alienation

how insidiously it happens
the alienation of affections
one day his smile makes your
heart race
and before you know, his presence
irritates
while you write a love poem.

even the irony escapes attention
(priya)

martyrs

I awoke from a dream
shivering with dread
it was my son 
I had seen 
moaning, bloodied,
holding out his hand 
for his comrade's help
if mothers decided 
the fates of nations 
perhaps discoveries and inventions
would be the cause of celebrations 
not the laying of wreaths on martyrs' 
graves
for that is a travesty worse than the fate 
which befalls the brave young men 
who die so that we may live 
and celebrate their martyrdom !
(priya)

finding a friend

seek and you shall find
is something I heard often
for years I sought a friend
the search but brought
people
sans soul connection
I surrendered to His will
in despair
like Krishnaa's Krishna
my friend appeared
(priya)

art speaks

it happens sometimes
not too often though
that a piece of art
finds a place
in your heart
and you carry it around
with a sense of wonder
at the mind which saw the picture
the hands which held the brush
the emotion that mingled with the colours
did the artist paint in a frenzy of creation
or was his mind calm and untroubled
the picture that was yet to
emerge clear and bright
before his eyes
did he paint because he must
or was it an attempt to immortalize his self
who first laid eyes on it
who first exclaimed at the magic
did it move many hearts
did it bring forth joy or tears
the invisible thread that ties the art with the viewer
did it spin a web fine but strong
or was it only to a few that it belonged
for a long time i stood and gazed
speechless immobile blind to the crowds
milling around me
the questions whirled in my head
no answers came forth
but the blossoms spoke to me
i heard their story
it sounded like mine and yours
give of yourself as the flowers do of their
radiance and fragrance
and the world is a better place to live in
(priya)

unseen

on my brow i carefully
placed a vermilion dot
red and green bangles
on the slender wrist
a ruby glinted in its
lattice setting
through silken hair
peeped purple enamel
the golden brocade
was a slice of sun
the anklets whispered
songs of love

he looked away, peering instead
into the silver screen
and warm red blood slowly drenched
the pristine sheets
(priya)

To my son (2)

In a world full of uncertainties ----
where no day is like the one that passed

months of turmoil, peace that doesn't last
raging storms come and go
sunshine touches the weary soul
fragrant flowers reach out sometimes in all their glory
leaves that crunch beneath my feet tell another story

You, my son, are the only one ---

whose courage never falters
whose wisdom does not fail
whose smile welcomes Life
whose presence soothes the frail

I am blessed to have you in my life
you, my dearest son, make it all worthwhile

perfect together

"perfect together"
the words set my
heart afire
with dreams that
languorously burnt
till they crumpled
into nothingness.
I have learnt
my lesson well.
(priya)

broken

the smile

in his voice

repaired the rent in

my heart

I am whole again.
(priya)

surgery

get me a surgeon please
i cannot thus vacillate
between hope and despair
far better that i put behind
me this strange affair
that is neither agony
nor ecstasy but
an amalgam that
will be the ruin of
me
but then, so will
a lobotomy
(priya)

heart break

the price one pays
for heart break
i discovered today


i neither heard
bird song at dawn
nor the gentle drizzle
of late afternoon

the madhumalti was
a pearly pink
but in my eyes
it did not exist

the portulaca bloomed
in a myriad colours
but i turned my back
to its radiant fervour

my mind was blind to
all the joys wrought for me
pill upon pill i swallowed recklessly
till the day passed in a dreamless
sleep and I never got to hear
my heart weep

(priya)

dawn

awaken at dawn
inhale the melody of bird song
feel the gentle fragrance of
rajnigandha on dew moist skin
reach out to the feathery clouds
lazing in the hazy morn
Life is abundance, cup it
let the elixir
quieten your thirst
for more
and ever more.
(priya)