I lift my heart
To the heavens
And a gift falls
Within
Poetry

I wonder at the words
The magic of the pen
Wisdom of the heavens

My mind
Rises up
To zones of clarity
With poetry

My heart
Dances
In the gentle music
Of poetry

I bow down
To the heavens
I bow down
To magic
I bow down to life
As poetry

Life
Is more precious
Than likes
Dislikes, fun, pleasure
Satisfaction
Of the mind

A succulent slice
Of the fruit of peace
From the
Garden of eternity
This moment complete
Beyond recognition
In the stillness
Of forever

Holding life
In my hands
Silence
In my mind
Peace
In my heart
I take a tiny step
Towards You
Dancing in the moonbeams
Of love

Gorgeous
Big
Juicy
Raindrops

Isn't it time?
For You to come?

Drink up the tears
Of my heart

Hold me
In Your arms
wrapped tightly
with rainbows
All around

Behind the mask
I feel my warm breath
Grateful
For the Grace of life

Behind the mask
I don’t need
To speak so much
Grateful
For the Grace of Silence

Behind the mask
I see her smile
In her eyes
Grateful
For the Grace of smiles

Behind the mask
We hug
With smiles
Grateful
For Grace of hugging eyes

Behind the mask
I see all of creation
In the lap of Mother Earth
Hiding
From themselves
Suffering
Behind masks
I pray
Grateful
For the Grace of prayer

I pray
For front line workers
Leaders of nations
Poor and hungry
Sick and dying

I pray
For people and plants
Gardens and dungeons
Earth and skies

I pray
With folded hands
Streaming tears
Wetting my mask
Grateful
To you
For the Grace of reading

I accept
Your judgement of me
As true
In your view
And
Let it wash over
As a spring drizzle

For you, me
And all creation
Thoughts, views, emotions
Are just that

A drizzle
Star dust
Fleeting fragrance
Light feather
Seeking and living
Unbeknownst
To even ourselves
In the sweet embrace
Of love

I seek
Purity
Simplicity
Of my heart
My very Being

She smiles at me
As flowers
Calls me
With bird song
Cries with me
As raindrops
Hides from me
As rainbows

"I am as you
Everywhere
And always,"
She whispers
In love, as love
Forever

Pure
Simple
Still
Being

Every life journey
Is a journey of love
Some love a special person
Some their family
Village,  country,
Nature, arts, culture
Science, knowledge
Inventions, ideology,
Religion,
God

Yet why?
these boxes
Special people, times, places
Let go
Expand

Let love arrive
Dance
In every smile
Glance
Breath
Open heart
Pure existence
Love eternal

On the other side
Of challenge
Is
Growth
Waiting for me

To walk
Through the door
Of love,
With love
As love

Love is
As much giving as forgiving
As much offering as acceptance
As much sweetness as tears

A bubble
Of silent stillness
Lifts me
Past doors of illusion
Into the lap of
Emptiness

Do we need to label?
Our Love?
As
Pure-sinful
Attachment-Detachment
True-impermanent

Do we need to label?
Our life?
As
worthless-glorious
success-failure

Do we need to label ourselves?
As
brilliant-mediocre
skillful-simple
Saint-Sinner

Do­ we need more labels?
More boxes?
More theories and analysis?

Or
Do we need
this moment
A hand to hold
A song to sing
A bird to watch
A smile
A breath

Love in our life
Gratitude for all blessings
A knowing
That we are held
In the embrace of eternity

A child of sweetness
All is well
In the magical plan
Of the universe
In tender love

i saw two clouds
Joining as one
The shape of a heart

Rays of light
Shimmered from the corners
Light in darkness
Hope and love

"Is that You, my Lord?"
A gentle rumble
Thunder answered
I took that to be a "Yes"

"I love you too,"
I whispered back.

And so it is
My life
Fulfilled
In two clouds, light and thunder

Dealing with my life
A pandemic
Erupted
In my mind

With every thought
Infecting every other one
Anxiety, commotion
Breathless

Yes, I needed
Quick
A ventilator

Breathing in
Long and slow

Social distance
Between my thoughts

Breathing out
With a smile
I survived
Life is grand

When you try
To grab
Fleeting shadows
Outside

You always
Come home
Empty handed

Stay within
Unbounded light
Draped
In fullness

Will we change
After this?

Stop rushing so much?
Chasing money and things?
Name, fame, game?

Will we change
After this?

Stepping into
Our heart
Loving, caring
Smiling and hugging
Realising
Life is not meant
Just to be caught in traffic?
Grabbing the changing world?

Will we change
After this?

Hold each moment
With a smile
A place to abide
In silent gratitude
To all around
The trees, stars and planet

Will we change
After this?

Choose a life
Of balance
Centred within
In love and light

Stay safe
They say
Yet
How to hide?
From the source
Of all danger

My mind

Churning memories
Whipping up dreams
Dancing jumping
Agonizing, laughing

How to stay safe?

