I humbly write a poem for you
I do not need a dime or two
These beautiful words are meant for you
I appreciate that I can be part of you
Please don’t even bother to say “thank you”
If you don’t understand the picture
Of words I painted for you….

Papa bear whistles
Mama bear sings
Baby bear jumps
and he yells out loud!
Papa look what I have found!
a yellow hibiscus for mama!
Papa bear grins
Mama bear smiles
Baby bear struts with pride!
Mama bear, Papa bear and baby bear
are enjoying their walk in the woods.

When I was small
I had a favorite game
A game only girls loved to play
Paper dolls, pretty paper dolls....

My sister Sara dressed the paper dolls nicely
Elegantly dressed, pretty dolls...
and we loved to style them our ways...
We got bored easily and Sara begged me to buy more dolls...
I used my childish charm to get a rupee or two
My grand papa joked about our  paper dolls
"no saree wearing dolls"? " no chapati making dolls"?
" No parantha making dolls?
and both of us replied.... " ohhhh.... shut up grandpapa"

When we grew up a little,
My sister and I were sent to a boarding school.
It was all girls school
and we were taught grooming, social etiquette
and how to be a lady...prim and proper
Dressed smartly, talked only when necessary
and sat up neatly, no head turns..
No giggling... only smile delicately
No tantrums or emotional plays...
just be poised... controlled.. poised and controlled...
Of course
We were not allowed to play paper dolls anymore

After awhile I hated the school...
Told my sister.....  They were turning us
into paper dolls...
Paper dolls have no say...
They only follow.. They are puppets
Remember paper dolls we used to play?
All pretty in the outside but there is no life
to breathe....
Suffocated i felt here.....all I wanted to do is flee
Sis, cmon this is certainly not us... let's flee

WE SAID GOODBYE TO OUR BED AND WE DID RUN....
We managed to be who we wanted to be in the end
to live in real world, be with real people
given a freedom to choose what we wanted to do
with life...
We enjoy our life not the traditional way anymore
Have career and still we dressed nicely and elegantly
We are real people...
Unlike the paper dolls , who only look poise and beautiful..
but inside they are freezing.... lifeless....paper dolls..

Noon when I started
Feeling dizzy
Strong waves hit the walls
in the stomach
exploding in any minute
I ran to the bathroom
Threw up everything
My tummy empty
Cool myself in shower
The water ran all over me
I could open my eyes
Shivering ... I couldn't see a thing
I crawled in the dark
Helplessly lying on the floor
staring at the ceiling fan
how fast it spins
How fast my world moves
I can't even think,
I can't even move
there's a fog in my mind
clouding  my brain
invisible hands choking my throat
My whole body is trapped
I am numbed
I am paralysed...

A princess wakes up
Yawning, reluctant to leave her bed
making a bee line to the bathroom
Yelling from her bedroom
"What's for breakfast ma...?"
The queen is working hard
Paratha bread on the way...
The dough on the table
Paratha in the pan..
Her face a morning cheer!
Good morning my princess
Let's have paratha for breakfast.....
before the King starts honking again......

Heart is melted by a candy floss,
Lulled to sleep, dream big dream of stars
Sudden TSUNAMI , dreams are shattered..
Heart broken , pieces by pieces
Too late to realize what they had lost.
Like a fool, Asking around high and low
“How could i recover my loss?”
Pathetic.... What a loss

I am lost in this play land
Surrounded by toys in a magical land
A choo choo train, a laughing clown
An incredible circus in a Toy land,
Is this the place called Peekaboo Play land?
If yes...
please call me Alice in Wonderland

Perfect skin….
Fair complexion that glows with a hint of pink
Flawless, perfect skin…
that undulant white skin
What an expensive soft and supple skin
Luxurious ****** and skin treatment…
At expensive spa somewhere...
Her skin so fair…
Worth of a stare…

At the defense proposal
I was convinced
I would make it through
The proposal in my hand,
Months of preparation,
mentally, physically, loaded brain...
Well prepared I was for this judgement day
A little over confident, perhaps....

In the life of a Phd candidate
This is the true battle of Academia
Whether you'd be at the top
or you would be shot dead
The honorable Panels will decide...

