When my twelve year old son says
'Limit your visits
I would not like to be seen with you'
When to ignore and when to take cue
When to cry out loud when to reflect
When to act ignorant
And when to act arrogant
It's the same son
to whom I was once
the apple of his eyes
Now he looks at me
as his provider and not a parent
~ 20 March, 2022
In my living room
boys aged ten and twelve
spoke so matter-of-fact about
teen-pregnancy and termination
and with so much gumption
The elders too listened
without reprehension, and
not a single being thought
it was impudent to discuss
about who was the cause
Not one in the house
judged, blamed, or cursed
the pregnant being for
such an act of promiscuity
There was just sympathy.
Everyone's exclamation must
either be, what's with this family
and how such insanity, or
oh! what amazing adults
and how so progressive!
But, neither is true.
Not that we are people
who are absolutely carefree.
We were discussing
about our cat so puny, and
whatever maybe the adversity
we'll take good care,
in all our capacity,
of cats named 'Chi'.
~ 13 Mar, 2022
I always try sugar as an antidote
for something that is spice
But overtime, I realise that
it must be time
in place of sugar
In the park, I was walking over
my thoughts, my botherations
and at one point, my heart,
unable to bear anymore,
felt it would just burst
What's the antidote?
If it's sugar for spice
then, for sorrow it's pleasure...
Pleasure of sweet soothing talk
with my friend.
But I could not,
for such was my urgency
What could then be
a substitute?
How about bamboo?
Along the park's pathway
for every crossing, I ran my palm
over the trunk of
a well-grown bamboo that's
strong, pleasing, and sweet
And with every passing
step and minute
my thoughts were getting clear
like clarified butter: it seemed
to share a part of it's power...
Though I knew it was always
time that's the healer,
for keepsakes, I collected
a piece of bamboo,
to remember and treasure
And named it
a piece of pleasure
~ 07 - 11 Mar, 2022
From a child to parent,
how much sledging
can a sane mind bear
until it breaks down?
Sledging, done in retaliation
to a parent's disciplining
Worst of times,
the mind even thinks
if the mud-slinging
done in disdain
is imagined or real, or
if it's worth the pain
How many cycles
of bend, break and build
do I endure
Until it gets totally insane
And until I say...
Do it to the him!
Not me!
~ 06 Mar, 2022
A mighty mountain
is built everyday
grain by grain
by sun and rain, and
by rest and resistance
So, everyday,
work bit by bit
nourish yourself with
food, water, and rest
and put yourself to test
06 Mar, 2022
I've been up since 3 am
And three hours later
When there was enough light
to see the spirited trees' at sight
happy and waving hard
at the merry wind outside
I know not why, but
I was dozing off, when
I must be wide awake
for every sound that was made
my heart would skip a beat, and
my body would tremble and shake
~ 06 Mar, 2022
We were together in a fast car
on the highway, side by side
You were progressing ahead
while I was progressing
slow and ocean deep, floating
on my thought waves
I was nodding my head
for the music
through the ear plugs
that gave a complete shut off
When I happened to glance you
I assumed you were talking to me
You assumed I nodded for you
~ 06 Mar, 2022
I have been a teenager twice
Long ago, when I was young girl
And now,
As a pre-teen boy,
who's going through
the puberty pangs
inside an all-grown-up
mid-life crisis body
giving company to my son
I have come to conclude
that it must be really difficult
dealing with a parent
who has a boy in his teens.
~ 05 March, 2022
Is it fair
If you write just for its flair
Live just for life's sake
Listen just for ears' sake
Love if there's none to give
Dream if there's nothing to mean
What's there
To learn but you've got nothing to think
To win a fight but without a struggle
To sin but there's no deliverance
~ 05 March, 2022
Everytime we talk and say things,
for years together,
we want to make ourselves clear
to the world we think
is, at times, deaf
But then, if you contemplate,
the splendid successes we've had,
were really times when
we spoke and were clear to ourselves
So, don't you think…
That we are really mute beings
until we talk and be heard to ourselves
Every Single Day
~ 03 Mar, 2022
When you read good poetry
Would you
Twirl and dance around
because it liberated you
Thank and bow in obeisance
because it gave you a firm feet
Fall at its feet
because it opened your senses
Smile back at it gratefully
because it made you cry
Hug it fondly, because you
want to appreciate the camaraderie
Kiss it passionately because you
aren't able to have enough of it
Make sweet love to it
So you may be it.
~ 02 Mar, 2022
I look at you all day
in an endearing way
inching your body
smeared in gray
I present a calm demeanor
and a pleasing smile
when you cut and lay the tile
in the boiling sun
When you are toiling so
that's all the pleasure
I can give you, when
my part of work is done
Remember dear...
I am always by your side
Forever,
in all your stride
For, you are my keeper
and the mason
For, I am the helper
and your devout wife
~ 01 March, 2022
After many listless evenings
I ran into some fine poetry,
inadvertently,
and gulped a few shots of it
After a few pages and hours
a speckle of spark
was warming up
my intoxicated being, and
I realised a streak of life
still quivering inside of me
As the night breeze caressed
I asked it not to cease
nor to fear its presence
For it can only gently
stoke the tender spark
It cannot harm the flame
but only move into being
the fire in my hearth
that would keep me
alight forever
~ Feb 28, 2022
Cracks run deep
on my feet so soulless
Mindlessly, I peel the flakes
And dig a wound so ruthless
No prizes for guessing right
about how I would mistreat
my aching, dispirited soul
so full of misery
~ 17 Jan, 2022
