To dream is destiny
life beyond the mire of worldly existence
free from the diseases that cripple the mind
undulated by the pain that torments our kind

A world of color
the fragrance of freedom
the magic of creation
at mere mention

Life so young, the heart so tender
to dream is rum, in love's splendour
free the mind, relieve the soul
be it so one with the whole

Dream on, child of destiny
for tomorrow never lives
and today never dies
it is only in sleep, where existence survives.

 Separation

Visions of happiness, of togetherness
Compassion care and the touch of fondness

Shades of the mind, the color of thoughts
A wonderful blend of beautiful hearts

Mornings of yore the heart lost
Tender love as time hurried past

When cameth the time
Of detachment and separation

A chasm of silence, the fallen bridge of hope
Separates us though near and close

Dear ones may go, never to know
That someone cared but did not show

Do not but forget the times behind
Remember forever that we are all of a kind.

Faces

Faces faces all around
long short square and round

Little we know what's behind
subtle expressions happy and kind

Eyes so deep the smile so sweet
nothing in the world that can beat

Revelation comes not too late
wipes away the dreams to a clean slate

Who would have thought, who could have known
hearts of coal like a diamond ever shone

How do I know how do I tell
which becometh heaven and which hell

The dark space beholds a nebula of understanding
a star of an idea bright and shining

Dissapointment gives way to pity
detachment from desire makes life pretty

Judge not a being by what is seen
But fail not to see what is unseen.

River of Dreams

Wishes for a new order,freedom from the dark night
years of slavery, the infinite drudgery

Drink from the golden cup, the wine of liberation
the sun at its zenith now, the warmth of the divine rays

Never has been seen by one, misty days in the settling dew
around the rocks the river flows, unto the cascade on the rocky wall

Running rabbits and marching hares, the wonderland of the white veil
the fruit that's sweet and red , created for the dreamy heart

The rolling stone upon the strolling moor, seems strange for it so
grass that becometh green, hearty meal for a contented calf

Boundaries of a kingdom, lost visions of a world lost
unto the crying child, separated from its mother that be fate

Where are you the warriors of truth, saddled onto the horses of curiosity
where hath thy compassion, O lord of dedication

Feelings on a starry night, reflections on the scarred moon
beyond the spiral arc, splashed across the inky canvas

Love taught one to feel, gauge the deep well of a young heart
drift upon the river of dreams, till the banks merge into a vision of sleep.

 Mirage

The shifting sands of time
across the desert of uncertainty that blow

The lonely caravan that traverses the dunes
gold and silver to exchange for happiness

As the lord of the sky in his chariot of fire
the blue fabric dazzling with his every breath

The parched earth thirsty for the moisture of compassion
the dry air desperate for the cool confines of the green oasis

The caravan that rides away into the horizon
waiting for a glimpse of the treasure that is water

The elixir of life the want of the hour
till over the mounds is visible the reflection of the desired

A bounding joy grips the broken heart
every step seems an eon neigh eternity

Every footstep a page in history
every moment lost a call to the death lords

Green groves dot the landscape
date palms beckon the hungry palate

The joy of arrival overcomes thought
the sense of achievement surpasses feelings all

Simple lessons learnt in life are forgotten and lost
that what seems is almost always not

The truth is out there to be seen not by the eyes but the heart
for all that glitters is not gold and water in a desert is but a mirage.

To be mine...

Endless expeditions, great expectations
a lonely heart looking for love

A feeling so alien, a desire so strange
dreamy eyes, a world so unknown

The joy of discovery, the happiness of knowledge
something that was foreign, now closer than ever

A roller coaster of emotions, the ride of a lifetime
divine joy she understands, sheer depression she does not

The whispering groves, the sound of music
the cool breeze a fairy tale classic

Who understood what be love
wonder if even the lord knows his creation

An experience, many lessons that taught
a period of existence, of liberal thought

It is affection that made one feel
understand what the other needs

Separation might be what time ordered
but once loved is forever done

Some where deep within, somebody lives on
to be forever, to be mine...