The moment you utter a sentence or two..
Continuous attacks from the left and right
endlessly..... till you have your head
buried in the ground
Again you wake up and strike again
This is your war....
Defense is war.. the war of life
the moment of truth
the battle of a doctorate student everywhere

Research Objectives, Research Questions,
The Signification of research
and the Implication, the contribution of this study
SO WHAT?
One by one was being detailed, scrutinized and questioned

Dear panels,please be kind
Was patiently coping with your brutal  attacks
Head held low, head held high...
Nearly had a stroke,
But I refused to die...

Thank you dear panels,
my courteous smile for you...
I'd be back,
You'd see me again,
When I counter attack....

Yesterday I was a school going kid
Always Hungry for knowledge
Always Thirsty for lessons of life
Obediently sitting in a large noisy class
Listening and recording every words preached
Hoping they were stored forever...
Or atleast before the exam day was over

Today I still go to school
Twice a week
with a bunch of happy people
We have fun learning!
embarassing ourselves mostly
In the most intellectual way!!
laughing at ourselves for being silly
Sometimes unsure
whether we are hungry or thirsty
But knowledge is like the sea...
Endless and wide.

Rather ...
We are desperate to digest it all
The ZPD, Scaffolding, Sociocultural and Constructivism?
Hey hey whose theory?
And Skinner, Pavlov, Vygotsky and Chomsky
Hope they are here to tell us a story.

To go or to let go
Hard .. dont you know?
Decided to go with the flow...
Determined that one day
We will stand tall
On that humble stage
Wearing that long pretty robe ...
in our hands a scroll...
There's nothing like having a PHD
With your sweat and tears...
and a whole lot of laughters too....
The feelings?
Of course... unexplainable
The experience?
PRICELESS!!!

I hate being *******
Having to stay mad and angry
When I am normally a cool person
I seldom do this... *******..

Someone came at me the wrong way
and turned my ******* switch on...
What do I do now?
How do I go from being *******
to my happy go lucky self?

Today
I decided to be a poet
instead of being a teacher
What a teacher preaches
Would soon be forgotten
The kids simply plug their ears
pretending to enjoy lectures in class
instead they secretly enjoy " Imagine Dragon"
Tapping fingers on their tables

Today I did  a drastic change
Gave ten poems of mine to read
Creatively
the poems became the lyric of songs
Students sang them in class
Remembering the vocabs
and grammar...
the fun way.. they say
enrichment activities are completed
Successfully done
without a whine!!!

How fulfilling the lesson is
If poems are read and appreciated
and poems are used as meaningful
tools to enlighten others.........

Where else can a poet stay
a secret space in his poetry
The best get away
Hidden from this crude ugly world
In the name of creativity
Be comfortable with words of arts

A poet hides in a metaphor
Unveiled the untold...
Unapologetically figurative...
Being complacent in his secrecy...
In making each stands

The beauty of poetries....
The poet  bets his fortune
In each magical words
In every stanza.......
His breath...
His life...

What does a poet want?
Compliments from dear readers?
A recognition from the nation?
A book with a name typed on its cover?
A poet is a liar who speaks the truth..
So answer all the questions above
Then tell me what kind of poet are you?

Listen to the drum beats
the jungle songs roar in delight
a jungle tea party in Hello Poetry
Poets sing along to the jungle beat
Make a toast and cheers everyone
Poets are drinking poetry.....

Unexpected defeat
A shock to the nation
Politic Tsunami, they said
Time to mourn? Time to analyze?
Try to decipher this Tsunami
Being fed the same chocolate flavor
High time to switch to another
  Which flavors they fancy now?
of sweets, of biscuits of cakes
Do you know?
Creativity, innovate, concern
Listen to their plights
Why do they retaliate?
Blame the Tsunami again?
So unintelligent, put yourself under a microscope
analyze, examine, please understand more.

Locked away in a tower in the middle of a forest
since the age of twelve
Hidden from the public eyes for years
Beautiful Rapunzel was imprisoned
A binding promise made
To compensate for the sin of his father
who stole for love

Rapunzel's life was completely shut
a couple of times in a day
she only came to light
only to let her golden long hair down
through a tiny window that connected her caged like world
to the bright world outside

upon a call from the enchantress
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, please let your long hair down for me"
Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair,
and the enchantress climbed up to her

Many years have passed
nobody knew of Rapunzel's existence
The dragging years
Too little sunlight
The magnificent hair of Rapunzel
became weak and thin
Once it was the strongest ladder
but The enchantress fell in the thorny garden
in an attempt to climb up the tower

Rapunzel's hair no longer lustrous and strong
Waiting for a brave prince for too long
Till the hair is tired and the waits prolonged....

