Thorny Inspiration....

Roses have thorns, so does a cactus plant
We love them for their beauty; both enchant!

Relationships come with pleasure and pain...
They have their pricks and also their gain

The Cactus symbolises a strong, brave life...
Reminds me of a friend who overcame strife!

A creeper is weak, so she finds and clings to a strong wall...
 Shy, diffident despite the delight she gives them all!

The cactus is resolute, stands alone in the land barren and waste,
It flinches not, it fears not, it has no haste!

Sunset reveries make this cactus sweet...
It may hurt, it may be harsh but i repeat

I have a thousand lessons to learn from this cactus which has grown, 
Thrift, sobriety, simplicity, the courage to stand aloof and alone!!

Life.... a battle!

Funny are the facets of life
One who needs care, is gifted strife
Though it is rare to find a heart, so pure and selfless
Unconditional love is perceived as weakness!

On black hearts with scheming mind, dazzling facade galore
The world goes head over heels, adores them to the core (sigh!)
While for simplicity, intelligence, brilliance and a beauty so natural
Getting adulation and respect, becomes nothing short of a miracle!

Real diamond sparkles, unmindful of the environs
Connoisseurs prefer gold and not plated bronze
Politicians may be elated by the screaming hysterical masses
True talents rather prefer heartfelt wishes of the classes!

Blazing sun overhead, surrounded by a maze of thorns
They do not bow down, but prefer to take life by its horns
Bitter battles they fight, with forgettable losses and cherished wins
Undeterred they tread on life's journey, the terrific twins!

The Little Angel!

The curly haired girl stands with a sweet smile

Writ large on her face is happiness no guile

Never has she owned a barbie doll

Never has she had ice cream in a mall

Yet this innocent stands proud and tall

Through all seasons ....winter or fall!

From her cherubic face framed by curls

Radiates an innocence, a bliss that swirls

Appeals to me as I see her bright, cheerful, smile

It causes me to forget my worries for a while

Those little eyes and that lovely smile, show her joy and hope

Those brows never frown, she will not sit and mope

Truly I wish for such children all the very best

For their lives are a never ending test

This one will emerge as one of the best

She will learn to work without a rest

There are less fortunate ones souls

Who chose the sad begging bowls

But this valiant girl knows hard work will pay

She will be sure to meet success half way!!

The Blue Canopy

A happy blue sky

An early morning sky

A lovely summery sky

Happy memories float by

Conjured up by my mind's eye

When I see the deep blue sky

The clouds up there float slowly by

They make me want to fly high

Up there... amongst them.. to soar, I will try!

Those clouds fleecy white

I can't touch them try as I might

They entice me, clean and bright

Alas! they vanish soon in flight

Like birds in flight

They disappear out of sight

The sky makes a vast canopy in space

Calm, soothing, beautiful as an angel's face!

The Road Not Taken!

Miles of asphalt stretch on, seemingly without an end

Up ahead the long, tiring road has a visible bend

The trees are lovely, tall, cool and green 

But otherwise not a single soul  to be seen

The wind in my hair, the cool breeze and fresh air

These are my companions for the road so bare

I wonder what lies at the mysterious other end

Will I dare to break away from this trend?

Time alone will tell whether i was right 

To take a road not taken ... in hindsight!

I listened to my heart not to my head 

There are thorns  with petals on this chosen bed 

I plod on... stoic that I am; a braveheart 

With the unflinching support of my dear sweetheart

The means do matter as much as the end

There is no smooth highway without a bend

Life may be tougher but my choices are made 

Never will I allow my happiness to be waylaid! 

The Lone Tree

Standing forever tall and alone

 Amidst the canyons of red sandstone

Devoid was I, of all leaves green

The land was barren, yet the setting was serene

Glided in Father Winter with his troops of frost

In this ocean of white, how easily would one get lost!

On one gloomy day, all around me a land of ice

Landed on my bough, this bird of Paradise

 A beautiful creation of God, exuding radiance and grace

From its kind heart sprung a song, thawed my frostbit face

An eclectic symphony, a haunting melody

Spoke of love, adoration, friendship and life's parody

Hours flew, unabated the music flowed

Gave me a new hope, a silver lining in the dark cloud

A wood heart I had been, now I could feel my innards soften

I wished this angel from heaven would grace my abode once too often

Each day she returned with songs filled with nectar

I realized she cared, my born-again heart was at her altar

But then I knew she had nothing from me to gain

No bliss, no peace, I would give her only pain

True came my fears, on yet another stormy night

When my frail branches could not hold her tight

Disillusioned, with a broken heart, she took flight

Not to be seen for many a age, try how much I might

I still stand there, an old, bald and lonely tree

Waiting for fate to deal a kind hand and set me free

Life has never been the same for even the minutest moment

What remains is a mere shell and oodles of torment!