Blue

Cool still the water rests
the ripple makes me see blue

Bird in flight,a cloud of fleece
black spot in the sky, it is blue

Pearls in a garland, words in poetry
White paper takes on meaning ,  ink it is blue

Fun in the rains,contemplation in the mist
sunday evening commotion, monday morning blues

Roses are red,the scenery green
orange sunset and the yellow flame, where is blue

Colors of the rainbow, seven in all
Blue is a piece, the puzzle is life...?
 

Land of the Trillionth sun

Mandarins of the emperor
lanterns on a kite, in the dark night

Silhouette of the rocky peaks
flitting shadows over the foggy meadows

Call of the owl, a scampering mouse
Whispering leaves and a cold murky creek

The sleeping prince dreams of his love
guarded by the supernatural, the spirits of his ancestors

Beautiful as always, the princess a proud one
by her silent ways, hath hurt many and especially one

Complex as might seem, a story so short
peculiar the settings, for a tale so strange

That is what it conveys, the truth of it all
For we are but children, of the trillionth sun.

 Cup of life

Get me thy cup, cup that brews over
the nectar of heaven,the fire of the sun

Ferrying on the tumult, merryweather to be
almost done with life, beyond the dark stare

Thoughts of you, drag existence to the tape
without the joy that you hath brought

Snow melting away, warmed by our breath
patterns that fate created, thin away to a drop

Painful thorn he is alone, drawn by contemplation
three was a crowd two just too many

Move on from desolation, stay behind desperation
the climb never too steep, the depths never too deep

Drink from the golden cup, the nectar of heaven
live on a human,till life finds for ye a safe haven.

 Branch

A gift of life, for a sinking sailor
harbour for corals, jewels of the sea

Where children make merry, with swings and rope
moving with the breeze, for the children of god

Nest of twigs, soft cotton where the old woman weaves
home for the couple, much more for the fledgling

He who makes, handles for the axe
he who provides, handles the pain

He who is the twig of peace, is the victim of greed
he who knows is the branch, he who knows and lives is the tree.

 Expect nothing and...

Crisp morning rays, next to a dying bonfire
Early awakening for the beetle that warmed your pocket
Sleep kept company through the struggling night
Call back to the jungle fowl, good day to the sprightly robin

Bubbles freed from their watery cage, jump out to reach half asleep eyes
Fresh tingles set the mind on its way, did you notice the fruit on the tree
As a forest family is done with breakfast, warm hands pluck the cold fruit
Ever known a morning so complete, replete with the magnificience of life

Freedom is here, it was so far moments ago
The answer to the ravines in life, lies in looking at the peaks
Harmony with nature and her beings, gives what petty competition cannot
You may have been lost where the track leads over dark rocks

Never but lose your instinct that basis for survival
Become one with all that you need, let the rain god clean the rest for you
Drink from the stream of goodness, enjoy the meals of fulfilment
Rest in contentment and in peace, Expect nothing and be surprised.

 Can't win 'em all

Touch me not, for I do not know what you are
Give me not, for no one saw me take it all

Believe it or not, for I really messed it up
For it was not, I who did it all

Take me up, to be all by myself again
Tell me that, so that I understand

Save me lord, from the iron that masks
End with a heart, that gives all that it takes

Play with all that you got, shed a tear for what is lost
Touch me not and feel me not, for you can't win 'em all

 Slums and Apartments

Winding away from the lady's spired home
Feet of iron heart of gold, away and into the smog

Bustle and fights all to survive
Picking up plastic, promised to be fantastic

Queues of sweat that stretch to hell
Red paints the walls, bring in the communism

Red which gives in to green, pulses quicken and hearts fail
Steel that supports, dreams of sand built on concrete

Beaches that become rock, natures fury never understood
The men of balloon and spicy food, drift like logs waves and water

Western mind eastern body, young and lost in cola and curry
Docks by the bay, harbour by the sea, gulls and garlands in harmony

Rain pours but satellites beam, games of ball to games of life
Decked on top to the zoo, back to enclosures shut and cool

Sword and gun, movie and magic
Where the horses run and misses make merry

Fragrant carbolic fresh phenol, few hands saving millions
Struggle for survival with no end in sight

Why the fight, can't understand the desire of flight
For it's a cycle that never ends, a truth that never sets
Slum to Apartment, Slum and Apartment.

