Attention

 

If you have managed to look at the same thing and notice one or two things differently, then you are paying attention. But then, it is not in a very critical or objective way; perhaps, more in a creative soft way. Like observing and thinking through your heart rather than through your brain. 

Case in Point: When driving back from the beach, the gigantic strong trees bearing the slender climbers that were swaying to the passing vehicles got me distracted to look up slightly. And then, I noticed how the entire Besant avenue had overarching trees that met atop, and crowding the air space so much that you hardly notice the blue sky.

~ 07 Jun 25

Adrift

 

How is it that things afloat on the sea, always move towards the north. It is the same with humans. We start at a point in the beach and end up further away, northside from where we left our belongings.

~ 07 Jun 25

Kid Dog

 

Stationed on the beach sand, 

the insecure kid-dog yelped 

desperately at its human parents 

who were out on the beach, 

wanting to enjoy the sea. 

Pets, especially dogs, are always lovable because of this innocent mutual emotion that is etched in them, till their last breath.

~ 07 Jun 25

Namesake

 

Leaves in autumn:

Wonder who called it 'leaves'!

~ 26May25

Terrace Bird

 

What did the terrace bird say

in your ear today

I am sure it was full of mirth 

unlike the humans on earth

Did it ask for more food 

like little Mr Twist did, or

was it happy with what you gave 

and sing you the hymn you pray 

~ 08Jul25 

Things I Know For Sure

 

I see the softness in the 

glow of the morning star 

and there's nothing to sulk

when the glow gives in 

on arrival of the morning sun

The point is to be present

Nature has its sweet rhythm

and it doesn't bend or break 

for anyone's whims and fancies

There is religion in birds

for each sing their own prayers

some only twice in the day

at the dawn and the dusk 

and some all through the day

All the monstrous acts

that defy humankind, such as 

a Hitler’s tyranny, could not 

have thrived in a monastery

A dog will wag its tail 

A cat will slow-blink its eyes

when you call their name 

And expecting otherwise

will only give in to our vices 

And so is it with people

Attention, imagination, hope,

and more than anything, 

kindness - all must be pursued 

with as much diligence and worry

as we pursue all our subjects 

and objects of impermanence 

Self-enquiry is the 

only surest way forward

And how far one can see,

in the direction of well-being

will determine how well we 

want to live our everyday life

~ 05Jul25

List - After a long time!

 

Grounded, uninterrupted, blissful solitude, morning rain, piano in the background, the snuggle of the pet and its soft breath on my skin, chirping birds, panoramic terrace view, wet red tiles, occasional writing, reading, mind-wandering, photographing, connecting…

~ 13 Jul 2024

Death - The end stage

 

From 

Able to brittle 

Coherent to fuzzy

Thriving to surviving 

Sufficient to dependent

At times

the coming of the end

is not too sudden 

to realize or

to stop the hazard

But

happens like the sunset

slow and elusive 

and difficult to prevent

~ 09 June 2024

Hold Me

 

amidst the morning chores, 

the tender thing kept gazing at me, 

and said, 'hold me, dear mother...'

it was the only leaf that 

got left behind 

from being cooked

I said 'sorry' and 

held it for as long as i could.

~ 26 Oct, 23

Thanksgiving

 

Rain washing the trees' feet...

~ May 30, 2023 

Sometimes

 

It's a rainy midday, and

there's so much ground to cover 

to finish the day

I feel so much like that solitary bird

sitting solemnly and

so still on a cable

getting itself drenched in the rain

It looked like it was taking on

some self-inflicted pain, 'cos

I hardly noticed any change

in its posture, to adjust

to the cold around

I began to ponder

Why so do we birds throw 

ourselves into such depressing situations?

~ 01 Sep 22

Reverence, Bliss, Thankful

 

There's rain these days

It is few and far between

for it's June.

Day after day,

busyness keeps me from

caressing the pleasure

On one such rainy night,

I close my eyes and lay 

supine on my bed, and pray: 

Don't lure me dear rain

I must rest enough 

to sail through the next day

And then, strangely,

I see flashes under my eyelids 

hear thunder beats in my heart

and feel the chill

of the drops from my skin.

I half-smile and say to myself:

Emulation is 

the best form of reverence,

isn't it?

Then comes my urge to write 

this phrase of bliss. But then,

I skip the thought, and persist

Sleep comes by yieldingly

When I wake up in the morning,

there is none of the usual

rush of troubled thoughts

Instead,

Bliss greets me with cheer 

like bird chirps in a forest creek

Days slip by, and yet...

the thought holds on patiently

Like a dutiful devotee

waiting to be seen,

My thoughts had to be blessed 

and freed by the words

Now, after this writing spree...

How thankful can I be!

~ 01 July 2022

Torch

 

The morning east sky now looks 

blanched and pale blue

waiting for the orange yolk

Fifteen minutes ago

it was pinkish yellow

like yellow in the traffic lights

signalling us to be ready

Half an hour ago

it was a splendid pink 

announcing the arrival 

of the mighty sun

It all looked like someone

pressed their palm against

a torch's white light

and then revealed it.

~ 28 Apr 2022

A Piece of Pleasure

 

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

Son in the Making

 

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

Quiver

 

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

Poetry

 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

What's Your Name

On every surprise rain day

a neighborhood parrot

sits atop the same frond

of an aged coconut tree.

It talks in childlike voices, and 

seems to be cooing for me

It makes me want to call back

in the same endearing tone.

But then, dear bird,

I know not your name.

I wish to sit beside you, and 

hear you say about your day.

Tell me... were you able to 

weave your victories, 

deal your difficulties,

knock down the naysayers,

and wade through the dangers?

Would you want to hear 

my day's stories as well?

Dear old wise coconut tree,

several minutes have gone past,

looks like the perched parrot

could not hear me quite...

I am sure you must have

heard my thoughts all right.

Why not? 

You've seen my phases

since my childhood, and

given me company 

during days of desolation 

and spurts of revelation

We've seen each other

through our gloomy days

of storms and rains, and made

the difficult days of pain fade.

Enough of all that I said...

Now, make me a friend

of the visiting shy bird

before it flies away unheard.

~ Sep 05, 2021