The Vase

There I was, wandering aimlessly in the country fair. Objects of beauty were galore inviting the attention of the connoisseurs. The exotic ones, the painted ones, the rustic ones - the list was endless. A sudden exhilaration filled my heart as I drew near a display of vases. Someone.... or something was appealing to my soul. I looked around, in vain at first, to find the source of this magnetic attraction. I had almost given up, when my eyes fell upon this green vase in the dusty corner and the strange feeling of joy started filling me again. An inexplicable sense of elation. My heart said, this vase has seen days of glory, yet fate has relegated it to the back stage.


I asked the shopkeeper "Can I have this one, please?". Guffawed the old man "What did you see in this?"
I could not tell him, for even I did not have words to explain... But an inner voice said, this vase will brighten up my life and relieve me of all pain.


Thus returned the Vase with me to my humble abode. Many a rainy evening were spent in solitude with the vase keeping me company. A new bunch of flowers found their place every day in the Vase. The Vase lent its beauty to the flowers and in turn, looked stunning in a traditional ensemble! And all my worries vanished into thin air when I was in it's company!


Then one sad day, with a gloomy mind, I sought solace with my companion. Strangely I perceived some imperfection, an indifference, a missing warmth. My hands shook as I lifted the Vase, there was a pain in the abyss of my heart. Absorbed in my emotions, I let the vase fall to the ground!!!!


There it lie, its beauty reflecting in thousand pieces, a victim of a careless heart...


Would there be any other to fill the void? NO!! The pedestal where it stood shall remain unoccupied. And needless to say, the pieces have been carefully gathered, with a HOPE that someday I would find the right magic to bring the Vase back to being and it will occupy the most prominent portion of my home and life again!

Loss, Lamentation and Joy

Some people leave...
Sadly never to return...
We lament their loss...
Do we have any other choice?

Some people go...
We cry... we weep...
We skip our sleep...
But we do have a voice!

We talk, we laugh, we sing...
We plead, cajole and call!
They listen, they understand, they feel and oblige.....
A few rare ones, mind it, not all!!

Sunsets are not endings....
They are brightly lit glorious beginnings!
Dawn is not always dark...
It blossoms into a bright day at the park !!

Reflections!

Reflections of the molten star of heaven fall in the aquamarine blues....
The oranges, the burnished golds, the colors, the hues

The pine trees silhouetted in the distant banks... 

The sun setting with a word of thanks

For a day gone by peacefully with a serene calm...
Another night of rest coming up as healing as a balm

The evening stands still as a traveller captures the moment...
His lens, his eyes, his mind in harmony they catch the event!!

Beams Of Glory

These dazzling rays of sunlight ...
Across the pale blue skies they gently take flight ...

The Sun has the Midas touch in his fold ...
Turning everything in his path to gold


Radiant rays emanate from him...

Till darkness swirls in slow and dim


This moment is brilliantly frozen in time... 

Sounds of silence in nature's rhyme


You light up my life that stretches vast...

All the hopes I harbored in the past


Find a meaning in this time of bliss...

I'm lucky and fortunate not to miss


This awe, this grandeur, this wonderful sight...

Created by those magical slanting rays of light!

An Ode To A Friend

My heart said this is an omen

That we are meant to be friends

There's a pain in my heart
As we plan to part
 Every time we meet
The feeling is so sweet

Try as I might I can't stay apart

This has to be more a science than an art

You make me smile
You make me forget awhile

Time stands still, a light switch flicks
Just the sober lone clock holds true, it ticks
This is being in the now, in the present
This is giving someone, a gift so pleasant

Let us hope I bring you luck
May all your ills you chuck
May we light up our lives this festival time
More than crackers, let's give ourselves time

To bloom and blossom these beautiful buds
Lets make a pact to shake ourselves out of those duds
Let us spend our time re-energizing
Let us become more enterprising

We make a good sounding board
As mutual fans we'll never feel bored
I'm at home with you
I trust you

Good is my fortune for having found
A heart of gold, a mind so profound
With you I feel almost a child again
A new life, a new day as I begin

Now you promise me my friend
That you will never let me go...
Let us sink or swim..
Tide be high or low ...