Yellowed and spotted,
Tattered and torn,
Yet billowing
In gently flowing wind.

Holding on ,
To the lifeline so fine,
It waves, showing all ,
It's curly brown edges.

Wind gushes,
Tree sways in rhythm,
Tempo reaches crescendo,
Wildly flopping leaf
Gently leaves threadbare hold,
Floating in the air,
Calmly embraces the earth.

-

I sit near the window,
Watching my cat nibbling her food,
Her mate waiting patiently for his turn.
Garden is in bloom,
Yellow and Red,
White and Pink,
Flowers dance,
As wind plays the flute.
Birds fly from here to there,
Unperturbed about meowing kitty.
Peacocks and peahens run,
Least they miss out on the bounty.
I smile at the antics I see.

I hear the sound,
Harbinger of doom,
newspaper has arrived,
Announcing,
Mayhem all around the globe.
I let out a sigh.
I wonder do I need to read all this?
Ignorance is a bliss I feel.
Let me live the life,
Amidst the nature,
Nothing matters,
Except the peace I need.

-

Ah, to be a woman!
Is it a blessing or a curse?
A day is needed for you,
Isn't it an answer enough?

You, me and many others,
Toil to make happier world.
Unsung and unacknowledged,
We fly the flag.

Few stars here and there,
Brighten vastness of the sky,
Don't dream, those too shall fall.

A day comes,
All gather to pat your back,
And to sing ballads of praise,
As the night falls,
Once again you take your place in the margins of life,
Till the next time you are dusted and wiped,
And shown to the world.

Waiting for the world to change,
You sigh,
And carry the burdens
You bear.

-

Dark, balmy night
Eyes wide open
I hear the sounds
Day conceals.

Each one has a story
Unbeknown to many.
Child's cry and Mom's hush
cat's meows and dog's barks
Far off train or low flying plane.
As sleep evades
Narration by sounds
Tickles my imagination.
Restless mind finds the anchor.

Slowly,
Sounds get muted.
Eyes closed
I rest.

-

Silence wins the day
Why opine?
When the world
Weaves the story
Of its own liking.

-

Tonight, I don't want to
Dream an impossible dream
I weave a story
So possible to live
So easy to imagine
So possible to nurture
A story I can make happen
Let the tide turn
There will be time to
Dream an impossible dream.

-

I exist,
On the periphery,
There, somewhere.

Not a voice,
To be heard or
To be counted.
Tired of being deaf and dumb,
Trying to fit in,
Deciphering the thread of conversation,
My voice blabbers,
Hitting the wall,
It returns.

I prefer,
web of imagination,
Where,
I listen to myself,
I speak unceasing,
Undisturbed,
I wait for the sleep to take over.

Till the day begins.....

-

It's over.

THE Day,
when the earth stopped rotating,
Was it a day or night?
No one knew.
Nature had heard the drums,
Animals ran helter skelter,
Birds chirping turned to shrieks,
Copious tears flew from the sky,
Millions of bulb thundered in the sky,
Humans huddled, prayed hard,
Tried to fight lost battle,
Day of reckoning had arrived.
Humongous waves submerged all.
It's over.
Silence.

-

Coloured Rains,
Tiny specks on my windowpane,
Dancers twirl with abandon.

-

Those voices
Shouting with glee and
Unbridled joy.

Thumping of legs
To match the drums.
Tri colour waving with pride,
Trumpeting the arrival of thee.

Eyes wet with tears of joy
Of men in Blue and congregation too.
Fireworks in the sky
And honking of the cars
Dancing on the rooftops
And soulful songs to show the love.

How joyfully the nation unites
For the eternal love they share.

-