Part -2
Where do souls travel after we die?
And a thousand such questions in my head.
On my one side was various shades of life
And on the other the solemnity of death.
Flight of birds chirped as they soared high!
Spirits of the pleasure riders followed suit,
And so did from the blazing ghats on my side
Wisps of smoke, but in quietude.
Boats rowed on as the river flowed by,
The half lit sky thronged by homecoming birds
New corpses brought , new pyres lit
And the sun continued its journey westwards.
Twilight, the confluence of night and day
In the chasm of ceaseless time.
What in the contrasting sight of glee and dismayl
I beheld would change my vision of life.
I wish we all stopped petting our woes
Because life is ephemeral, it diminishes fast.
Time waits for none keep what matters close
And enjoy life to the fullest till it lasts.
-
An afternoon at Lalita Ghat
Part-1
Mind tossing like a boat in the sea
The autumn wind chilling my bones
A thousand unknown faces around me
Gliding past where I sat alone.
The river meandered by taking along,
Withered flowers and burnt out lamps.
Waves dancing in the currents strong.
Like molten lava in the tint of setting sun.
Pleasure boats swished in the calm waters
Showing off the temple dotted skyline,
To the wide eyed tourists, families and and lovers
In purple orange hues of the autumn Twilight .
In some distance were pyres ablaze!
A dozen mortal remains engulfed in flames
I saw kin of the corpses through the haze
Chanting the Lord's name before parting ways.
(Contd)
-
Forsaken
(Pt-2)
Ain't no fire burning by my side
The wind is chilly and feet cold
Heart would freeze with passing time
Till like a rock it'll be heavy to hold
Oh why in solitude do I dwell
Away from the clasp of loving arms?
Why no soul would claim me its own
Or grant me solace with their warmth
Neither the moon would stay for good
Ephemeral show in forever's guise.
Not suited for lifelong bond am I?
Even if I strive till my demise?
I won't blame you a bit sweetheart
Over our ruptured bond, as tears I shed
The universe perhaps had written off
That I'll be a lone island till the end
-
Forsaken
(Pt-1)
I wish I knew when it began
Or that to me it occurred why
Yet here I am counting stars
Under the dark midnight sky
Silence, the answer to my voice
I lost my chords to confusion
And I thought I'd never be alone
Let down in disgrace by my intuition
Did I not love enough? I ask
Quietude isn't the answer I seek
Tell me where, oh where I erred?
Let me learn before the daybreak
Or maybe it's an eternal night?
An occasional moon I chance upon
But the moonlight is what I love
Before I grow a heart it's gone!-
Limelight did shorten her shadow, her past.
But, made it too sharp to go unnoticed.-
It's a fairly cold winter morning.
I get to lie in as much as I want.
Scrolling through the text wishes
And post's on my Social Media timeline
Mother stirring a large pot of payesh
On one stove and curry on another.
Balloons and a chocolate cookie
Brother singing songs in broken Hindi
No chores to do throughout the day.
Biryani for lunch, prawns for dinner
And phone calls from relatives in between
No cakes or expensive gifts
Yet the day would be satisfactory
From all aspects and in the end,
I'd post, "Birthday Sorted", happily.
When it was worth waiting one whole year
Oh! How times have changed and
The people! Always running out of time.
What not would I give to have that again!-
You know that time,
When you sense that somebody doesn't
Want you in their life anymore?
Yes I'm taking to you.
That it seems like they would be very happy
If you walk out?
Or just resign from the role that you're currently playing in their lives?
That feeling when they just don't want you to
Eat at their table?
Or the time when you realise that you're slipping down their priority ladder?
You know that time when you see through their laughter, their smiles, their courtesies?
You try to brush it away but it only gets clearer.
You try to understand what went wrong only to get caught in a whirlwind of confusion.
You try to mend your seeming mistakes but end up making more mess.
You watch time slipping away but you're paralysed in an awkward situation.
You love them too much don't you?
Being hurt by them over and over again.
Those who aren't even aware of the
Consequences of their attitude.
You wait for things to get better but they only roll downhill.
Until one fine day everything comes crashing down.
Shattering your hopes, your self esteem, trust, affection.
Then you look up at the vast sky and ask the heavens,"Why me?"
I feel you.
Been there, done that, might do it again.
-
I'm still waiting for,
The world to tell
The ten year old me
That I was beautiful.
Than finding imperfections
On my sun kissed skin.
I'm still waiting for,
The world to tell
The thirteen year old me,
That my weight didn't matter!
Than asking me to stop
Eating, to grow slim
Like other girls of my age.
I'm still waiting for
The world, to take back
It's words, slut-shaming
The fifteen year old me
For having male friends.
I'm still waiting for
The world to tell the
High school girl I was then
To choose the career path
I liked the best, than
Force me to take part
In the rat race, that I
Eventually ended up in
After gving up, my rainbow
Of hand painted dreams.
I'll wait for the world,
To apologise for every time
It took me away from
The self I wanted to be.
I shall sleep till then,
Wake me up when things
Change for the better.-
A world without words
Would be like,
A day without daylight.
A sleep without dreams.
A Lark without song.
A forest without flowers
And,
A Life without love.
-