It was an unusual fight,
soldiers and surroundings were primed right,
war cry and emotions were taking flight,
I wasn’t sure how I was going to spend the night.
Who's better in the war of love?

Tears can’t replace war cries,
War horns can’t drown out deafening silence,
Armed armory can’t beat out lonely foot soldiers,
Seeing eye to eye can’t wish away looking past each other.
What’s right in a cry of despair?

I wasn’t Napoleon,
she wasn’t Helen of Troy,
we were made for each other,
yet we seem to be from different eras.

Even as we were battle ready,
it didn’t matter who won,
peace doesn’t come at an expense,
indeed it came at no cost,
'cos you can’t buy love.

Now, who wants to argue about that?

It’s a brand new day
shall we celebrate as they say
'tis not just a holiday
Gotta be thankful to someone someday.

Baskets of fruit and food,
stuffings and dressings,
yes it’s that good,
sweet potato and yam sides in all likelihood
for as tasty a gathering,
Come on over, if you are in my neighborhood.

You wonder then,
What are you thankful for?
sun that rises to brighten every turn?
stranger who helps you without expecting anything in return?
Poems that touch you and make you yearn?
Pondering by a pond to live and learn?

There are many moments to be thankful for,
just be with me oh special one,
your magical presence is like the sun,
lets make it our sweet harvest times,
for all good moments under the sun.

I had a globe in my hand,
at an age I couldn’t fully understand,
it was made of rubber,
and could expand,
let it float the creek water,
to play catch on the other side as planned,
alas it floated away before my feet was out of sand.

It was my first terrible loss,
I didn’t know the emotion that I came across,
couldn’t get sleep as I turned and tossed,
blaming and demeaning myself for what I had lost,
at an age when I didn’t know what this pain had cost.

Bright and early the sun beamed,
at a face that felt redeemed,
it was all creek’s fault to have me schemed,
act of nature that took my globe away as it seemed.
quickly moving on not searching for a mossy robe,
focusing instead on finding a new globe.

Denial helped me learn,
living in pain would have me at a point of no return,
I was now on the beach thinking about more important earthly concern.

Springing like a fawn,
running like a bull,
haunting like an owl,
It shows a different side of me.

When it centers me in a desert,
it springs up like an oasis.
When it is in a flood of deluge,
it gives me a lifeboat to rescue.
When it moves me into isolation,
it shows me prairies of emotion.

When I move into clear waters,
it shows me a reflection,
even I can’t recognize.
Everyone else seems to know me,
except me until I realize.

Maybe they have been there
already I surmise.
Once I have run out of ideas,
it shows me another world.
Now, who would imagine
even I could be there?

I wish I had more time,
maybe slow the seconds on a dime,
double the minutes it’s already daytime,
add few hours to this joint show knowing it’s our prime time.

I have watched her thru pilot season,
grew a bonding even from preseason,
fast forward to now, and grew she did,
walk with me slowly god forbid,
as you are my everything in this unending void.

I thought I wasn’t good enough,
all my instructions and advise I thought were too tough,
yet she knew my acting tough was a bluff.

Amidst all the chatter my mind thinks,
as I wanted to say how I felt,
she wouldn’t let me complete and said jinx.
our walk together was complete,
my mind was ready to binge watch her grow again.

Early morning of an Indian summer,
to hear the pitter-patter of a newbie rock ‘n’ roll drummer,
still music to ears right out of slumber,
just close your eyes and pick your magic number.

For the droplets maybe bringing,
new messages for a worrying mind,
to hold them in a bottle to remind
the force behind the tiny droplets when combined.

Gone are the days of longing to be drenched,
the thirst for beauty has been quenched
moods of creation has in it totally entrenched
tiny sparkles that have those tiny droplets clenched.

Count those wishes,
earth is giving out riches,
just observing those tiny droplets,
will pull imagination like conjuring new puzzle pieces.

Among a personality contest of constant comparisons,
What is better - becoming rich or being a king?

In a relationship of frequent heart breaks,
What is better - surviving solitude or sacrificing love?

While living in a globe of constant motion,
What is better - staying still or running to nowhere?

For a word bond built on empty promises,
What is better - not making them or not keeping them?

In navigating a world of race and colors,
What is better - being different or learning to be the same?

For a mindset with no attention span,
What is better - withholding information or being forthcoming?

When adapting to local ways of global cultures,
What is better - losing your uniqueness or changing your tradition?

Alas, when the answer is not that simple,
I say - what is better - writing a poem about it or giving a speech?

Words were spoken,
yet, emotions were left unsaid.

Gifts were exchanged,
yet, happiness was never shared.

Canvas had been prepared.
yet, colors hardly registered.

Thoughts had surfaced.
yet, ideas were left uncovered.

Songs were created,
yet, music had not been premiered.

Winds were blowing.
yet, leaves had not been cleared.

Sunshine was warming up.
yet, cold never left my feet.

Learnings had started.
surely, knowing this was bittersweet.

Loneliness had crept in.
surely, dreams were all where I meet.

Her.

I am here to be known as an elf
forever to be myself
riding my reindeer my only wealth.

Maybe I am the start of the next evolution,
first humans arrived when I wasn’t here,
‘tis only fair that I stay when they left as last remaining sightseer,
know I make my own delusions of grandeur.

Happy to build sculptures and arts as a record of honor,
for the next evolution is right around the corner.
I will be the optimistic Elf,
to become famous when the next new mankind discover,
but knowing that now makes me live forever.

