Friends, seeing death and suffering brought on by the Chinese Corona virus all over the World, and despite efforts made to create a ‘smart’ and a better World, I become nostalgic at times when past memories of better days begin to haunt me, which gets expressed in these few reflective lines of poetry!
                                 -Raj Nandy, a very senior citizen of Delhi.

BREATHLESS IN THIS VIRTUAL AND
     SO CALLED ‘SMART’ WORLD!
As my age begins to grow, time begins
to reduce its rapid flow.
Though I knew one day I shall depart,
But the mind could not accept such
thoughts at the start.
Tough I had aspired to reach for the sky,
But my body gradually failed to respond,
and I sighed!
Yet, I had always dreamt of a better World, -
Healthy, peace loving, and strong.
But did not realize that one day over
ambitious China with its Corona virus, -
Will prove me wrong!!

Having seen seven decades plus seven
on this Earth,
I now survive with nostalgic memories
of better days gone past.
When love, goodwill, and trust had better
survived.
When postman brought letters laced with
love and blessings of elders, -
Which made me to thrive!
Now smart talks, smart cities, and smart
phones, - fail to impress and console me!
Since by prefixing the word ‘smart’ neither
the city nor its people become smart in
realty!
And now lockdown and quarantine is
trying to enslave humanity!

In this uncertain and lovelorn World
at my present age of seventy seven,
I wonder if God is also trying to build a
‘smart’ digital city up  there in Heaven?!
If that be so, Heaven only exists in my
mind virtually;
In keeping with our modern times, it
exists only as ‘Virtual Reality’!
                                          -Raj Nandy, New Delhi.

I will heat the soup
you forgot to drink

After I kiss the space
between your eyebrows

By the gods, I cannot
bear the possibility of
the morning light kissing
your back as you dream

I fear such tenderness
might be fatal, dear

Death is where I was born
personal development
in the eye of the storm
An acceptance
of what I can never change
an extended love
I offer preordained
I pray you die into my birth
Perhaps together we can save the Earth
Come together and put things right
Bring an end to the eternal night

On my windowsill,
of that indigo night
you took me,
and I haven't
been the same since.

Something about you
makes me want to
be a better man.
I've grown wings,
so I take to the sky.