When Nature Writes

 On one side you talk me through carbon targets, offsets, and tax

while otherwise, you play wars and dig deep into my nerves.

you are mistaking my indifference, for patience and peace.

Know that you are spared due to detachment and not grace.

You plead for rains, and then pave all over the rivers

In satire embrace, you convene COPs only to pollute me further.

You offer prayers and throw into me all your curse,

 but why portray me divine, making yourself a demon?

Know that there is me beyond your restoration drama

and I will exist even if you "Drill Baby Drill"!

remember that I am not your cup of tea to commodify.

and I don't heed your sanctions nor seek for submission.

I disregard your intelligence and do not pity your empathy. 

So just come indulge into me, without purpose or paper works.

for your good, just let me be and leave things untouched.

Because Nature I am, ever unfinished!

A Touchdown To Reality

From heights, the entire city beneath is a lavish carpet of glitters and dark velvet.  It flows bountifully all over the grand and grey, brewing the chic and the cheap beautifully together.  

But, as we decent and approach closer to touchdown, these little glitters begin to widen. They separate themselves out from the humble lightless roofs... into bigger... bolder.... eye blinding difference! They rise into splendid skyscrapers leaving the rest of regions into destitute valleys of dullness. The dark velvet from above is now evidently visible with all empty details and hard striking definitions. These regions deprived of light reflect their life's reality in every angle. 

How tactful Mr. Distance is, to blend the dark inequality with all the shimmering lights of richness. Can the blend be brought to reality too? Can't these dark pockets get some glam and won't the blazed patches attain some calm?......................

An ode to our Lord of Clouds

On a dark day when our bad omen brew,
you departed bluntly, staining eyes scarlet hue.
You showed us life's every flavor- old and new.
But why before it's full glory, your candles blew? 

Grief has a peculiar way, should we call it mankind's curse?
It brings back beautiful memories, making it even worse.
You lauded each effort and our every endeavor.
now all dreams stand broken, without pride or valor.

In this infinite tapestry called time, happy that our clocks met.
All we wish for, is a life like yours, without remorse or regret.
You built a home that welcomed change and upheld modernity
Our world's silver lining, you will remain until eternity.

We do know that clouds shift and softly sway,
but your legacy is embarked in us forever, to stay.
In every breeze, bright day or gentle shower
Our lord of clouds, we feel you with us, right in here.

Any hurdle or longing beneath this boundless blue,
You benevolently bless and help us through.
As a guiding star, from the heaven above,
please watch us over with endless love.

The Irony called women

She was dutiful, but then… she also dreamt!

Always into that crack of conscience, her budding dreams bent.

She is a testament to resilience, drenched with doubts.

Because every night her unspoken fears, silently sprouts.

She is a whirlwind of energy never needing to stop,

But why this feeling of aloofness, within her often pop?

She is a mix of gems, polished and raw.

Like a zig zag puzzle, she is perfectly fitted without a flaw.

She is an untold tapestry abruptly cut,

Because her relentless critic, Mr. Guilt keeps her shut.

She is an unyielding shadow beckoning for hope,

Pure as dark, she is also an addictive dope.

Goddess she is! With boundless fierce and fragility combined.

Celebrate as and when her symphony of might and retreat, unwind!

As her duality evolves, equally embracing both light and shade,

The playful and poignant irony called women, is beautifully made.

 

 

Motherhood: The story of "He has got your eyes!!!"

 I am not a person who remembers exact dates....and I am also lazy to count back now ....but my basic math and my bit of intuition says we are nearing it somewhere...Ya!! 1000 days of motherhood!

 I remember the day I first mentioned about my pregnancy to my manager.... All he said was "tighten your seat belts child!” That was one right advice! So true he was. Kids are indispensable means of joy!! Their countless questions, excellent observations and astonishing statements!!! .. Their tendency to   own things, crave for independence, learn super quickly and ask for what they want, without hesitation or guilt! oooh we so much aspire to be like them sometimes. And their unmatchable energy!! Within half an hour, my one will empty the entire bottle of oil into the sofa cushions, mix and leave pepper corns, jeera and dhal , dust kgs of atta on the entire floor and all over him head to toe and then suddenly within minutes get cranky and sleep off without touching his sun, star and moon dosa!! He is an energy bomb!!(As my friend puts)

   I feel that the past year had been the quickest in my life... (though I have been having this same feeling every new year eve for quite a few years now...) Time is definitely crazy flying and kids grow freaking fast! But there is so much sweetness in relishing every single moment with them, which no speedy time can ever take away. There is so much sweetness in being part of the process too. The miracle called creation, birth and nurturing. There have been times I have demanded equal workload to god for both men and women... but now I seriously feel sorry for men for missing out a big part of this bliss.

