Diagnoses

Neon sleepless nights ache like dry cough. 

Caught amidst wanting to pour all out
Or just give up and sleep.
Its always a question of little more,
Little more of soul-sucking harpies,
called social apps. 
Tides of anxieties rise and settle down
And winds of depression blows to and fro,
Anxious to create artificial you, perfect you
For the world to like and comment.
Bouts of depression take over, lil by lil
When everyday you fail
To tick those little boxes
You created in your head.
And in this cycle of endless nights
The sun never rises.
But who needs sun
When you have Neon sleepless nights.  

Face Recognition

Look at the mobile, and it will unlock.
Touch it, with finger, and same old.
Shout 'Hey Google' and it will work.

What next?
Will you kiss it too?
Like a lover, in a mall.
When both study each other
Down to each eye movements.

You tell each other your secrets,
And promise to keep it so,
And in the nights,
When you stare at each other
With blank eyes
Holding its face with both hands
Is it love? Or just Utility?

And what if one distant day,
You realize,
You don't want to be together anymore.
You replace it, with someone new.

And it just lies in a corner,
Or maybe switch owner.
And then you will meet again,
One day perhaps
By chance or mishaps
And you will recognize it.
But the question is, will it recognize you?

Sonnet V: O Scholar Glaucon

O Scholar Glaucon, hear my words,
As they appear before thine eyes,
Poetry's a manipulative maid,
And Poet a master of disguise.

But let her make thine defense heard,
Prove thine worth in society great,
But not by herself, this be absurd,
Let her choose thine own advocate.

Then only judge the place of Poet,
In the Great Kallipolis,
Amongst Philosophers and Doctors' trade,
And Soldiers of the finest breed.

       For not let be emotions stirred up in vain,
       And if stirred, let them achieve a higher plane.

Conversation 2117

Yes dear,
I am talking to you.
Look at the skies outside, aren't they beautiful.
Yes dear,
they are white, in night.
The sun is bright, in night. 
How you ask?
Well, don't you remember, love?
The Great Hunt?
The Grand Explore?
of the Earth's last ore?
It was when times were hard,
Dickens would've loved it, wouldn't he?
The Earth, devoid of any fuel,
any coal, any gas, natural ones.
Ha! Nature. A thing of past. 
A reminiscence. 
See those trees, those flowers.
Well, they are plastic.
Isn't that fantastic?
No more leaves around, my love, no more.

Oh whose sound is this?
That's a bird dear.
A real one?
No, don't be silly. This is the upgrade,
by the fake curtilage.
Birds are long gone too. 
Where would've they stayed honey?
No trees.
No rivers.
No forest.
No nothing.
Well, look at the bright side.
The Human species survived. 
Though the oceans rised,
The humans improvised,
and everyone else died.

Are you hungry dear?
Would you like some Ashberries?
They are a treat.
Spawned from the volcanic ash.
1 for a 1000 dollars, cash.
Aren't they cheap?

You liked our dresses, dear?
They are the latest fashion.
The height of human invention.
Yours made from swans,
mine from fur of devil Tasmanian.
Well they do keep us cool,
in the high temperatures of yule. 

Well, aren't you happy dear?
Aren't you?

Sonnet II: Often the mind reflect upon mundane

Often the mind reflect upon mundane,
and think which act precedes the other?
Is writing without reading a nature's arraign?
Or reading sans writing a sap-head's error. 

Behold the task of writing for instance,
A poet's soul dances upon ivory sheet. 
Never done in void, nor in abundance,
Art of mere mimicry,'tis art neat. 

Reading too, is an art splendid,O hear,
Absorbing ancient words, through sight,
But read too much, and you'll fear,
of losing your genuine thought's flight. 

So Read in one clock, and create in another, O bard
For 'tis the only glorious and golden path. 

Sonnet I: No macabre account of disease-ridden lovers

No macabre account of disease-ridden lovers, 
Nor of their sad, untimely demise,
Where one or the other is left to suffer,
And sobbing is sole fate of eyes. 

No triumph-tale of a bourgeois financer,
No 'one idea can change the world',
No narratives of celebrity cancer,
and their journey unfurled.