Just bought some capsicums
Big,round, fresh capsicums
Sweet and sour chicken in the menu
some fresh tomatoes, ginger and onions
A great recipe from mom's kitchen,
doesn't it sound and smell awesome?

green and red capsicums on the table
Take a sharp knife to cut them into halves
Paprika adds  flavor to my chicken recipe
The taste I must adore...

Surprise Surprise...  almost trip from the kitchen stool
A sharp knife falls on the kitchen floor
The green capsicums screams in despair...
" Are you really cutting me to pieces?"
And the red capsicums yell,
" Cut the greens not the reds?"
Is this my imagination ? Am I cooking in a dream?
capsicums can speak? Oh.. They really speak...
and pleading me to omit them from the recipe...
Again I look at the pretty capsicums..
Deciding whether to cook them or not

To capsicum I offer this thanks,
when needing something like peppers
It's you I very much adore,
Without, this recipe is lacking in so many ways.

Decided! In mom's kitchen
There is no compromise
Pretty capsicums green and red...
In my cooking *** you go.....

Pretty colored flowers
That are orange, red and yellow
In the Spring air
Flowers are the sweetest things
god ever made...
Magnificent!

PRETTY MORNING,
EVERYBODY IS SMILING
LOOKING A LITTLE HUNGRY, Darling...
C'MON CHAPATI IS READY..
WHY WAIT? LETS HURRY...
DIP IT IN CHICKEN CURRY!!!
GO TO WORK AND BE MERRY!!!

Mummy look
Do I look pretty?
Of course you do...
Now daughter,
Do I look pretty?
Of course you are..
Mummy and daughter
busy talking to the mirror
and daddy keeps honking the car...

Helpless...
I remain before you
You have dominion over me
It is you who extracted the resources out of me
I am being alienated from my self
I stand **** before you
Exposing all my assets
If not satisfied
Let my skin too be removed
Take everything
Whatever you want
My love
My dreams
And dignity
Have a wild exploration
That my children have bright days
Still I know that I am lost
Give me a little space
Where I was born and brought up
To weep bitterly
I will be glad to see
A few drops of tears
Kissing the land
Where I am wanted to live
(C) JC

Love is a perfect gift
For pure and precious hearts
Delicate and tender love
To be cherished …to be cared for..
Now and forever….

Uncountable…. un measurable love is
How deep… how high.. How strong
Do you know?

Unexplainable love is sometimes
A mere thought of someone
brings tears to the eyes..
An image of your loved ones
Brightens up your day
Vivid moments together
Are reflected upon your smiles..

Endless love… endless smiles..
Endless agony…endless pain..
Love is bitter but same time its sweet…
Isn’t love is so queer?

How clever love conquers..
Your brain, your mind,
your body and soul…
Love is tireless, never ending…
Fantastic feelings...in love..
Sometimes You cry but in your heart you smiles..
So often you smiles..same time your heart cries...
See.. how wonderful yet manipulative love is?

Beautiful...
A thousand miles is shared…
By just one love… one desire…
My love may not be perfect dear...
But I have Tears in my eyes,
you on my mind,
love in my heart
ocean in between…. can it stop me?
Can it stop you?
from saying….I LOVE YOU?

A blind Rabbit hops
Life may not be a bed of roses
In heaven
Rabbit lavish itself ...
...in heaven of carrots

Satin smooth clouds
Blue... and grey...
Look up and see..
the clouds are dancing
in slow motions
getting closer each time
the clock ticks..
till it becomes one..
forming into one heavy pregnant cloud...
clouding the blue sky...
turning the color into
dark grey and darker..
almost...BLACK...
too heavy it seems...
cannot stand it any longer..
and down comes the rain..
falling not a drop or two
a heavy downpour..
to the long dried ground...
the farmers cheer
The cattle jump
the crops sway
to and fro
back and forth
in happiness...
rain is the greatest gift from
our creator...
Ameen..