Mothers in general, wish their kids to be the same...as their tiny little bundle of joy forever.  But I differ with them here... Our bond is enriching day by day and we are growing together. I can't say, “It’s as if I held him for the first time "Just yesterday".... because there is so much that has happened in between!! When I think of that first time holding him, his subsequent milestones also roll by... be it moments that felt him detach and swim away from me... moments that gathered and held me tight... And there are moments that reassured and carried me all along with him.... Moments that brought me close and indefinitely indebted to many lovely people. (Covid lockdown was a blessing in disguise for that part. We all got more time to be together.

Motherhood... It’s the story of weight gain, hair loss, cracks and bleeds. But.... it's also the story of “He has got your eyes....!" It's not just the story of sleepless nights, thirst and fatigue. It’s also the story of knitting cute little socks and mittens, planning parties choosing blue trousers for his first beach, green camouflage for his first hike and so on... It’s not just the story of tantrums and traumas but the story of holding close, protecting and help pass hard times. It's indeed the story of mood swings, self-doubts and postpartum. But it’s also the story of supportive and understanding men. It’s the story of “the power of best friends”. Your cousins, your little niece and nephew come to care and comfort you... And most important of all, it’s not just the story of the mother and baby. It’s the story of the new mother's mother as well. Just like parents are born with the baby, grandparents are born too! It's the story of the family tree. Also the entire health care team... It’s the story of the whole collective society!  It’s the story of both sacrifice and celebrations of mankind!!

(PS: 27th July, 2022 marks my 1000 days of motherhood)

Click the following link to read my 100 days of motherhood!!

Life Rewards: A Recital

 Life is so exclusively dark and yet so much filled with little pieces of light. It is not a bed of roses, but a bunch of rewards. We have to pay prices to earn each of those. But whether it is worth the price, is up on us to choose. 

Some are like the participation certificate. They are the most under rated ones of the lot. They are neither given a place inside our filing cabinet, nor can they be thrashed. Your heart just doesn't allow that. Because they are the remnants of those fun times, which gave you chance to shine before other college guests, your next department crush and junior fans. Also to escape monotonous lectures, class tests and hostel food. Knowingly or not, we gained rich experiences and priceless friendships in this process. But did we know that it was these certificates, which marked our story of "Game On" ? They pulled us out from the crowd of spectators and put us on track! 

Few are like consolation prize. In short, it tells us the story of "It's OK" .  Life is not fair, they say. But not always, I will add. It cares for our innocence, it recognises us simply for our efforts. It acknowledges us because we did try. And sometimes, just when we lose all hope and are about to quit, it throws us a wild card. It gives us an extra bonus, a consolation prize! And pulls us back on game, telling "the game is still on..  

Next is the "Runner -Up", and theirs is the story of " Almost". Like that loud sigh of missing a catch! It is the most fascinating tale of all, because it holds both the taste of triumph and that little tinge of sadness. But their story of success is often unheard and under celebrated.  Though entitled only as second, it is they who spice the game, keeping double million eyes unblinking. After all, the degree of winner's joy depends on how tough a fight the runner-up offers!

It is then, The Winner and theirs is the story of "Hence proved". Proving to others and more importantly to one self. One attribute of this rewards is that it bestows you with a wave of relief. You are relieved that this race has well ended and you don't have to run this same track all over again. That there is no repeat mode. It is after this serene sensation that multitude feeling of joy follows. Having said all that, one must also agree that this is not the ultimatum. Practically, no reward is! Because the game of life is not ruled that way. 

Last in our list of rewards is the mementos and return gifts. It sings the story of "honor". Life rewards us for staying grounded till the end. They are relics of our glorious victory and indebted failures, of playgrounds we once ruled, stage we gracefully crossed. We can not be participants here again, how much ever so we wish. We are here only to sit back and enjoy the show. Because though our game is still on, it's elsewhere, on a different ground....

Poems are hard to come by

Poems are hard to come by....
Hard it is, to sit back and write when duty buzz round the clock.
When mundane routine revolves around your spine.
To draw inspiration from a locked down world is indeed difficult. 

Poems are hard to come by...
Harder it is to compose verses. Verses that rhyme or those which are unrhymed.
It's actually tough to bring words together that make sense, when life itself doesn't . 
To articulate thoughts when minds is flooded already with enough to process.

