eyes slowly opened against their will
Within echoed someone ‘it wasn’t right,
To keep her at bay through the night’!
In the attic little throats were parched
Hungry mouths frantically searched
Blind eyes pined for softness
Yearned for her licking embrace!
The night had not gone down well
In her eyes dewdrops did dwell
Time seemed to move cruelly slow
‘When would open the window’!
Her eyes asked as I let her in
How I could be so awfully mean
As to not know in the mother’s breast the pain
When forced to be away from children!

The crow looks like black hanging rag
The trees blurred blotch of green
Trunks furcating like horns of stag
The sky is shorn of sheen!

The road in haze is dazed in dust
Crossing seems out of bound
Eyes from birth hold distrust
Under feet is slipping ground!

Cars loud honk speeding by
How far is the other side
Though it looked close and nigh
Now seems hands need a guide!

Faces of men look only half done
The letters on the board gone pale
Walking it seems is no longer fun
All sights are without head or tail!

In strangeness appears familiarity
Might fall and break my neck
Ghost like looms a known city
Left behind at home my specs!

Sometimes it’s just fine to look away
Without pain’s twitch a word to say
Pretend it’s nothing that’s all too harsh
Look up from ground to the far up stars.

Sometimes it’s just fine to look away
Hiding the dent the anguish’s sway
Burn the tears with the fire in heart
Look up from the ruins to the sky for a start.

Sometimes it’s just fine to look away
Feel within it’s not your day
Stop listening to the sadness’ tune
Move with the wind a shifting dune.

Know some days are never your day
Though they’ll try to blow you away
Just live them down not drown in them
For on the morrow is written your name.

Not lose your mind
nor heart
when a job you lose

there's another to find
make a new start
another to choose.*

With the job you lose goes the earn
don't think there you would be stuck
soon for you the tides would turn
come knocking your door good luck.

You never really loved the job you lost
money was the only call
but it made you pay a high cost
and the return was meagerly small.

Ruined your hours numbed your soul
the job robbed all your smile
surely on you took a heavy toll
caged your mind all the while.

Money is the need to pay the bill
for even breathing needs buck
but the job you lost stole your free will
made you to be a lame sitting duck.

Today this sun-filled morn
I’ll not mourn for you,
Though my heart is a desert
Your memories barren sands
And my eyes dried up eons ago!
Today this sun-filled morn
I’ll not mourn for you
Though my heart still smells you
Your face lies in my eyes
And my cries I stifled eons ago!
Today this sun-filled morn
Your hands in mine
We’ll walk back to when
Memories were not born!

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!

Good morning* her sweet voice rings in my ear
But in my eyes his sweat dripping labor
Makes me feel a sinner.

It happens someday my mind goes messy
And her neon lit smile floating in the aycee
Can’t wipe out outside’s burning summer.

Why don’t I stop believing Him
When mother’s eyes bathe in the river of tears
Grief breaks the heart as the beloved depart
And He provides no solace
Offers no escape invoking His grace
And I for once more start believing
He is just a figment of my imagination
A dumb conjuring of my helpless mind
And the only belief I should hold onto
Is never having a belief in Him.

hate the minds not like you
hate the ones not of your faith
hate them that question you
hate that the world is diverse
and not converging to your views
hate when there's nothing left to hate

**yourself.

Tell you the truth the ones in teen
There was a time I was your age
When I didn’t yield to the words’ din
Spent not the days pouring on page!

But passed hours in the nooks of noon
Smelling old books sniffing at dreams
Rode my wings to the diurnal moon
Never on page poured ink’s streams!

Fought many battles with enemy unseen
soared high up to the depth of sky
With ease painted the needed scene
Jotting them down I never did try!

I loved to love the girl next door
Though hadn't ever seen clearly her face
Imagined myself the princely amour
And she my heart’s pretty princess!

I spent much time in a world my own
On trails of mystery and missing link
Might have yearned inside a poet to be grown
I didn’t waste time staining paper with ink!