Dancing in a circular motion,
I can see you until the horizon.

Transmitting energies all through,
on a wonder of a liquid bright blue,
I can feel it on my feet as you turn into,
that mighty current not relenting even if I talk you into.

Just as you pull me into you,
I may stay put or swim towards you,
for no matter where you go,
coming back to me again is why I say thank you.

Self-belief is the
    best belief,
        God forbid. :)

For a fairy tale ending,
Scarlettsville would be a good beginning.
a quant little town,
With no more than few hundred living,
I can sit there by the lake all day writing.

She passed me by the book store,
I knew I had to take my pen to tour,
if I were to describe her haute couture,
going to places with her of which I was unsure.

Writing needs no inspiration,
Be it igniting or inviting, just
lighting it thru my own creation,
surely, expecting to return to Scarlettsville, forever my new fairy tale fixation.

Walking down the empty road,
there was absolutely no traffic that flowed,
intrigued by this new journey as we strode,
wait, look around both sides of the road that’s what my mother always told.

It crosses my mind then and there,
we never can change what we wear,
I have asked for a new coat to buy from a fair,
I will stand here until I get an answer fair and square.

My mother told me the reason,
stripes are there on us all season,
for one-day when you runaway from here,
you will find us back with our peculiar fashion, do you hear?

Now, move on, stay in line guy,
she said with her head held high,
and count the other stripes,
I put my head down not showing my gripes.

I had an addiction,
every word had a new connection,
reading left me with a daily fascination,
even helped me look beyond my own reflection.

I had an addiction,
every sip showed me what was perfection,
Earl Grey or English it was my much needed predilection,
even helped me imagine by recollection.

I had an addiction - maybe I have already said,
sleep it seems came only when I read,
dancing words in my half spinning head,
who knew tea could bring new thoughts when old ideas fled.

They say storms even brewed in a tea cup,
my mind was always brewing when staying up,
tea it seems calmed me and yet charged it up,
go write more books for I will have my secret potion to hold my head up.

Once upon a time there lived this
  monk,
    who traveled far,
       and renounced everything,
           until he came to Vegas.

It was easy like a Sunday Morning,
I am yet to get out of my bed longing,
Route 66 was still buzzing and calling,
love to send you pictures of hiding sun this morning.

Endless love is when you say,
Baby, I don’t care, let’s stay,
Tracks of my tears will tell you hey,
Wait for me until I’ll take you there faraway.

Memories are made of this you know,
Being all by myself and nothing to show,
Come join the dance with me even if you don’t owe,
I’ll show you purple rain as we dance slow.

She is like a pristine mirror,
I do not hold anything dearer,
big heart in a vast expanse,
just looking at her leaves me in a trance.

She is like a cookie jar,
the one that you wish on and on,
sending me a trail blazing shooting star,
promising me her special blue smile wherever I have gone.

She is like a calming swan,
when my mind is on a nightly run,
painting many a shape all to my liking and hand drawn,
blue or pink today she still has my imagination begun.

Oh, blue diamond, be that eternal Hope diamond,
and send me those shooting stars so I can move up highland.

I can hear the alarm ringing,
only this time it had me snoozing,
it was only my hands that were moving,
like I was in deep-sea holding my breath while swimming.

Seahorses they were everywhere,
patted me to cheer me up even as they were in pair,
asked me to swim deeper if I needed air,
I would just listen as if I was in their care.

Deep-sea was dark until I see a brilliant shimmer,
think to myself there is always light somewhere you just dig deeper,
a bloom of jellyfish saw me out of breath to pick me up as I was no swimmer,
the light from the other side of the ocean was enough to keep my hopes glimmer.

Confused I was as there was now land below the sea,
a new world that I am yet to explore and see,
seahorses turned into real horses and galloped with me free,
told me there is always light at the end if you keep your faith in thee.

Picture on the wall,
either mighty or small,
when your passion is on call,
go get it and give it your all.

I must be honest right now,
You do not know what I know,
You haven’t come from the same place as I did though,
You have ages to catch up to what I must show,
Yes, my superior mind always worked in comparison to others and it won’t slow.
I wonder what would make me feel good about myself if I was in an island,
and I didn’t know.

Meandering and zigzagged, they were all over the place,
I tried to search for them for I wanted to search it at my own pace,
a cruise took me over to the horizon but those lines I couldn’t retrace,
flying above ground high up in the sky and yet not a trace.
I wonder if the lines would ever go away in our minds,
and I didn’t know.

Oh, my half-baked knowledgeable mind,
maybe you know everything,
and you can teach me.

Time forgives no mortal soul,
yet immortality is unattainable goal.

Yesterday, I thought I had it under control,
today, I sulk at the thought of tomorrow,
tomorrow, I will be ruing about yesterday.

If time forgave,
I will never be in the present.

Keep going,
keep me honest,
Time!

There we meet again – I like this you know,
emphatically said the sun to the snow,
flash those diamond crystals on me even as you flow,
can’t wait to melt you and bask in your afterglow.

There we go again – it’s a one-way deal when done,
knowingly retorted the snow to the sun,
making shapes out of diamond is what’s fun,
take your warmth elsewhere for the life of one.

Then they spoke again – opposites do attract I suppose,
snow crystals shined the sun like he was dancing on her toes,
unseen colors and fancy hues unlike any other shows,
snow she said just let me keep shining and keep my fancy pose.

Joining hands, sang they did, in chilly warmth - “Let it snow, let it snow”!