Oh bring me back the verse of bard,
Or chronicles of the things bygone,
Of myths, monsters and magnitude canard,
And laments for the poor Adon.

For as long as these tales will be uttered,
The eternal joy in mind cannot be altered.  

   

Treasure Hunt

There is a little market.
No, it doesn't open everyday,
Only when the god rests,
these little elves, in their heavy satchels,
carries, drag, roll, tumble, unload,
gems; gems of bark and ink, sometimes cardboard.

From the gate of Delhi, to the Main Mosque,
No, it doesn't decorate both sides of roads,
Only left, left only to them.
They bring their carpets, rugs, 
or sometimes sit upon bare spine of earth
and pour out their gems out, waiting for buyers.


"It's too expensive","What's bulk discount?"
"Other one is giving cheaper","Oh!! its too old"
chatters, murmurs, hustle-bustle all around,
and a few good gems do found
praising hands, and full wallets
Oh! It's all business.



Hardcover, or Paperback, these gems,
don't discriminate, that's left to us.
Some are discarded during great shelf's rearrangement
other just read and done.
Oh, but they will find someone one day
'Cause in that market, nothing change.

A girl I knew

Very sweet girl there was,I once knew,
(It wasn't a 'was', when this poem I drew)
Brave, kind, simple, funny, no fear
Hundred worries, still she lend an ear,
And proposed solutions new.

Wise she was, no doubt,
And when all the friends were about,
Dare to say,
Happiness wouldn't stay.
And when I hear her cry
Welling up in whisper,
All the world seemed a dark place to try,
Nice she was, my little friend-sister.

A Market

I saw a rag picker,
early,when the shops were shut,
bent like a new moon,
beard still spotted with last night's curry.
dragging his torn out, worn out slippers,
and a tattered bag,
A pair of eyes, searching, for a sparkle or two,
wishing it to be his lucky day, but he knew better. 

I saw a tea vendor,
navigating through crowd.
With stiff hands,carrying teacups,
and a mathri or two.
long,slender, shrill voiced,
he knew his routine, nothing differs,
neither he desires it to be. 
With heavy hands he comes,with heavy hands he departs. 

I saw a shouter,
ones whose soul earning depends on
the customers he can bring.
shouting on top of lungs,
claiming his employer's superiority,
he is a small teen
one who never went to school,
or maybe he didn't want to. 

the shouter drank the tea, and threw the cup,
next morning it was promptly collected by rag picker,
the bigger light kept turning. 

The Maiden

The white canvas rests untouched,
The spear of destiny dipped in pallet,
My fingers laid scarred
My muse ;Silent.

Soul was vacant, vanished was my conscience,
Verdict was out, guilty as charged.
The bloodstained fettered cloth reminds,
The ghosts of Christmas Past.

Out of the blue,

I drew,
An arced river for her head,
And pale yellowed her face,
Lips of cherry, eyes of fish.

A white strip of her maidenhood,

and garments of country girl.

The turban flowed in wind,
And stroked the rainbow,
Colors danced death,
Every brush stroke took my life,
Bit by bit.

And there she was,looking at me,

Turning towards,or against me?
With last breath, I dropped a white,
Near her ear,
She was completed
And I was gone, to reside,

in her pearl earring.

Winds of Change

A shadow rabbit, on the roof wall
A multitude of steel cuboids, rolling on road,
Their music dwindling and rising.
Orchestra is here, and I have baton.
A,B,D,F,Do Re Mi,
The notes struck down my throat.

The black phone is sitting quietly,
A single braid of hers,splits in two
Goes around my head,whispering
The notes struck again.

One,two,three, stars appear,
Or was it me who did?
Twinkle twinkle little stars
Dead you are, and so far.
Glimmer glimmer your soul.
The notes faint, but struck clearly.

Flap flap night birds,flap flap,
Flap your way to your squalor.
Let howls be your guide, as are mine.
The symphony is just beginning,
The Ford's theatre will light up tonight.
The notes will strike tonight in every booth.

And here I am, with my baton,
On my roof, a house by road.

Monsters Inside Me

Closets, cupboards, almirah

Hall,attic,veranda,

dripping, drooping,drooling,

seeing,safe,safe,safe.