Raindrops...
keep falling on my head
Falling in my heart
Soaking wet I am
Inside and out........

For I am a humble follower..
I am neither greater nor superior...

What you did last Ramadhan...
Really broke my heart
But I forgive you and I promise I will forget...

For Ramadhan we shall live in peace and harmony...
Salam Ramadhan Kareem to you.....

Here we are once again..
Welcoming the holy month of Ramadhan
The Muslims all over the world
Seize this opportunity to strengthen our faith
By reading Al-Quran... and praising Allah through the day..

Let us Celebrate this holy month of Ramadhan
By submitting ourselves to our creator
Seeking  forgiveness from Allah
Purify this sinful soul, Cleanse our heart and mind
It's a month that helps us ward off evil,
Removing from our hearts a dark veil.

Our Muslim brothers and sisters
gather in the mosque at night
Our nights are full of prayer,
to Allah our thanks we share.
From dawn to dusk we fast and pray.
Hungry and thirsty, we are only human..
But... For Allah’s sake
We fast during Ramadhan...
We feed our soul with prayers
Do the best for our Allah and our religion..
We do charity for those in need,
Teaching ourselves  to do good deeds
And gratitude...
We welcome Ramadhan..
Month of purity, month of charity..
Month of prosperity...

Sun is impartial in reaching out
In sustaining life on the planet
Equal intensity everywhere
Even on the good and the evil.

Reality appears to be partial
Expectations are laughed at
A drop of water to quench my thirst
Stinginess even in abundance.

Years spend in waiting for a change
Reality never changed, continued to be
A ray of light never bends
May bend or spread out at opaque ends.

Learned the art of nishkama karma
Go on acting… for duty sake
Never expect anything in return
Duty for duty sake… life goes on.

I don't write for LIKES
Never crave for attention
I write for share
Some ideas
Some words
Some stories
Read my writes if you like
If you don't
never mind... just pass
Tomorrow I write still
I will

A Linguistics book shouts
Read me.. Read me...
Reading hard and Dozing off..
Who's fault is it?
The book or the reader?

imperfection is real...
complicated and sloppy
reality of life
slowly dying
in search of perfection

Lock and hook Mama's neck.
Bounce on Mama's tummy.
Wrestle, Shove and Spike Mama.
Mess up Mama's cool hairdo.
Jump and Climb on Mama's back.
Trample on Mama's crouch.
Talk to his robot.
Hang his goal post around Mama's neck.
What a night!

Rose smiles as she receives a bouquet of roses
with a cute heart shaped card written...
"Read roses for a beautiful girl named Rose"
It isn't her birthday or any special day
But the roses came and brighten up her day...
She knows this isn't the first and last time
that the red roses would appear.
For someone who loves roses and a girl named Rose
is sitting in a cubicle next to her...

When things are down
And you are out of your mind
Remember just remember
Allah is The Kind.

When your life is in darkness
And nothing is right
Remember just remember
Through the darkness,
Allah is The Light.

When nothing makes sense
And your heading for demise
Remember just remember
It doesn't make sense,
but Allah is The Wise.

When times are troubled
And no one seems to care
Remember just remember
Allah won't hurt you,
He is The Fair.

When your heart is breaking
And your pain makes you fall
Remember just remember
Allah Sees it all.

When you are weak
And the road seems long
Remember just remember
Seek strength from The Strong.

When life is a burden
And everything is unstable
Remember just remember
Allah is The Able.

When the way is cloudy
And there is no one by your side
Remember just remember
Allah is The Only Guide.

When no one wants to listen
Or is willing to lend an ear
Remember just remember
Allah is always ready to hear.

When you are poor and penniless
And you are stuck in a niche
Remember just remember
Allah is The Rich.

When you are down in your misery
And there is nowhere to run
Remember just remember
You can always run to The One.

And when your scars are hurting
And your heart is in fear
Remember just remember
Allah is really here.

If I ever had a chance
to meet you once again
I would really love to ask
Have you completely erased me from your memory?
every seconds, every minutes, every hours, every days that you used to think of me?
Have you forgotten the weeks, the months, the years, the seasons?
that we cherished our love together?
I would really really love to know?
Do you still remember the reasons that you loved me?