A single breath
A smile
Your name
Lifts me
To silence
Beyond all

Safe
In the embrace
Of Your love

Mind says
This is, that was
So much more
Could be
But
If truth be told
This is
And that's it

Truth is
Life is
God is

Waiting
For me
To kiss His Feet.
Hold Them tight
In my heart
Forever
As His

We ring bells
Clap our hands
Pray and give thanks

To doctors and nurses
Vegetable sellers
Delivery boys
Tourists and travelers
Urban poor
Rural rich
Railways and buses
Security personnel
Customs officials
Airlines and stewardesses
Everybody, everywhere

May they be safe
May peace prevail

In all hearts with fear
In all eyes with tears
May they be safe
May peace prevail

May love encircle
Our blue planet
Once more
With life
Enfolded
In her gentle grace.

There is a place high
Up, up above
In the vast blue sky
Yet deep, deep within
The cavern of my being

Silence, light and smiles
Dance together
Nothing happens
Just Is

In giving
Is expansiveness
Truth within

In fear
Is contraction
The mind world
Of desire
Control
And illusion

Let all fade
In the blue ocean
Of silent love

What does it take?
To sit in silence

What does it take?
To inhale a breath of love

What does it take?
To hug the universe

What does it take?
To breath out peace to all

What does it take?
To accept this moment,
As it is.

A deep breath
A smile
A single drop of gratitude

All is well and always will be
In Grace Eternal

i hold this moment
close to my heart
Hug her
Feel her
Deep within
An unwavering light
A lotus blossom
Of love

Gentle silence
Now
Is all there is
And will ever be

Letting go
Of crowds
To watch the sun set
In the ocean

Letting go
Of what should be
To open up
To what could be

Letting go
Of thoughts
To live in freedom
Of emptiness

Letting go
Of words
To hear the silence
Of the heart

Letting go
Of life
To dissolve
In this very moment

I unclutch
Let go
Of the people, places
And circumstances
In my life

I bless them
To fly
In the horizon of their dreams

I return
To my heart
Silence
Peace
At last

I rise above and look
At the journey of my life

You were always there
You pushed me
Prodded me
Guided me
Helped me
Nudged me
Carried me
Always and forever
In your arms
From within me

I kept gazing
And still do
Out in the world
Looking for you
Wandering in Temples
Rushing to Masters
Crying, praying, longing

You smile
In my heart
The journey is complete
You and me
Here and now
I love You, my Lord and Master
Eternal Friend and savior
Thank You!

I am a nameless dew drop
On a scent less flower
Longing for my Beloved
To dissolve me in His arms

Fly away oh clouds!
Of dense and dark illusion
Let me cast my eyes just once
Upon the one I love

Before I die
Longing
For His radiant Being.

Stories of the past
Let them be
Moments of joy
Fluttering butterfly hearts
Let them be
Drama and trauma
Tears, indignity
Let it be

Like sleeping babies
Tuck them in bed
With a kiss
On the forehead
Let them be

Turn your face
To right here
Smile
In this moment
Eternity unfolds

I write
gingerly
With doubt
In the shadow of hope
Smile
In the rain of tears
Light
In the castle of darkness
All is, as is
Just this
Accept
Be

An unexpected bubble of joy
germinates in my heart
dances in my throat
and arrives on my lips
as a sweet whisper
Your name

When i think
of my love
for You
Nothing matters.

Not my work
nor my family
Not this world
nor eternity

i am
you are
love is

And that is the beginning
and the end

i keep waiting for you
To come, to call, to text
Tears run down
And you see monsoon floods
Everywhere

A little thunder here
A little lightening there
Won't do

Please come, my beloved
As the radiant shining sun
Dissolve me in the
Light of pure wisdom
Absorb me
In unending true love

The season of love
My heart blooms
A hundred million jasmine flowers
Rain from heaven
My Lord Hath come

My heart is soft today
Thinking of the suffering
Of all those who are near
And those who are far
The known and unknown
Living beings everywhere
in pain - in their body and mind
Deep within in their souls
in any kind of tears
fears, trauma, heartache

I raise my eyes to heaven
Pray for light to surround them
The fragrance of love
Succor, consolation, respite
Now and forever more

We travel the world
searching
book to book, blog to blog
Guru to guru, mentor to trainer
Looking, finding, losing

Ultimately return
Empty handed

Only to find it all
And then some more
In the secret
smile
of the heart

My heart bleeds
For the trees
We cut
For us
For metro and highways
To join the global race
Of frantic

Helpless I throw
These words into space
Pray for natures’s grace
and
Forgiveness

I wonder
if our children’s children’s children
Will tell their
children’s children’s children

Once upon a time on Earth
There were trees
birds and bumble bees

You can see them even now
In the prehistoric 2-D movies

Faith happens
when doubt knocks
on the door of my heart
a smile appears
doubt dissolves
faith blooms
Is that what they mean by
listening
To your heart?

Sometimes
huge drops of sorrow
fall on my heart
like hail from heaven
i miss heaven
heaven misses me.
i miss God
Does God miss me?

