Two Minds Two Islands

On two islands we dwell
shut in the confines of our shell
we step out with trepidation
and soon retract to our hybernation
but each exercise is not worthless
it leaves us wiser, however fruitless.

No matter how big a feat
no matter how humbling a defeat
we may find what we want someday
as we walk between joy and dismay
love will always triumph indeed
over cast , colour and creed.

My Lonely Friend

Hey you
what will I ever do
all by myself,without you ?

You never leave me ever
you are always there whenever
friends go their way
or destiny turns away
you always find me wherever.

There's joy to think
that you never slink
that in extreme stress
when mind's in a mess
you are my able shrink !

Bringing memories of yore
you never shut your door
I shall never leave you too
a friend so precious and true
and shall hail you evermore.

My dear loneliness
I promise you
you 'll never be forlorn
you'll never be alone.

I cry for you Nandigram

The Red Brigade has turned bloody
as Nandigram continues to sizzle
under it's oppressive hand.
Buddhabeb
you have Buddha in your name
why don't you make some sense of it's meaning and act ?

People are getting coerced for showing dissent
killed for voicing their minds
what law is that
that allows such lawlessness to continue ?

Time has come
when the Red Heads must turn grey
and break of dogma.
Their philosophy at times is amusing
but more often,worrying
when democratic questions cannot find honest answers.

I entreat you - the Red Flock
not to perpetuate
Stalin's tradition
of treating dissenting intellectuals
as 'socially dangerous' !

Perhaps Marxism was a virtue then
and in the cycle of civilizations
may be relevant again
but not now,not at this moment
not in this form.

Obituary Columns

What a pastime !
I consciously dig deep into obituary columns
to connect with those
who live with a dead reality.

I look for nice words
often in rhyme
for, a fine phrase
makes the tribute more befitting.

What an exercise in empathy
at times I even pick up the phone
and call them to share our thoughts
or to learn some method
to put together
broken pieces of once complete picture.

An uncanny energy flows
from the warmth of pain
one looks for joy in sadness
for solace in the thought
that I am not alone.

Finally it's all about us, the selfish we
all ceremony and form
in honour of the departed souls
is to please ourselves
and to tell the world
that we still care.

A quiet moment
in acknowledgment of the essence
of what they lived for
is the most honest tribute I suppose.

Harmony Of Opposites

Can you ever escape the duality of life?
We swing like a pendulum between two extremes
and perhaps belong to a point somewhere in between
but never the same for too long.
When you view the motion from front, side and back
the whole perspective changes.
Birth and death
joy and sorrow
good and bad
night and day
they all come in packs of twos
you can't have one alone.
In true sense, one cannot exist without the other.
As we go along,the entire spectrum starts to unfold
and upon tasting the two extremes
you begin to discover the harmony of opposites.

The Sublime

The sublime happens rarely
when it does,it leaves you mesmerised
overpowers both mind and body
as if numbed and etherised.

There will never be time in life
when you won't have miseries
if not own,there are millions in strife
villified victims of vicious vagaries.

To desire is to beg for something
like any other worldly pleasure
material or spiritual,either mean nothing
desirelessness could be the real treasure.

Why do we ask for happiness ?
why do we want longetivity ?
if life in essence is transientness
then let's see ourselves in that objectivity.

Finally it will surely unfold
as we find some meaning in tragedy
in some measure shall we then hold
hope of our existence into eternity.

Leave Me Alone

Now that you have brought me in this world,would you please leave me alone ? I can't cope with the umbilical cord still attached.

Let me grow up,let me learn to walk without holding a hand, for I am tired of the whole world living my life and wanting to show me the way to you.

If merging with you is so divine,why did we seperate then ? Is it some kind of pleasure you get upon seeing poor humans go on their knees to pray ? or worse,beg ?

There are many idiots claiming proximity to you,claiming descent of your lineage and constantly leading bigger idiots like me to seek refuge at your doorstep - when you know fully well that there is no doorway beyond the door,no light beyond the lamp,no existence beyond the exit.

Leave me alone,I think I can find my way.

Reward

I saw two birds
diligently pick up straw
and place it on two spots
in close vicinity on the same tree.
They were building their nests i suppose.

One would cheat at times
pick up a straw or two
and slyly move towards her side.
The other bird was more industrious
and with a quick turn-around
managed to collect
twice as much in the same time.
This went on for some days
and when she thought her nest was done
she picked up the extra straw
and placed it on the other's half done home.

Wow ! I said to myself
here's one doing no good to the other
but the other is so giving.
What is her reward?
Doing good I suppose.

eternal attachment

I intently watch  ocean waves
roll in and break on the rocks
and in a splash become white surf.

I wonder
if there is joy or sorrow in them
or perhaps both.
They intermingle, do they belong to each other
or to the vast deep.

They come from all directions
roar together and go away to nowhere
in their frenzied fervour
lose their entity and become one.


They are there one moment
and not there the next
do they love each other or the vast deep ?
What a display of staying detached
in eternal attachment !

come let's have a drink

you are the quickest and the sharpest
one never knows which of your face is showing
if I don't search you,you start searching me
who are you ?
ah ! you are my mind!

you take me everywhere
far and wide
high and low
you seldom leave me alone

let me listen to you
I haven't done so in years
hush.....let all noise settle down
I am beginning to hear you now
your words are becoming clearer
are you saying what I want to hear ?

where were you hidden so long my friend ?
let's sit together
come let's have a drink
I want to hear you speak.