I would really love to know, I would love to know..
Have you found someone else?
Someone who could make you a lot happier than I ever did?
Someone who would give you what I could never give?
Have you found her? Have you?

I am neither jealous nor that I am planning a revenge..
I just wanted to say..
Thank you for not saying good bye..
You left me without a word..
It was hell I had to admit..
Without you I have lost all that I need…
You couldn’t imagine the turmoil I had been through…
It was like I died.. a hundred years..
I was alive but I was dead…

But today I just hope that I will see you again
Please remember me once more.
Come begging at my door…
Not that I am going to spit or curse on you..
I just wanted to gladly say..
Thank you for the pain…
I was dead before but I survived..
I am still alive and please listen here..
Thank you for remembering me once more
But I don’t need your false love anymore…
Thank you

Reminisce..... Childhood days..

Remember when we were young?
Played all day out in the sun so gay
Happy kids we were… ***** or ugly
Ohh!!! The way we looked?
Not a bit we care, we didn’t care…

Were out in the monsoon rains, were out in the storms…
No Sophisticated playgrounds were built,
No expensive toys were bought…
Did we mind? We played in the drains…
We made our own toys from scratch..
We built our own playground in the field..

God protected us… kept us saved from evils and hates..
Childhood was extremely the best years of our entire years…
The best memory ever…
Our childhood days….

Do not dwell on your moments of weakness
Repent and move on...
“Every son of Adam sins,
and the best of those who sin are those who repent.”

She sings
with tears in her eyes
She dances
her feet bleeds
She speaks
her throat chokes
She glances at me
Puts Her head down
She almost  breaks
Her heart hurts
She kneels
She cries
Rescue her....

I am struggling with the Choice of words
The best to use to develop my Researh Objectives
To determine
To assess
To examine
To establish
To explore
To develop
To distinguish
To highlight
To deduce
If you'd love to help...
please help me choose the best three
only need three to describe...

Your life is full of agony
A victim of slanders and hate
Accumulation of grievances
of years being shunned away
from your rightful position on the throne..
Cant blame you though
For your temptation to retaliate
Try to put my feet in your shoes
Cant imagine to be as strong as you
of the voices unheard
of the opportunities rejected
of the freedom denied
of the rights deprived
of the life laughed at
of the mental torture
of all the torments in your heart...
Do Revenge... I am with you
If you fall and fail
I am still here for you
to wipe all your sorrows away..

She took a slice of a rice paper
Hold it delicately ... careful not to break it
Expertly placed it on a plate..
Mixed the fresh salad, some noodles and shrimps
Nervously rolled it one by one, though...
All eyes are on her.. All ears are on her
She and her famous Rice paper ...the subject of attention..
... the rolls she promoted..
A traditional cuisine, a local pride
She dipped the rolls in some kind of fish sauce
Shyly she offered the delicacies to us..
We .. the so called “International people” were amused
this tantalizing Vietnamese cuisine..
Specially made in Vietnam.. only in Vietnam..

Rice paper rolls.. repeat the demonstration
Wet it with water..
Choose your favourite fillings... roll it and roll it..
Its done.. Its ready.. its super unique...
Fish sauce.. fish oil and dip one... dip another
one by one.. so sensational taste..
Looking so plain never you doubt the taste
Superdelicious!!
Yummy the Vietnamese Rice paper..
Only in Vietnam..

They called it democracy
Given the citizen the right to vote
Is this the so called Democracy?
When Given the right and told to vote
Give your vote to no other
Or you'd face the consequences
labelled as UNWORTHY CITIZEN
Be followers of the system forever
Don't even think or try to be SMART

Do you have a heart
To read my heart?
The place I hide my sorrows
My pain so severe
Deep down
My wrecked heart weeps
The sobbings unheard
Even if its the loudest
Even if its the saddest

Love is a battlefield
Fighting always for a little affection
And...
I lost...
I drowned...
I surfaced...
I dont need another dream
to wake me up
I dont need another same old love
to keep me warm
My faith strenghtens me
Everyday
I don't need another alarm clock
My passion wakes me up
I wake up
I rise
from my biggest fall.