Poems are hard to come by....
It's hard as bringing ideas into action. 
It's harder than quitting a habit. 

It's even harder than losing fat!

The harder you try, the harder it gets.

But hardest of all is to restrain from writing, when a poem does come by...!

The 3 A.M. drama

 You either perceive all at once or nothing at all.

Everything hurts or feels extremely blissful.

You turn utmost kind and greatful or you judge and do the envy thing.

You want to fly high and touch the moon or just hit bed and never get up.

You are bouncing with inspiration and possibilities or sinking into utter dismay. 

Casual words cut you deep or you remain indifferent to the entire happenings.

Your past fits perfect and future seems set or you are stacked with anxieties and regrets.

From next day you want to diet and detox but right now you crave for rich caffeine and extra cheese junk.

You wanna shop hard and lavishly spend or shed styles and become some simple saint.

This way, you relax your reins and let your mind and heart sing in unison , the glory of extreme emotions.

Because you know one thing for sure. That it will be morning again and all this 3 am drama will fade away....

RoMa's Roars Relished and Recited!

She has her pink summer solstice and her spring is he.
Also, a little average of her own, she got for free.
Though her first love is always coffee,
Her one day's blossom is me.
And my thorns she omits to see.
As her unmatched shade of grey, I artsy.
and at times in her joy of nothings I glee.
My darling child is she and her wicked witch is "Me".
Collectively a masala mash up is we.
Her lover is no mystery and his affair is her main misery
She says love can never harm, only to turtles may be.
Alas! Her dearest is in disguise, knew not she.
She treasures the flabby one that remains, but her perfect ring did flee.
Oh! In this vicious cycle of life, only she could love the lost, one must agree.

Checklists checked and yet if your plans spill, she calls it a bliss still.
One moment she is the kill and shortly later she makes you immortal with her skill.
Yes! To be one sweet sound of irony is my lady's will!
When life is wrecked and each day is a drill.
And when way across seems all uphill.
She tries to fit in the mould and fill
If not,  choose to handshake and part your bill.
Because she has always got her gulmohar getaways to chill!

She gets wise and high watching an eagle fly.
Petitions she write to your sunlight,
To re-align it's daylight and shine bright.
She paves you a road to delight and
In between hides the bait,somewhere tied tight.
She has got a memory curse, remembers even the remnant of scents you disperse.
Under her Kajal smudge, there is so much sorrow and misjudge.
Because unasked burdens she carry and about his thirty three she worry. 

Insanity and insecurities made her draught.
Deep conversations she "Then" sought,
With persons who owns her heart.
But only with muted screams she fought
And only deepest cut she got,
Waiting for what!? even she knew not.
So to blame it on time was her only resort,
Because thoughts and contemplation did naught.
Beware and be aware,  she self-taught.
In immaterial books and train journey, love she got.
And food did comfort her a lot.

Thus running against the world, she took halt.
Life, love and laughter into it's handicapped land she brought!
Dancing gracefully, mastering every beating heart.
Through Zoya's stories, her childhood back she caught.
Happiness beckoned, in celebration of her art.
How beautiful life has changed since then...I  always thought.
Ya! With me she belong, and I will love her no matter what! 

My better half - A disguised poetry

I am smart and beautiful they say,  and he celebrates me not just for that.
I have not changed much, and that as his success he claims.
He knows my flaws, the very details of where I lack and yet,  honors me not any less.
He leaps forward at my every drawback.
He is not a gift wrapper,  but a neat lamination.
He has no surprises nor secrets.
He is simple with no complex
A closed book of riddle I am,  and he trusts me nevertheless.
A detached lone side I own and he equally respects all my shades.
Not just me,  he immensely cares my everybody.
And he loves me an inch more than I could ever love him back.
My better half he is and at times my better whole.
And each day with him, I am a better self!

Your absolute love and my everything pure!

Planets I rule and their holding gravity is you!

 The entire sky and sea is me and you it's every shade of blue.

Creator I am and my intellect is you.

My great battles all know, but  my untold glory is you.

All three world's chasm I am,  and it's churned goodness is you.

Just a belief I am, the innocence behind that is all you. 

Heavenly bliss I am,  my heart's yearning is you.

Life events I am,  my little celebrations you are.

I live through yugas and this each beat of heart is you.

World architect I am,  my artistry is you. 

Oceans, my hands clasp.., the outflowing nectar is you.

Earth's eternal music I am, and my every breath is you.

I can grow billion parsec huge,  but that distance between my eyes is always you.

Oh Radha! Your absolute love I am and my everything pure is you....