You are so quiet tonight.
Your thoughts busily chatter away.
It’s what they do best,
When they are not nagging.
They will not stop any time soon.
You grow weary of the endless tirades.
Would they notice if you stepped out?

Outside stands a fountain that has dried up.
The nearly-full moon watches serenely.
It seems we are all waiting for something.
What I wonder?
“The source eternal,” answers the fountain,
“To be made whole,” adds the moon.
And what am I waiting for?

I turn to step back in.
“Stay with us, why the hurry to join your unruly companions?”
Why indeed?
After a while, I tiptoe in.
They are dozing off but thankfully are not roused.
They will be back tomorrow.
“The light of truth,” I mutter under my breath.

Everything will fade,
What you hold dear,
What you thought yours,
What generates pride.

Everything will pass,
The reasons for your joy,
The cause of your sorrow,
The illusion of self.

A brief interlude of existence,
A drop in infinity,
A fleeting moment of meaning,
A defiant blip in nothingness.

Enjoy the ride,
Cherish the now,
Shed your fears,
Do not laments pour.

Everything will subside,
Then spring forth anew.
Everything will end,
Then start in new guise.

So many words want to be said,
Calm down, please tarry your flow.
They burst out laughing.
Slow down please.
They taunt me even more.
My pen grumbles; it cannot keep up.

There is one word not in their midst.
The shy one, it is hiding.
It is one word that holds so much,
So much mystery folded in its cloak.
I shine a torch but it hides deeper.
It will come out when it is ready.

Suddenly, my companions slow down,
And glance outside with worry.
Then they shrug and start running around unabated.
They rearrange themselves and spell out
“Life is so short. You take yourself too seriously.”
As I bow to their playful wisdom, my friends scatter around,
And I clumsily try to shepherd them onto the page.

I dreamt a dream that was not mine.
"Stay," said the other dreamers, "it is a nice one."
But I stirred from slumber for the dream was not my own.
"What will you leave except for broken dreams?" they lamented.
I have to bear witness to the truth, I answered.

At the threshold of waking up, I beheld the wheel of death,
Spinning all the while brewing bodies and tormenting souls,
Before spitting them out mercilessly,
Hurling them to smash to the ground.
It was a terrible sight that filled me with dread and anguish.

I could not bear the desolation and hastened away.
I followed a path, to the sound of birds chirping joyously.
Some teetered into view and said unto me,
"Blessed are you who can hear our song,
May it stay with you for the rest of your journey."

I walked on till I came to a house that time had forgotten.
Memories of a different time flickered and came back to life.
I was grateful the path had brought me here.
I pushed the gate and tread an overgrown but familiar path.
I was back home.

Stop! Step through the door
And wear them new shoes.
You won’t need a hat any more,
But oh yes, love the hair!

You will need to be strong
While appearing dainty and pretty.
You will learn to disarm egos
With just a genuine smile.

Open your heart and share
With genuine concern.
It’s not who shouts the loudest
But who listens with empathy.

Well done, these clothes
Match the shoes so well.
Now let’s see you navigate
With them new shoes.

You will stumble as we have
But you are one of us now,
So stand strong and proud,
Daughter, sister, friend.

Said the tall new candle
To the gnarled old one
That was a fraction of its size:
"I am pristine and slender,
As you are charred and gnarled.
White is my skin with
No blemishes and no black marks.
I pity you for much longer
Than you shall I burn."

"I am all that you say,
Young pristine candle.
Long may you retain
Your good looks.
But there is one thing,
This candle would like to impart:  
I shine bright and without fear,
Till I am candle no more
And true flame have become."

I waited for the universe to walk by
All my senses awakened in anticipation.

I saw a flame of great beauty
And it peered into my heart and soul.

It lifted me and brought me to the edge of all known things
in front of a giant canvas of stars.

I stayed a while transfixed and lost for words,
and gave thanks for this wondrous sight.

A mystic was also there and told me to be still.
I realised that I was at the end of Time.

After a while, I faced a dark orb pulsating with light;
It asked me to reveal everything inside of me.

I knew the orb could read through me,
But still wanted me to open up.

I peeled layer after layer, feeling lighter and lighter
Until I lay down to rest.

As I breathed, I dissolved into a flurry of white butterflies
That fluttered around joyfully.

I stay awake through the night
Listening to the incessant rain.
Might as well turn on the light.

Time for a trip down memory lane
All to the rain’s beat
You’ve been there, need I explain?

Down this path, I stroll with weary feet
I know the memories waiting to make me cry
Must I keep going down this street?

I want to bid the past good-bye
Rise to an unfathomed height
Reach for the blue sky

But that’s not happening, right?
I stay awake through the night.

I went for a walk as the old world crumbled.
A hearse drove slowly past me,
With the deceased journeying for the last time,
Flanked with a wreath spelling out "OM",
Their voice now silenced forever, their forehead so cold,
Nay, their voice now added to the eternal sound of "OM".

I walked on with a heavy heart and with my chest constricted.
Some distance away, I saw a hedge sprouting a row of hopeful young buds.
A young blackbird gleefully bathed in a muddy puddle.
Here, in front of my eyes, a new world was stirring,
And timidly stretching into existence, in no particular hurry,
Unencumbered by the burdens of the past.

My spirits were momentarily lifted,
But equally I grieved for the passing world,
As one would for a lost dear one.
"Live so we may rest, love so we may find peace."
Sighed the dying world.
"I...am…" stuttered the new world, "I AM here."

I dreamt I was a tree
Waking up in spring time.
At first, I struggled to move,
To speak, and even to scream.
But the bark, my skin, held tight.
So many things cannot be said!

In desperation, I looked around
Then saw another tree nearby.
It stretched out towards the sky
Upholding its branches with grace,
Upturned in peace and serenity.
Some things have to be seen to be understood.

It looked at me with kindness and compassion,
And a certain sadness
From memories past.
Then, it closed its eyes with a laconic smile
And bid me do the same.
Some things do not need to be said to be understood.

I buried deep into the ground
And felt the nourishment drawing in.
I reached out towards the sky
And basked in the life-giving sun.
A smile arose from a shared bond.
Some things have to be felt to be understood.

Two trees stood side by side,
In silence. Nothing was said.
At that instant, the wind blew and their leaves swirled together in the air.
Some things are innate
And defy any comprehension,
Safe perhaps from silent inner understanding.