Romeo fought in a battlefield..
Won himself titles and golds
A standing ovation, applause and praises to Romeo ,
People bowed with great respect...
Walking proudly with his head held high...
ROMEO... Known to the world as a fighting HERO.

With one strong hand holding a sword..
And another arm hugging his trophy..
ROMEO was proudly declared as the conquerer of the world..

Countless of wars he won...
Thousands pieces of lands he conquered
Houses were burnt down
Women were captured, ***** and murdered..
Hundreds of children were made orphans
Families were torn apart...
Despite the talked about bravery and persona
Indeed ROMEO was a murderer ..
a blood thirsty serial killer....
So Romeo must die....

Once upon a time in history..
A great fierce man called ROMEO
Of all the battles he fought, he won..

One last battle he did lose
A piece of heart he failed to win
The heart of a woman he desired..
Imagine a disgrace of The world toughest man
Succumbed to His greatest weakness ,
Melted his cruel evil heart..
Begging for The love of his life...
A woman he truly loved ...
ROMEO ... A man she truly despised...
.. a total rejection what a shame..
Depressed... ROMEO lost the thirst to try...
SO ROMEO MUST DIE......

I wept as I walked down the aisle
My heart was throbbing in severe pain
A bouquet of roses in my shivering  hands
I felt like a zombie in a wedding dress

My dad, dashing in tuxedo
Smiling proudly as he gave my hand
To this total stranger...
A wealthy entrepreneur  ...
His type of son in law
Very little information that I knew about

Marriage was not something that i planned
Marriage was something that arranged in my culture
My So called Happiness was set before me
Just needed me to say I Do
Love marriage is something impossible
Falling in love?
Yet another taboo

I cried oh I cried
I wanted to see the world
I have so much to do
Places to visit
People to meet
Happiness is what I sought for
On my own  

Yes the diamond ring
i was tempted to wear
Wasn't so sure should
I tie the knot.
Should i travel the universe

I hated what I did
But I was not regretting either
Sorry daddy
What a big disappointment
today...
Once again...
I had to be a runaway bride...

The pair of sad eyes
I remember so well
as she leaves the room
leaving behind her hopes

A real life mannequin
dressed to ****
in expensive outfits
bought for... what a darling..
day in and out
struts up and down
in five star hotels
drowning in her hard earn dollars
that only last for a day or two...

I remember her hands shaking
as she holds a glass of whiskey
taking quick puffs at her cigarette
you can tell...  she isn't a beginner
so what with that pair of sad eyes?

but her body violently trembles
she fidgets, panting nervously
another greedy hands wraps her waist
a knowing nod, mutual agreement
another ride .... another night...
she walks with him....
leaving behind her dreams...
her eyes are sad .... you can tell
another journey awaits her
on this wild hungry night
no one bothers of her pair of sad blue eyes eyes...
only the heat of her naked flesh....

You said "Please go"
You were not even joking
I mourned over this sad goodbye
I only came to see your smile...

Something so hard
goes straight to the soul;
it seems impossible to get over
and my heart is left with a big hole.

I’m trying to be happy, wearing a smile;
but I’m dying inside.
The world seems to be fading,
and I just want to run and hide.

Everywhere I go I see your face,
and realize how much I miss you;
and on the day you died
a piece of me died too.

Woh dil nawaz ha lekin nazar shanas nahi,
Mera ilaaj meray charahgar kay paas nahi,

Tarap rahay hain zabaan per kai sawal magar,
Meray liay koi shayaan-e-iltamaas nahi,

tere ujalon main bhi dil kanp kanp uthta hai
mere mizaj ko aasudagi bhi ras nahi

kabhi kabhi jo tere qurb main guzre the
ab un dinon ka tasawwur bhi mere pas nahi

guzar rahe hain ajab marhalon se dida-o-dil
sahar ki as to hai zindagi ki aas nahi

mujhay ye dar hai k teri arzu na mit jaye
bahut dinon se tabiyat meri udaas nahi,

a graveyard silent night
tip-toed to my bed
is there a skeleton in the closet?
waiting to scare me...
anytime!
perhaps a freaking monster under the bed?
crawling out in the middle of the night
clawing my face , ******* my blood..
let me stay safe please...
this erie night
I have goosebumps all through the night
Please I need to be safe and sound