Monday, March 30, 2015

HOLY COMMUNION


POEM

It was a Sunday
on which I saw you first.
Whether you
were seeing me first
on that same day. 
We threw glances at
each other but didn’t
utter a single word.
Cute, pretty,
ineffable and attractive, I  couldn’t  erase
your face for days together
which was indelibly imprinted 
on the wall of mind.
I earnestly wished to
meet you everyday
but after that Sunday
I couldn’t espy you
for a long period.
Whither you went and
whether you would 
appear before me a
second time like we
first met on that
fateful Sunday.
My sullen look told me
that you wouldn’t come
before me another day.
On the contrary, on a
fine  Sunday morning 
I saw you walking along to
the church to attend the
Holy Communion.
Taken aback with
unbelieving eyes I threw
my glances repeatedly
at you and on watching my
embarrassed but pleasant face
you threw a question-
‘Can’t believe? Yes, I am
the same lady you saw
me first on that very Sunday
my heart  missed a beat
and with stammering voice
I asked  -
‘True , I can’t believe myself
from that very day I am
keeping your face in 
my memory and I wanted
again and again   to
see you another day’
you just threw
a beaming smile at me and uttered –
‘But everyday  , every morning,
I see you walking
along the road with your
head held high, but
with a sullen face’.
Again,
 taken aback I was wondering
how come you see me
daily and from where.’
Still, I wonder
from  where you were glancing  at me.
Anyhow the very thought
that you find  time
to watch me walking down
the foot-path to the
bus-station.


Sunday, March 29, 2015

PROGRESS CARD



POEM

Criss-crossing the nation,
in the run-up to the
General Elections
citizens at the bottom of
social ladder
are offered tall promises.
The parties and leaders of
political parties are
distributing the promises
on a silver platter
thereby assuring all citizens
irrespective of caste, creed and religion
to better the lives of all
within a short spell at
the most hundred days.
And those parties and their
leaders who win the elections
after assumption of power
do virtually nothing
to alleviate the sufferings
of the poor barring the
well-being of the ones who
are born with a silver-spoon
in their mouths.
The have-nots are
taken for a ride
and even after a prolonged spell
their conditions remain pathetic.
Being taken for a ride,
these days the poor
ones take the promises
of the leaders on a shovel of salt.
Thus the seeds of
a rebellion are sown
which within a short period

evolve into a civil war.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

AN ONGOING PROCESS


POEM

Lust for power drives a
ruler especially a dictator
leads to the ditch of disaster.
Greed for wealth pushes a
ruler especially a dictator
to amass huge amounts
of wealth thereby draining
the exchequer and forces
pauperization of a nation.
The country falls
into the abyss of poverty
and famine leading to deaths
hundreds of thousands of 
citizens everyday
selfishness is the hallmark
of a ruler especially a dictator
since his wives, children, siblings
and loyal courtiers are
left to bloodhounds to prey them
flee abroad seeking asylum.
Lust, greed and selfishness
apart there exist a
number of reasons which
are heart-breaking or heart –curdling.
It is an ongoing
process, never ending process

from which there is no let up.

Friday, March 27, 2015

SHADOW-PLAY


POEM

Don’t mistake this for real life.
This is a make-believe world
we are not real-life characters.
They spread across somewhere else
mind you, in this
make-believe world
we are all shadows
and what we play are shadow-plays
we are all shadows and
continue to be  shadows.


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

THE THRONE


POEM

How come a dictator,
especially a malevolent dictator
goes on with his ruthless rule
massacring millions of his subjects
with as many flee the country for life
to another nation seeking refuge?
How dare a dictator
a malevolent dictator
stick to his throne
when the citizens of a country
after suffering poverty,
famine , undernourishment etc
consolidate under one umbrella
with the determination to kick the rascal out
march ahead to oust him,
otherwise forcing him to
abdicate his throne
in spite of the fellow
not willing to step down
and stick to his post like a leech
who let loose a reign of terror
knowing in his heart of
hearts that the citizens

one day will throw him out of his throne……  

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

SUMMER OF DISCONTENT


POEM

With the searing heat
reaching its peak
we feel thirsty  and exhausted. 
Not only us, living beings as a whole
too are affected
with passage of time.
They feel tired and hungry
and in the process
they fall prey to be
summer heat and breathe their last.
In these days of summer
the worst-hit are the farmers
whose vast paddy fields
go dry and cracks develop everywhere.
Our mouths go dry and
are compelled to pray to
the Goddess of Rain.
Scarcity of water deprive
all living-beings especially
the human-beings.
Whenever I think of drought,
I go philosophical and painful.
Like the simmering summer heat and drought
getting on our nerves,
relationships among
mankind develop
cracks like the
sprawling paddy-fields,
in the new era.
Each lives for himself or herself
and love goes artificial
and each human being
develops hollow, shallow smiles.
Sincere love and smiles
are something to be dreamt about
or in other words our wishful thinking.
Like the cycle of
seasons playing truant
relationships among
human beings trickle down

like drops of water. 