House is me, in me is house,

the fireplace, ashen,arouse.

Mirror on bed, knife in clock

curtains in tub, trophies on wall.

Mirror laughs at me, make me faces,

green,white,red,purple.

Door bangs, ring rangs,

tree in garden, waits.

Peeling walls hear nothing,

lizard creeps in through window

It sees me, It knows me. 

The second death calls for me.

It is there, with my keys, jingling.

I take a deep breath with my eyes,

and open the door.

In distance, a leaf turns. 

Ladybug

One fine evening, strolling through grass,
Sweaty and tired my feet, I paused to rest.
Stretching my legs upon grass,
I looked up horizon,
to the swarms of birds,
to the train whistling in distance,
to the cars honking,
to the kids playing,
lonely people, walking, with earplugs,
calming, soothing, stirring.

Suddenly, my hand crept.
A creepy crawler was the guest.
Small and oval
and red with black polka dots.
My mind raced back to years, when I had her.

Was her first day of college, I was sophomore.
Shy, yet radiant;
Calm, yet curious.
Notes were exchanged, so were the eyes.
Sitting long hours in park was our time.

One day, she lifted a ladybug, from the grass.
and put it on my skin, I crept,startled.
She was laughing, I was embarrassed.

Days,weeks,months, flew away and away.
Just like the little ladybug.

It was my last day, in college,
and in my hands, tickets were flapping
to a far off university.
I had to go.
Leave her, here.
The park,the college,the ladybug.
She was ears, 
She was tears.
Me standing, holding silence in my eyes.
I left without saying anything.

Suddenly a gentle tap on the shoulder
brought me back to the present.
'Hey, you found a ladybug. Aren't they cute?'
'Yes, they are. Now lets go home,
Millie will be waiting.'
She is still radiant. 

Ebony & Ivory

You think,I'm weak, helpless, gullible.

you assume I am worthless, mute, dumb.

That I am alone, in a blind alley, waiting

for a piece of hope, ray of delight;mere

wanderer, that you can conquer, or capture

with your heartless actions and pitiful words.

That you can decide, what is best for me; Don't.

Tired am I, far much tired, sulking in, numb

with pain, you don't know me, so don't pretend.

This world wasn't created by you,So don't 

try to destroy it. Don't draw unnecessary lines,

over the dead bodies of unfortunates; Enough,Don't.

System,law,order is what you protect. I am not

outside of it, you have to extend,include me. Rather

you create ebony and ivory, everywhere, every time.

Silence, to you; silence to them; silence to all

or let us speak in one tone. Interrupt us, Don't.

Out with contempt, Out with conjured rules, out.

Don't wage war, if you ain't ready for outcome.

In a war, no one wins; humanity loses always but.

We won't let it happen, we are the future, from 

the past. Weapons we will bear, steel less, verbal, now. 

I've said enough,I've had enough. Enough sufferings

for a lifetime. Marxist I may not be, hardly I

understand these big words, but I know something,

that these humans, you are seeing, are and will be

here, for them, for you, for us, for all. 

Long time,No see!!!

I was at platform, the other day
waiting for my train,gazing at the track, 
suddenly someone patted my back and said
"Long time,No see! remember me, I'm mack.

Haven't seen you since the school,
How are you doing nowadays,Patrick?"
"I am fine",I said,"How are you? Everything's cool?"
"Just as great, Where are you headed?"

"To college, as usual. Where are you headed?"
"Oh! I am just on my way to the bank.

Do you remember all our deed,
all our mischiefs, all our prank?

How we planted cockroaches in Matthew's locker
How we changed the classroom sign,
how we make-uped the sleeping guard to joker,
and then we have to pay some heavy fine?"

I laughed heartily,"That was a good one.
Tell me some more about the good ol' days"
"Well there was one time, it was so fun,
when we put fire beneath fire alarm, anyways

We had so much scolding,then black listed,
from that day onwards, I vowed to be better,
I worked hard...." suddenly our focus shifted
to the coming train,"Have to go. See you later"

Then he boarded the train, and sat by the window.
Then I saw my other friend coming to me.
"Who was that guy,John?", he asked. "I don't know.
But he was a good time-pass. Wasn't he?"