In pouring rain
We entered the fair

For no gain
One odd pair

Beneath a sodden tent!

One small thing
Caught her eyes

And her wing
She couldn’t disguise

In that sweet moment!

Asked her why
When she could ask for sky

And I was ready!

Said her tears
For many years

*I craved a teddy!

How do I go on when she's not there
how do I live the emptiness
how do I breathe one of the broken pair
how do I pass those lonely days!

How do I save all the fragrance of her
how do I preserve all her touch
how do I keep her all the while near
tell her I love her how much!

How do I find her when she goes away
how do I call out her name
how do I have one word of love to say
how do I write any more poem!

How do I nurture her handmade garden
how do I sow there new seeds
how do I carry her memory's burden
how do I stop the growing weeds!

Ever wondered if god was thinking
To make a move or deemed no need
When closed in the vulture’s wing
Smelling a cadaverous human feed.

You lose a job
the lover you tied your life with drifts elsewhere
the place you grew root seems not home anymore
the days are vacuous and nights a crawler
your head echoes with the deafening groan

I deserve no love, even from me.

Surely it’s the worst portrait you drew of yourself
and an erroneous one.

The job was filling your purse but emptying your purpose
the lover was no fairy but a fair weather friend
the home was only a harbor you anchored before sail.

There’s a world at your doorstep begging your attention
withering without your love.

Pick up and hold them to your breast
see how quickly unburdens your chest
your spirits soar.

From thence you would never cease
to love yourself from the core!

Do you remember
The fairy tales we spun
On those blazing summer noons
When the road tar was melting
And we bunked classes
To be under the forest flame
Shadowed from the world outside
When we thought time would be immortal
As you wiped the sweats from my forehead
And with every thread of yarn
I would grip you harder
In an effort to prevent gravity
From letting those moments fall
Into the abyss of memories.

Do your eyes still see the Prince
That never took you away
When you tell your grandkids
The fairy tales?

When we were eighteen
sang the three women in chorus
and the bus burst into Spring.

When we were eighteen
they giggled and sang

the bus was a garden
the seats swings in the wind
the passengers angels and fairies

When we were eighteen
sang the three women
men beamed and the women blushed
as they broke into chorus
when we were eighteen

the ride was free
and they all stood up
their bones bellowing the chorus
their skin shining in the Spring

the child grew into eighteen
the old descended into that golden year
never knowing when their stoppage came
when one after the other they got down
and again it was a bus on the road
but with the whiff of Spring
eternal in the crimson blush
of the sun setting and rising
its engine and axle and tyres whirring in chorus
when we were eighteen

The humans didn't stop there
though the words did
circa 2520 AD.

They harmonized love
into a seamless pattern
of expressions.

Once they realised
words were only confining them
they wove patterns of smile
and wove them into faces
(lips were almost discarded)
sewing as many expressions
of joy, sorrow, happiness
and not the least
despair and disappointment
patterns for which were hard to make
as men had all along learned to hide
the brokenness of unattainment.

Freedom from the shackles of words
became the most manifest expression
on their faces.

One pattern was never woven.

Men had since made redundant
the emotion of hatred.

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

When you are a poet
you don't place yourself on a pedestal
don't spit venomous hate
think fellow writers are dismal.

When you are a poet
you don't feel a superiority
fellow writers you gleefully berate
make yourself perversely witty.

When you are a poet
your heart is a little more wide
you don't fume and fret
readers are not on your side.

If you are a poet
you know better than to be arrogantly vain
don't carry ego's sinful weight
but let your art pour through your pen.