Monday, March 23, 2015

GONE ARE THOSE DAYS


POEM

Mouth-watering
mango fruits are weakness of many.
Costly , expensive and exorbitant
they are in short supply.
Gone are the days of
cheap, and sweet mango-fruits
widespread in our land.
Those days are gone
and those days are
never to visit us again
and hence the exorbitant
mango fruits are monopoly of a few
especially the rich.
Added to this
diabetics are on the
increase these days
and though mouth-watering
mango-fruits which
are in short supply
are denied to them by the medicos.

Pity them…….

Sunday, March 22, 2015

STAR


POEM

Like a star
you entered my life.
Like a star
you spread light in my life.
Like a star
you made my life prosper.
And like a star
you made me a star
like a shining, glimmering jewel.


Saturday, March 21, 2015

RECOGNITION


POEM

The thespian walked down
the footpath to the railway station 
among the roaring crowded city.
He compared himself to
a drop of water in the sea.
Without allowing anybody
so as not to  recognize him anyone
in his fancy dress
he entered the platform and caught
a train to Boriveli.
Once in a while,
for a change
he indulged himself in
walking and travelling
along in his fancy dress
he travelled to unknown places
in the suburbs.
There was a time when
he craved for recognition
in the city.
He was quite young
and ambitious during those days.
He never dreamt in the wildest
of his dreams
one day his ambition
would fructify.
But contrary to his
dreams and expectations he  later
found himself scaling
the heights of glory 
thanks to his luck.
With him evolving into 
a famous actor
he lost his
desire to walk along
the footpaths of the city.
To escape from the
crowd who loved and
respected him and even
cherished the dream of
at least touching and kissing him
he bought luxury cars with AC
facilities and travelled
by the car with the
driver at the steering wheel and

he on the back seat. 

Thursday, March 19, 2015

THE QUESTION MARK


POEM

Life,
nowadays is restless to him.
Not because of unrequited love
not because lack of money
still life,
nowadays is restless to him.
Not because heavy work-load
not because of the seniors’ ire
life nowadays is restless to him.
Not because of turmoil
across the world,
violence, civil-wars,
millions of death,
millions of  displacements.
Life, nowadays
is restless to him.
Not because of depression
not because of separation
from dear ones
life nowadays is
restless to him.
Then why? That is a
question mark staring

at him always……

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

SOOTHING BALM


POEM

You look worried.
Sure,
something has gone wrong with you
but the reason, I know not.
The dark clouds on your face tell
many a sad story
yet I know not the reason behind it.
Whither gone your pleasantness,
serenity and tranquility.
Harmony had never left you before
like the azure sky without any clouds,
the dark clouds.
Why can’t you open up your mind
at least to me
which would certainly
make your mind lighter
if not happier
so that I could have applied
soothing balm to wipe out
your pain and hurt.
This sudden change on your face,
is not because of ‘mood swings’ I am certain
If that were the case
it would have
visited you frequently.
Open up your mind
it would help you
to release your suppressed and hidden feelings.

  

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

MY FATHER AND SIBLINGS


POEM

When my father was (?) alive
he used to impart
courage in us
assuring us ‘as long as
I am alive you need not fear or worry
about any threat to your existence’.
Tall, sturdy and brave
none on earth could dare
to take on him straight
throughout his life.
Unlike us he
did have the ability
to fly in the sky, playing vanishing tricks
and then coming back
return with ease
with which a bird flew in the sky
which often baffled us.
We didn’t know
whether he was playing
mischief on us
by remaining invisible and invincible.
Anyhow,
with the confidence that
he is very much with us
we go on living on the
surface of the earth

with confidence and courage…

Monday, March 16, 2015

THE TRAUMA


POEM

Flurry of emotions
makes her cry like
child even after
years have elapsed
since she was raped by a gang.
Bouts of depressions
drown her in a
turbulent sea intermittently.
Whenever she
recollects that fateful day
it often visits her
to shiver like a person
overpowering her.
Once this disease called
rape was centered
around a particular place,
and now it has evolved into an
epidemic across the nation which forces
the people to remain
vigilant to offer maximum resistance.
If society is a mirror
it reflects
victims of rape among
other thing like
rampant corruption, bribery, prostitution,
adultery, poverty, famine to list a few
which run down her spine….