I hugged a tree
And asked for guidance
The tree whispered

It is not the outside that matters
Only inside
Enter the altar in your heart
Suffused
with the fragrance of love
Light the lamp of silence
Bask in the beauty
Of
Yellow butterflies

Scoop it all up
The light, the love and beauty
And sprinkle it all around
with each word, smile and action
On people, animals and the stars
On the sun and babies
And on the waves and clouds
On toothless grandmas
And little flowers
Keep on and on and on
Living and giving

In that sublime temple
Of God
This creation.

In the tenderness of love
Beauty blooms
In the silence of peace
Compassion smiles

In gentle harmony
I am held
And I hold
All of creation
In embrace divine

When i want to have
something
i realize
i lose something
i have

The sun takes the moon away
Youth grabs childhood
Smiles take away tears
And love?
Love the entire universe

Take this universe, my love
And give me
Just once
Your smile divine

Little moments
From the past
Come flitting in my mind
Like feathers
Or flower petals
Or leaves in the breeze
They come, they dance
And flit away
From the white screen
Of my mind

I see, I know, I smile
This too shall pass

The eternal canvas of Emptiness
Freedom
Peace
Silence
Alone remains
Always has been
and
always will

Pitter-patter on parched soil
They don't sit pretty
Like dew drops
On flowers at dawn
They just appear
And
keep on appearing
In the silence of sorrow

The longer the silence
The deeper the sorrow
The saltier the tears

Who can understand or fill
The cracks in my desperate heart?
Broken in love
Cracked open with longing
Except those little streams
Of salty tears
Not pretty like dew drops
Not strong like rain drops

Just salty
Just tears
That share
The silence of sorrow

When you route your life through God
All is always well.

The words of praise and accolades
Are His beneficent gifts.
The treachery, deceit and infamy
Are His divine lessons

Lessons really?
What are they?

Well, actually there is just one
That repeats
Again and again – till we get it.

Open your heart
Expand your mind
Hold all existence
In gentle love

Is life a journey
A seeking
A destination
Almost there, but always
Just a little far
Away
In the near horizon

Or

Is life a song?
Music with highs and lows
We dance fast or slow
With a smile or tears
But dance, nevertheless
Each moment is
What it is – a destination
Complete and fulfilled

Like each note of music
And each step of dance

Tell me beloved friend
What do you think of life?
A journey or a dance?

Someday in the future
A few years hence
Or maybe decades
You will look at your pic
From today and say,
“Wow! How young I looked!
How charming!”

Why wait for that day?
Look in the mirror
Today and say,
“Wow! How young I am now!
How charming!”

Smile!
You look great – inside and out.

The human heart
Seeks understanding
"There,there, there...."
"Now, now, now...."

The human heart,
Seeks forgiveness,
"It's not your fault."
"I would have done the same."

The human heart,
Seeks love
hugs, smiles and chocolate

The human heart,
Breaks with what is seeks

The human heart
Mends with what it gives

Understanding and love
Forgiveness and hugs
Smiles and flowers

Oh yes!
And chocolates too!

My thoughts are scattered again
Like a jar of mustard seeds
Fallen all over
the kitchen floor
from the window till the door

One flash of Your smile
They all come back as one
Mesmerized.

Time enfolds me in layers
like the creases in a saree
the petals in a rose
from childhood to youth
and then on to middle age
then to elder-hood
and then?

To that moment in time
when we are free from time

the rose blooms
absolved from this body
dissolved in eternity
Blessed in the freedom
Of the soul

Envelop me
As a feeling
fragrant love
seeping in my every pore

Envelop me
with Your Being
A satin scarf
draping my heart in silence

Envelop me
with your touch
white foam caressing
the ends of mother ocean
holding, dancing and being

Feeling the touch
Touching the Being
Being that one
True infinite eternity
Enveloped in You

You are so vast
Bigger than the mountains
All the stars, skies and planets
A zillion galaxies and then some more
This entire universe and beyond

Yet, Oh Yet!
sweet beloved mine
how is it?
That You fit completely
into my little heart?

Smile at me sweetly
In every breath
As i chant Your name
Fulfill my life wholly
with minuscule drops
of tender all pervading love

First day on the job
I pray
The breeze smiles
Trees rustle
Shower benedictions
Upon me
All is well
Always will be

They ask me why i chant Your name?
Is it to gather myself within?
For focus, clarity and mindfulness?

Is it a prayer to God above?
To reserve a spot in His Divine abode.
A place for my soul in heavenly realms?

Is it for my desires manifold?
Health, wealth and family
oh yes! And a little comfort too?

If truth be told,
        My Beloved Divine
I don't know why
         i chant this name of Thine
I chant it once
         And then again
And then again
        And again and again
                     It is so sweet.

I wonder what secret
The trees whisper to the breeze?
Do the birds hear that secret
And announce it in their song?

Does the wind hold it
And drop it in the seas?
Does the sea speak it out
And share it with the stars?

Do the heavens then resound
With the secret of the trees?

And the clouds,
Oh yes! Those clouds
Blue, black and grey
Is that why come rushing?

Across the seas to caress
With gentle rain the trees
And whisper,
"Heaven knows your heart,
There are no secrets from God."

The trees smile and sway
Fulfilled and complete in love.