I had no meaning
till you picked me up

your tongue rolled
turned me gold

Me a mere word
till you first noticed me

and since that dawn
held to me tightly

You made me your part
saw I was spread

with me in your heart
you grew unafraid

As in you I was grown
healed your inner scar

you ceased to feel alone
when found me within her

On my wings you fly high
hardest wall you can break

reach the far end of sky
go on mountainous trek

Yet it hurts me real bad
when I see world battle torn

then I ask myself why
can’t you use me as weapon

When you don’t leave it a choice
It hasn’t nowhere to go
Make for it a false rejoice
Paint for it a window.
Keep there a patch of sky
A space for a fancy flight
For its wings to soar dreamily high
And bathe in the golden light.
You have stolen its endless space
It hasn’t nowhere to go
Make for it a fake happiness
Paint for it a window.

silent is the mourning
when crying seems inadequate
for the hurt.

out there are ones
who haven't lost faith
in you.

You may not need it when sun shines bright
Not goes wrong one rhythm or rhyme
You need it most with no hope on sight
Love you need in the hardest of times.

how do you go about it
when you write a poem
scribble on a piece of sheet
then think about a name?

or do you just tap the keys
seek a clue to start
your way to save the trees
yet find a vent to heart.

do you sit tightly stiff
intent on the screen
or shuffle in the strong belief
they would pour the way you mean.

how do you find the time
or do you have enough
to betwixt work catch a rhyme
grab the thoughts by scruff.

do you write all alone
without a soul around
in a place quiet to the bone
but for your clicking sound.

or you have but little choice
to be by yourself in a room
yet bud a poem from the noise
grow it to full bloom.

my mind ponders the questions above
but the least I can do is to brood
how you pen a poem of love
that makes me feel so good.

To hell with it, enough I say
It's time to rise and be ready
With the sword's sweep to go and slay
The dark forces of my enemy!

Madly I go out for the drive
Beware foes you've no retreat
I'll hunt you out wherever you thrive
And will not come back before I do it!

All around I find echoing hollow
Pitying laughter in mocking glee
I move and my own shadows follow
Despairingly crying where is the enemy!

Where is the enemy, taunts my vengeance
Where is the enemy that my wrath seeks
Where is the enemy asks my impatience,
My enemy inside me reigns in bliss!

Half of my sky is sun
and I'm on the run
always
in the dream
of catching him!

*Why follow me o cloud
blow the storm rough
before breaks your dark shroud
I have to reach the other half.

I can see on the mountain peak
hope's flame is still not ember
love her eyes still speak
loving my blood remembers.

O cloud my purpose here is undone
am yet to reach the mountain peak
hold your veil and let me run
to where love her eyes still speak.

Let me not pen the pain of sadness
Not say what made me stay away
I would rather be in cheerful face
Forget tears of the bygone day.

Last few days I was like shelter less
A shelter isn’t a mere roof on your head
Home beyond brick is a heartfelt address
Not in concrete but of love made.
Once more I knew it really had no redress
Even the best of all else isn’t any best
Home becomes a mere void without her grace
A lifeless hollow, an abandoned nest!

This morn I found in a bowl of my ceiling lamp
On gathered twigs sat a mother dove
She has made there a blissful camp
To see the fruition of her love!

Sunshine I felt deep in my mind
She must have her shelter all the way
With this the dark clouds I left behind
Retrieved my nest on a revealing day!

It’s seven days and the dove sits there pretty tight
On the mess of my chandelier never used for light
Trivially bothersome but her I bear no grudge
Never thought of shooing away or giving her a nudge!

The bird in enviable meditation sits in elegant poise
Looks more like play-dove I brought home by choice
Stirs not in my presence bats not her eyelids
Embodiment of patience and patience is all she needs!

How many days to be there, she knows but I don’t know
Sits there the ravishing beauty in love’s radiant glow
But I know something of it, in her eyes have seen the gleam
Of a longing to be in time there, by holding onto the dream!

What comes of her what’s in store I thought I little care
Never knew when of her dream I had a part to share
How she became a partner in life seeking a shelter of love
I have no answer but only know I must shelter the dove!