Sunday, March 15, 2015

ROBOTIC LOVE


POEM

Genuine love is a
quality almost absent
in our society.
There was a time
a  golden time
when genuine love
was abundant
among mankind.
The fragrance of flowers
spread across the land,
whispered the message of genuine love
in the ears of each man or woman.
And with progress of time except a few
this gem of a quality
is alarmingly diminishing in our society.
Be it between two lovers
or a husband and wife
or between two friends
it is the display of
artificial love, not genuine love.
At a moment
when the robots outnumber
mankind in society
the future love stares at us and

evolves into robotic love……

Friday, March 13, 2015

POLITICIAN


POEM

My hands are dirty,
so is my mind,
since I am a politician.
Since I am a politician
I do have a dirty mind
like a blurred mirror
through which no one is
able to make out anything 
reflecting through the mirror.
Only the day on which
my hands are clean
and my mind turns crystal clear
my hypocrisy fades away
the politician in me
turns honest and sincere
to the delight of

my near and dear ones. 

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

RIGHT OR WRONG


POEM

Right or wrong , I  walk
along the chosen path
and continue to be so.
Right or wrong, I will
swim against the
current and will continue
to go on with the same.
Right or wrong 
it doesn’t matter I will
continue to write about
whatever I watch daily
be it about gay,
lesbian, transgender
and bisexual and
would continue to write
whether I like it or hate it.
Right or wrong, to be
frank, I prefer to lead a city life
and would continue to be so.
Right or wrong,
it doesn’t matter, I would
continue to appreciate
everything beautiful,
attractive and enchanting like
John Keats once wrote
and enjoyed ‘a thing
of beauty is joy for ever’.
Right or wrong, I will
continue to surmount
every obstacle in my path
to reach my aim whether
it is  far, far away and
in the process I might fail
or succeed in my endeavours.  
 Right it is, in this world of turbulence
and turmoil
I always dream about
peace and tranquility,
across the world.

    

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

THE VICTIMS


POEM

But for a few, majority
of Godmen and Godwomen are
ruling  the roost.
But for a few, a number of
people falls prey to the
machinations of Godmen and Godwomen.
But for a few, a number of
self-styled Godmen and
Godwomen are to be kept at arms’ length.
But for a few,
a number of people falls to the
cheating and debauchery of

the so-called Godmen and Godwomen.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

BRIDGE OF LIFE


POEM

With each passing day
we walk along the bridge of life.
It is tedious and arduous
to climb the bridge
built in an ascending order.
With each passing day
a man/woman climbs
up the bridge of life
which becomes higher and higher
and it is natural that
he/she finds it difficult
to climb up the ‘ladder’ of life
and if one is incapable of
walking up the bridge of life
and is forced to climb down
which ultimately leads to his/her death.
Those who succeed in
walking up the ‘ladder’ of life
reach the ‘summit’ and
gradually walk down to
the valley of death on the other side,
from which there is

no escape ultimately…. 

A CITIZEN’S REQUEST TO IROM SHARMILA TO WITHDRAW FROM THE FAST UNTO DEATH




This is the fourteenth year since Irom Chanu Sharmila began her hunger strike demanding the repeal of AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), but with no result. On 2 November 2001, ten persons who were waiting at a bus stop snear Imphal valley were shot dead by the paramilitary forces apparently for no reason. The blood-curdling incident angered the citizens of Manipur, one of the North-East States. Irom Chanu Sharmila, shocked and angered on hearing the incident went on a fast unto death demanding the government at the centre to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which was given a blank cheque entrusting them to roam around the entire North Eastern States and ensure that peace prevailed across the entire North East and Jammu & Kashmir in the North. And in order to silence any sign of protest the Army without seeking permission of the government suppressed the trouble makers either male or female citizens who braved the Army were ruthlessly shot and raped them mercilessly until the disintegration of rebellion.
No governments either led by Indian National Congress led alliance or BJP led National Democratic Alliance kept mum on listening to the incidents in the North-East.
Now Irom Chanu Sharmila in her 14th year of fast has determined to continue her fast until AFSPA is repealed. The Government forseeing  a burning Manipur or in other words a towering inferno in case Irom Sharmila is dead, forcefully fed her liquid food through her nostrils right from the day her health was deteriorated.
She is often arrested and released since the court’s order prevailed.
AFSPA was slapped in the North-East by the rulers in 1958. Even after such a long period they stick on with the AFSPA in order to have at least a graveyard silence.
Human Rights Activists after visiting Irom Sharmila wanted the immediate withdrawal of the draconian act but to no avail. Even Sharmila herself wrote to the former Prime Minister Dr.ManMohan Singh to repeal AFSPA. He didn’t have the courtesy to respond to her demand.
As to one reason why the successive govts keep away from repealing the Act is the protests of the Army.
The then Honourable Supreme Court Judge Jeevan Reddy Commission after the successful completion of enquiry came to the conclusion that AFSPA need to be repeated. On going thru the contents those at the helm of affairs kept the enquiry report in safe custody. Govt virtually did nothing and we often wonder why the ruling mandarins invited the honorable Judge to conduct an enquiry.
Now that BJP alone has won at the hustings in the 2015-16 General Elections and NDA Alliance led by BJP has cared two hoots to the demands of the activists for repealing AFSPA – the draconian act.
It is a conclusion foretold that no govts in the ensuing years are supposed to repeal AFSPA. And it would be better if Irom Sharmila ended her fast and saved her life. No solution seems to be in sight to repeal the act.  
    