 That

Words that stirred the heart
Ripples that disturbed the calm

Finger of longing that
felt the pulse of separation

memories of fullness
that defied the void of loneliness

flowers of love
that bloomed out of season

the apple of gravity
that discovered the lightness of beauty

the snow of understanding
that watered the river of togetherness

the morsel of completeness
that fell to the ground

that what was, feels like gone
that what was, will again be born

 No Rain

Dust that blows with the wind
Over the parched dry earth

The water almost gone
Struggles for life, racing to death

Fortunate are those indeed
Whose spirits departed
For merciless is the sun
Where life is a sin

Two thousand eyes unto the horizon
Waiting for the lords of thunder

The bellowing winds, the flying dust
Do they tell of impending liberation

As blue turns gray, black takes charge
The thousand hearts leap, soar to the heavens

Dry tongues over parched lips, weathered hands over wrinkled fores
What is wrong, why doesn't it pour

As black draws overhead, the mind swirls and the pupils turn
Breath gives way to silence, the spirit soars to the heavens

Liberation it is, final freedom
For there will be no rain.

 Without You Always

The wind will carry pollen from far away
The river will run muddy brown as always

Flushed cheeks of a mountain child
will be red as ever always

Ripe hair of the old will be wise as always
Neon lights of a megapolis lively ever as always

Broken crockery will fascinate the street urchin always
Broken hearts will mend themselves as always

Green carpets will be compared to grass as always
The gas in the balloon will take it higher always

Death will come to life as always
Without you nothing changes anything as always.

 Meenakshi

Among the banana fronds she moves
her cheeks taking color from the hibiscus
while the ladies of the house worship the tulsi
holy water and morning chants, dawn awakens among the hills

the rays of the sun, captured to become
vermillion on the forehead of the pious ladies
the bullock cart delivers fresh rice and milk
to be ground and churned into the master's breakfast

hot water for the bath purified by the essence of neem
fragrant sandal paste to adorn the forehead in all its glory
khadi for the master, silk kancheepuram for the respected lady
piping hot idlis and rasam, buttermilk completes breakfast on banana leaves

the venerated master, who read the scriptures at Kashi
leaves the Agrahara for his temple duties
The flower boy brings in the jasmines and lotuses
some crown amma's hair, rest sent away to Raja raja's great temple

As the echoes of the Suprabhatam slowly diminish
The stone grinders get to work, grinding the five types of grains
Rice simmers in brass cauldrons, while the cook slides Jangris into the sugary syrup
cucumber and bananas turn white in the curd, pepper and chilis give color to the sambaram

By midday the meals are done, and the Agrahara has eaten to its contentment
betel leaves and saffron follow the coconut water,
eyes droop to rhythmic breathing, as the afternoon air becomes still
cries of mynah and peacock ripple through the mango groves

The sun descends over the plateaus of paddy
villagers gather to see the battle between Jarasandha and Bheema
enacted by the old artistes of Thanjavur
lamps of scented oil burn as swirls of incense smoke reach to the ceiling

All the inmates of the Agrahara, sit on the stone platforms surounding the square
while the talented musician tunes his veena, and his assistant powders the mridangam
the cymbal claps to the praise of Lord Shiva,
ending with the Bhairavi, the crown jewel of the ragas

White sheets drawn across teak platforms serve as rest beds for tired souls
Owls let out cries of warning to field mice not already safe in the granaries
tiny insects end their existence, offerings of life to the fire god of the lamp
Eyes close and existence blackens opening a colorful window to the meadows of dream

While everyone sleeps Meenakshi lies awake, remembers that she must go
she steals away to the banks of the Tungabhadra,
folds her hands and prays to the river goddess
And while the night watches this strange happening
enters the river and attains salvation on this auspicious day of Shravana.

 Love Thy Disease

There is no disease greater than love,
you get it once and suffer forever.

Nerves and palpitations, a hint of sweat,
these are the symptoms, so beware.

Sleepless nights, follow usually,
accidents and meetings, happen inevitably.

Treatment is expensive, dinner for two,
artificial resuscitation under the moon.

Some mend their habits, become wise,
rest get chronic heart disease.

Family doctors, attempt surgery,
knot a vein with an artery.

Nine months on, a heart attack,
leaves behind, a paralysed life.

Nothing more to do but wait,
suffer silently and curse fate.

All this and like these,
just because you loved thy disease.