Happily Ever After

Once upon a time, a woodcutter,
returning home after collecting woods,
came across a small river
and sat there to relieve his foots.

Suddenly his axe fell into the river
he cried aloud for he had only one
suddenly the river god appear
 "what's up! why so serious, son?"

"My axe has fallen into river", the god went
and came up with a golden axe.
"is it that,fella!" God asked, but he resent
"no, mine was just an iron axe."

God went again, and came with a silver one
He said,"are you on drugs on something!
An iron axe" he said, "dont make a fun.
Otherwise i will hit you with something"

God chuckled and brought his iron axe,
along with the previous two and said,
"For your honesty, keep the two axe"
And then the river god fled.

Woodcutter became rich and got married.
And years after,was strolling in the garden,
with his wife, he came across a well, very deep,
his wife, while looking it, fell in.

water god appeared again,"what's up! Buddy."
he said," My wife fell in, bring her back."
God went and came up with a beauty,
"is this your wife?" woodcuter said "yes".

God laughed,"That's not fair, Buddy.
A beauty changed your heart." He voice
"Not my fault, based on previous memory,
if i said no, you would bring me another choice.

And then I'll say no again to that
and then you will leave all three to me.
handling one is a game of rat.
How will i handle all the three.

So I thought to take the first one."
God then burst into laughter.
"Ok, take the beauty and go to home"
And then they lived happily ever after.

A Smile

What's the most beautiful thing you have seen?
So beautiful,it made your eyes gleam.
A flower, in the morning dew,
Rose perhaps, Pink, maybe blue?
A moon, in it's glimmering light?
A Starry Sky, in a dark night?




What's the purest thing you have seen?
So pure, it made your mind serene.
A seedling sprouting, struggling for surface?
A new wave of brook, in its grace?
A PRAYER of a toddler, a wish of an infant?
First ray of the sun, from horizon distant?



What's the sweetest thing you have seen?
So sweet, it made you heart went lean
The first word of a baby, calling her mumma?
A help to a needy friend, in his dilemma?
The first gift of a lover to her mistress?
A wishing phone call, a letter, a message?

Now,have you seen all these, together?
The sweet, The pure, The beautiful? Never?
Well, I have seen it, all in one.
A curve of a lip, by definition.
A smile, of someone, for whom you care
A smile, the greatest gift, you can spare
A smile, filling your inner void.
A smile, which you can't avoid.
A smile, for everyday, till the eternity
That's all I ask, a smile for me. 


-Dedicated to a Special Friend, and her Precious Smile :)

In A Blue Moon

Once I was sitting alone in park,quiet 

watching the blue moon in its full light. 

memories took me down to past 

maybe some 3 years; yes it was, 

my 19th birthday, 23rd of may 

everyone was very happy and gay 

but my eye were on the door 

every once in a while I looked once more 

waiting for someone I was sad,

then suddenly the door opened and came a lad 

I rushed to him, he greeted me happy birthday 

I taunted," where was you whole day?"

he said,"I was arranging for the present,

Here's your gift,take it" but I resent;

"I don't want your gift your presence was needed.

Do you know today is blue moon, don't miss it"

we rushed to the roof, and looked for the moon, 

"it is marvelous" ,he said "we will meet very soon."

"Why?" ,I asked," where are you going" 

"I have joined the army. It is my dream." 

I became sad, "what will I do without you"

"Don't cry my girl. one day I will meet you,

when I will be something and will take you away

and will build our small nest I swear."

"When will it happen?" I asked him with tears.  

"you know next blue moon free after 3 years 

and on that night I will propose you with a ring"

"that's a promise",I said "don't forget this thing. 

after 2 years came a letter with his death news 

my world broke down my heart gets a bruise 

now when I think of him my eyes are tears. 

suddenly from the dark, a postman appears 

"it is a special delivery" he  handed me the letter 

when I read the whole moon shattered 

it was from him before you went to war.

It said "you are so near yet so far

This may be my final words don't mourn

if something happens to me I want you to move on 

but I kept the promise I made to you,see

I proposes you that the ring- will you marry me?" 

and a ring fell out, a curse , or a boon

And this all happened in a blue moon.