    

Saturday, March 7, 2015

SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ALONE


POEM

A nightmare awoke him
from slumber one night.
Driven by a desire to
visit her from his faraway place
he caught a train to
her abode even without
her permission.
On the occasion of
bidding farewell he had
given her an assurance
to pay a visit to her
whenever she wanted.
He made it a point
to ‘fly’ to her with
pleasure and delight and
with his heart thumping.
But this time
contrary to her pleadings
he caught a long distance train
solely for the purpose of
visiting her.
His proximity always gave
her pleasure and unlimited happiness
and hence it was
a trait in her character
to call him over her
cell-phone and wanted him
to come over by her side.
After covering a long distance the train
he finally reached the city
where she was residing.
He got down and
in his earnest desire to reach her
he caught a taxi to her residence.
Shocked, embarrassed
and pained
he saw her flat locked
and a lady residing
in the adjacent flat
came to him and told
‘you seeking Mrs…..’?
He shook his head mechanically
‘She is no more, sir
one day she didn’t awake
from her deep sleep.
We people knocked
on her door frequently
but with no response.
At last we went to
the extent of calling
the law and order people
and they took her to hospital.
By that time she had
gone to her heavenly
abode…..
Actually no one knows
her real name in this colony.
She always wanted to be alone…..’
That nightmare which
awoke him from his
deep slumber was in

his frozen mind……

Friday, March 6, 2015

HIBISCUS FLOWER


POEM

A hibiscus flower
unlike a rose or jasmine flower
is not blessed with inebriating scent.
Wish, one day it too
could spread intoxicating
smell which would elate
or elevate the spirits of mankind.
One would hope
the whole world could be
pervaded with the charming
and intoxicating smell of all blooms
which would bring a

beaming smile to the whole world……

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

NOW AND THEN


POEM

Back home
after a tight schedule
in the office
she used to reach home
tired and exhausted.
She would
go straight to her
private room
changed her clothes and
would wear a white nightie
her favourite colour.
After having a hot tea and snacks
she would go to
her beautiful garden
where with the onset of evening
the flowers would start
to fade away like
her tired face
which would push her to the den of gloom.
She would begin
watering the plants to
revive and rejuvenate them
a delightful job she liked and loved always…
After watering the plants,
she would climb up the ladder
and reach the terrace
start walking to and fro
enjoying the landscape
and the warm red circle
about to take a bath
in the western horizon
vehicles speeding in
opposite directions
the familiar and unfamiliar faces
and a face she wouldn’t
forget till she breathed her last
about which she hid from
her father, mother and siblings.
Today
the home is not there
the garden is virtually absent
no one knows where all went
all seemed an enigma.
The spring season
began somewhere in her life
ended somewhere to
the disappointment
and frustration all in
the neighbourhood though
her family kept away from all in
the neighbourhood…..


  

Monday, March 2, 2015

STILL THE THOUGHT LINGERS ON


POEM

Like a serene, tranquil and transparent lake
Sometimes calm, sometimes quiet one’s mind
and the sea
sometimes restless
sometimes turbulent like
one’s mind and the sea.
Fathomless always
one’s mind and the sea
still we boast about
our incredible capacity
to measure the depth of
one’s mind or sea…..
investigation is always
good viz restless research.
Still only the tip of the iceberg
visible even now
and how long it would
take to reach the Ultimate?

Any idea……?

Sunday, March 1, 2015

THE DOVE


POEM

Society goes on
moving backward and forward
or in other words
like a pendulum
moving left to right
and right to left.
The practices of dowry system
and the rituals
like Shariat law,
honour killings, beheadings
stoning to death or hanging
in public places in
the very eyes of public
so as to inject terror
into their blood-stream,
the blood-curdling or blood-chilling acts
continue non-stop even in this
first half of 21st century.
And if such acts continue unabated,
the future scenario can
easily be predictable.
Likewise
since time immemorial
much blood-shed must have been
the order of the day.
Still mankind never
gets tired of pursuing
its role of a dove
with olive branches

between its peaks…..