THE WINDOW

I was a prisoner, a solitary one
Yet I was content, for I was imbecile
Oblivious to the world outside, I didn't pine
Days passed, seasons changed, nothing mattered to me
Till one day, I found my window, opened wide!
      In streamed the light, chasing the darkness out
      There, high upon the sky, the Sun smiled at me
      The birds sang and the flowers waved
       Happiness unknown filled up my mind
      Then came night, the moon and the stars
       The cool night breeze, lulled me to sleep
      And in my dream, the world was all mine

Each following day, has something for me
Fresh and fabulous, my spirits soared high
The desire to be free, to be a part of the world
Swelled up in my heart, inflicting a pain, unknown
The gnawing pain, broke my peace
But an escape, I could not find
The inviting sight, just a wall beyond
Was driving me crazy, bit by bit
And as I felt, the last of my senses giving away,
I ran to the window and shut it LOUD!

MASKS

Dont we all wear masks? Maybe not always, but knowingly or unknowingly, we all wear masks in our lives. It so becomes a habit that sometimes we dont even realise that we are covering our real faces with these masks.

This is a poem where I tried to use rhyming all through..

They lie in heaps, all around me
Laughing, crying, mocking at me
I pick one up, I put one down
They help me smile, weep and frown
I feel blue, my tears start to flow
Still, I wear this mask, which is aglow
I am joyous, this bright summer morning
My mask cries for me, I am in mourning
these lovely masks, keep life going
Saves my face, without me knowing
I go on wearing, one after another
And my real face? I don't bother!!

BE HAPPY

Haven't you all heard the song 'Don't worry, Be happy', by musician Bobby McFerrin? I used to feel very happy and relaxed whenever I listen to that. And this poem is my attempt in creating something similar in meaning. :-)

Life is a desert, so arid and barren
But an oasis awaits for sure. 
                                            So be Happy!

Life is a battlefield, so dirty and cunning
But there sure is a chance of victory.
                                            So be Happy!

Life is a bed of thorns, so sharp and alive
But roses do bloom in their midst.
                                            So be Happy!

Life is a puzzle, so complex and twisted
But it sure hides a true solution.
                                           So be Happy!!

LUCK

"You are so lucky yaar!!" All of us would have heard this many times... from friends, colleagues, etc. etc. What is this luck everyone talk about? This poem is the result of my thoughts on luck.

Am I lucky?
I don't know.
People say so; But
Is that true?
What is Luck?
And where, it dwells?
To find an answer
I tried a lot.
Intelligent I am; But
At times, foolish too.
Happy I am; But
What sorrow is, I do know.
Healthy I am; But
Illness is nothing new.
Friends I possess; But
I have enemies too.
Loved I am; But
I have seen hatred too.
Then, what is Luck?
And where, it stays?
At last, I found
My so called 'luck'
In the eyes
Of the people around!!

ILLUSIONS

The high of seeing your work published...... this poem gave me that and in that sense, it is very dear to me. Poetry.com selected me as one of their semifinalists (way back in 1999 I think) and also published this poem as part of their anthology.


You knock at my door
To be gone when I open
You add color to my dreams
And take away the canvas
You raise my hopes to the height
And turn it to despair in a wink
You sow the seeds of love in me
And make me cry in bitter dejection
You take the face of my beloved
Only to vanish when I reach out
You make my yearnings grow
Then thrash them all in a blow
You take me to heaven of joy
And throw me down on sharp reality
You tear my bleeding heart apart
And laugh cruelly at my pain
But still, I hang on to you, illusions,
For, you are my life!

A Confession

Being bitten by the poetic bug is one thing..... but losing a notebook where you have penned your thoughts and feelings(by accidentally burning it as trash) is truly heartbreaking! Then what do you do? Having a poetic mind, that also was a trigger for another poem. Here it is....


They came first, in my dreams
Shyly peeping, from here and there
An army of them, so much in disorder
I watched them, fascinated!
Dancing merrily around me, they were so free
Affection, unknown so far, filled my heart.
Eyes though closed, my vision was clear
I scooped them up and filled my womb
A mmother to be, with pregnant thoughts
I kept it secret, sharing didnt appeal
The labour pains, my mind tore apart
I had them last, neatly laid on white
They all mine, I felt so proud
Yet so scared, to show a crowd
My dream broke, in the dawn of reality
They were still there, in all their gaiety
A lonely mother, with my precious ones
Wary of the piercing eyes
A cage I found, of hard bound leather
Had them imprisoned, at no other choice
But those dirty eyes, emanating fire
My loved ones, were caught unaware
Did they scream? I know not
A pile of ash was all there left
Shall I sprinkle over snow clad peaks
Or put them to rest, on the lap of Ganges
A grave I dug, and buried them last
My heart still bleeds, the wound so fresh!!

TO BE IN LOVE

All of us go through this, at one point of time or another. For me, it was another trigger for a poem. Yes, this is from my college days..


A thousand things, I've got to say
But in your presence, dumb, I go
Deep in my heart, an urge I feel
To throw myself into your arms
The few momemts, which we share
In my mind, I do treasure
Walking beside you, holding hands
Great, I feel, and Happy too.
When you look, deep into my eyes,
My heart does skip, a beat or two.
At your sight, I forget my woes
And with your smile, I fill my mind
A single word, a gentle touch
To rouse my spirit, that's enough
To gain your love, which many yearn
I feel proud, more so glad
Wonderful it is, to be in love
To feel its touch, soft and tender
And its pain, heartbreaking too!