Life is living the sunset rays
Or remaining awake on a starless night
Dreaming of blue gold days
Keeping nightmares out of sight!
Nightmares, they keep coming back
To steal the stillness in your heart
That waits for the opaque to crack
For the spirit to rise and depart!
You start believing in them
In a world the dark dreams make
Slowly you love playing the game
Not knowing the real from the fake!
Blue gold day is now folklore
You live where nightmares reign
In your eyes the hot tears pour
It’s over you can’t live again!

Come here to mend a broken heart
Come here to make a new start
Come here to set passions ablaze
Come here to turn a new page.
Here the hills wild and verdant
Purge out all meanness within
Here the streams gaily abundant
Wash the mind's dirt to make it clean.
Here the hearts only know to give
Lust not to get in return
Here the tears when the eyes they leave
Not in the revenge's wrath burn.
Take home these pix hang it on your wall
See it when despairs torment
Wear its beacon on the night of squall
To find way under starless firmament.

My heart I give to the cloud
my eyes where the grasses quiver
my time is come to leave the high ground
be lost in the mist of the river!

From so far I have wandered
to be lost in you o river
my tears mourn the times squandered
to find you where you meander!

Now is come the time this August noon
to pierce your mystery's veil
to kiss your ripples and die in your moon
go down deep you to feel!

I give my heart to where winds the river
as I stand on your green bank's mound
where the clouds hug you grasses quiver
and soul end of journey is home bound!

Seagulls cry waves frothily break
Sprouting foams on your lips break
Unleashed joy that's hard to hide
An unshackled day on the seaside!
Eyes reach where the sky bends low
Roll on silver crowns in endless flow
It stretches blue with streaks of green
You are lost in the ocean's din!

The vastness makes you feel so small
The wide expanse and the rise and fall
Yet within you says each heartbeat
Like the sand grain you're part of it!

On the seaside the child in you sails
Making sand hills picking a few shells
Running free and wild humming an old song
Knowing it's where you've dreamed to belong!

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!

Back from the sun baked field
she served him hot meal.

From the quick dip at the pond
droplets lingered on his bronzed frame.

She loved them
the way she loved his eating in peace
standing quietly like a shadow
and then when he rose to go
her lips’ quivered glow
would be one more time killed.

As he trudged to the paddy field
her fragrance haunted him
and wind scattered his sighs
to the land
where the crops would soon be gold!

today eyes found white clouds reading a little hard
monitor screen slightly remote prints a little blurred
gathered a few teardrops vision felt the pang of strain
it was then the mind drifted white clouds brought a rain!

from now on sunshine would not all be that bright
patch of crooked darkness would cry out for light
a curtain would come on way block the color's shade
things would no more look the way they are made!

the lens would not capture what's finer for eyes
beauties in smallness textures in disguise
blueness of sky the raw greenness of grass
would stale when looked through a pair of glass!

today white clouds brought the first layer of film
turned the nooks darker made daylight look dim
gathered a few teardrops vision felt the pang of strain
mind knew from now on life would not be same again!

Reappearing the white dots on my fingernail
I’m growing a child again I yell
She smiles having by now known it well
It’s where I dwell.

Her mocking smile is an annoyance
Still louder I yell
White dots come on a child’s finger and toenail.

My lady ever practical says *how do I gain
If ever you really become a child again
It would be a tall demand and I’m afraid
The first thing you would ask for is to be breastfed!

Knowing couldn’t resist the autumn light
playing on walls the shorter days
painted my house with only white
to forget coming winter’s gloomy gray!

Now the cotton clouds cannot stay aloof
when burnt at heart by the summer’s pain
break the flight to pause on the white roof
pour a tear two as the falling rain!

Now the sky a little more dazzles blue
lavishly spreads her wares colors glut
moon spins the night in her magic brew
when rises pompous behind areca-nut!

So you know given them good reasons
the winds to weave dreams for weary night
play on walls between rests all seasons
loving that I painted house only white!

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!