THE ANGST OF A COSMOPOLITAN CITY

Every morning

after daily routine

before proceeding to the railway station

neither do I promise

nor assure my wife and children

if and when they plead with me

to reach the flat at the earliest.

This cosmopolitan city

known for its magnetic charm, care and affection

and its ability to prevail upon its children

to maintain peace and harmony once

is now like a disappointed, devastated mother

which is incapable to offer us no guarantee

to our existence on her lap

since a decade.

With the inflow of hardcore

terrorists, accidents 

frequent incidents of rape, explosions and heist  

snatch away the precious lives of

hundreds of thousands of citizens.

In other words

none knows for sure

the victims whom

no one can identify faceless preys in this

city of surging crowds like the inexorable flow of water

through the rivers, that too once upon a time.

No wonder

this city, our mother and foster mother simultaneously

displays a sullen and gloomy look, pondering over

the plight and predicaments of her children.  

THE EUPHORIA

Hopes dashed to the ground

castle of dreams broken down

Jasmine scent a thing of past.

Every good effort went in vain

Libya

For exorcising the ghost

suffering millions took up cudgels

against the dictator Col.Muammar Qaddafi

who like a leech, stuck to his throne

and ordered  his loyal

militia to ruthlessly

suppress the rebellion

which went on for

two to three months.

The civilians refused

to cow down to the machinations of

the wicked autocrat.

With courage and determination fought

to dislodge the man from the citadel of power

until scenting the jasmine flowers of victory

the stubborn Col.was finally caught, dragged and lynched to death.

The exorcising of the ghost

finally achieved heralding a new dawn.

Unfortunately the dust of euphoria subsided after a short spell.

With the outbreak of another civil war

the scent of jasmine faded away.

Egypt

More than three decades in power

the ruthless, arrogant, authoritarian ruler Hosni Mubarak

found himself in serious trouble with the civilians

gathering at Tahrir Square

demanding his abdication from power.

On the orders of the dictator

his loyal dedicated army men

with sophisticated weapons

though triggered their guns

though threw bombs and grenades

which exploded at Tahrir Square

claimed thousands of lives.

The rebellion grew more and more stronger

until the person who

ruled more than three decades

had to bow down before the demands of civilians

and allowed himself to be their slave.

There too euphoria after a lull died down.

The rulers with authoritarian tendencies 

elevated themselves to the throne

civilians turned out be a

disappointed, disillusioned lot 

with military capturing the throne.

The scent of Jasmine exiled from Egypt too

within a short period.

Yemen

The scent of jasmine

which enveloped Yemen

forced the then ruler and his cohorts

remain sleepless

with the consolidation of the suffering thousands

coming under one banner

and saw to it that

the dictator was ousted.

God alone knows

how long peace would prevail…

Syria

With Jasmine scent

already a thing of the past

even after three years

Syria finds itself in doldrums

with no sight to the civil war subsiding.

A despicable, hated, ruthless ruler

and his loyal soldiers on the one hand

and the amoebic growth of militant outfits

Syria finds itself

between the Satan and the rock

close to two lakhs killed

and millions fled for life

Syria is now a ghost nation

waiting for a power to exorcise the ghost of dictatorship.

MY RIVER

In the course of my journeys

across the length and breadth of the country

the very sight of the rivers

filled my heart to the brim with joy

and ecstasy once upon a time.

The ever flowing rivers

made my mind full to the brim with

delight, serene and tranquility

my mind often travelled down my memory lane.

Right from my childhood days

reclining comfortably on the chair of my ancient abode

or taking rest on the river banks

together with my parents and siblings

it was our leisure time hobbies

and enjoy the cool and sweet breeze

which made us energetic and hearty always.

The very surface of the river resembled

a dark green wide carpet.

But we were aware that 

under the dark green carpet was deceptive

undercurrents - all once upon a time.

With the flow of time

the flow of the river too gradually

turned slow

with the sun showering fire on earth.

Destruction of mangroves on both sides of the river

by the ecological plunderers alongside

the sand-miners landed on our land

and forcibly took away lorries full of sand.

Nowadays while

travelling across the of the nooks and corners of the country

I often shudder

and with gnawing pain and agony

with tears welling up in my eyes

I tried in vain not to watch the drought-hit rivers

by deliberately closing my eyes.

It was quite natural that

the very glimpse of each river

often pulls me backwards and

which often prompts me to recall

the plight of our river…

albeit my reluctance….. 

THE CHALLENGER

Vigour, courage and

strength are his weaknesses

and these weaknesses his plus points.

When an inebriated, skeletal figure

throws choicest epithets at him

and dares to take on him

like a frog challenging a speeding car

coming from the opposite direction

and acting as a blockade sitting in the middle of the road

consequent to which meets a tragic end.

Our hero, vigour, strength and courage personified

takes pity on the man runs away from him

forcing the skeletal bloke

to burst out laughing

as if the man of vigour, strength and courage

ran away from him out of fear and apprehension

THE GARDEN OF LIFE

Like a football being kicked

right, left, centre and above

we, human beings

are being kicked

right, left, centre and above

by an unknown power,

like a rat is being tossed

here and there by a cat several times around

and draws maximum pleasure

and swallows the prey

and satiate its hunger,

like the pretty garden of life

is being trampled upon by

an autocrat and draws sadistic pleasure

on the surface of this Earth

these strange times make

a mince-meat of every living-being.

SLAVERY IN MODERN PARLANCE

Upon winning first rank

in the Civil Service Examination

he evolved into an

overnight celebrity.

His parents, siblings,

relatives, friends and well-wishers

on listening about his marvelous victory

hundreds of well-wishers

in all walks of life

flocked around him

presented him with precious gifts

made him elated  with joy and delight.

Those from afar rang him up

and offered him heartfelt congratulations.

Media people rushed to him

had interviews with him

and his photos with his family members

got published in all prominent newspapers.

Flowers of appreciation showered on him

and wished him a bright future in his career

throughout his service period.

Ministers and top political leaders

with bouquets in their possession

appreciated him, handed over gifts to him.

Gifts of recognition piled up before him.

After undergoing mandatory training 

at Mussorie alongside his colleagues  

he came back to his native State

and the govt appointed him

in the higher echelons of power.

Everything made him more and more humble

and he was humility personified.

But unfortunately

his days of glory

and feelings of elevation were short-lived

with the Ministers at the helm

shoot off missiles of their orders one by one

be them good or bad

the alternative being obeisance

to those who commanded

otherwise face the Music….. 

SPELLS OF DROUGHT AND SPRING

After a prolonged period of drought

on a fine morning,

spring dawned on her life.

With the arrival of a handsome youth in her life

making his jovial entry

lifted the veil of melancholy covering her life.

From the very day

I started living in this residence

together with my family

I had made it a habit watching the lady

whose face reflected an air of melancholy.

She was residing alone in her flat.

In the morning

at about 9 AM

she proceeded ahead

to the nearby station

and returned at about 6 PM in the evening.

After switching on the lights and fan

she changed her dress and wore a nighty.

After about one hour

she closed the doors and windows,

and lay on her hammock and entered

the world of sleep

while the whole city remaining awake.

One day

she came along with

a handsome youth

with the both in sweet, pleasant smiles and laughter.

It was the first time since I arrived in the city

she was seen delighted.

For a short while they lived happily together.

One day bidding adieu to her

the youth left after a short span

and plunged her again into

a shell of melancholy.

Who was the

handsome youth

and where did he go?

With the spring gone,

drought in her life

made its appearance and plunged her into

a veil of sadness.

Will the spring make a return again

with the cycle of life turning a full circle?

Will drought last for a long spell?