The Flight!

While I was at college, one day it was my turn to give a talk at the morning assembly. A twenty minute talk. I was totally out of ideas when one of my professors gave me this book...Jonathan Livingston Seagull.  The whole night I sat in the second floor quadrangle and read this book. At the end of which, I felt as light as a bird soaring in the sky. I had the material for my talk.

With my first salary, this was the first book that I had purchased. Since then, I have gifted it away. The book continues to inspire me and these lines today are also inspired by the same!


"Patience, but for how long?"
Asked the soul in ignorance.
To which the almighty
Smiled with compassion.

"Trust me", He said,
And gave the wings
To fly high and far away
with the accompanying winds.

The soul then forgot,
The pangs of separation and guilt,
As it embarked on a flight
That would have no limits.

Surviving Through Another Day

This poem was actually written when I had first entered a Grade 1 right after my MA to teach. Imagine the changed environment. For a minute I was left totally clueless. These thoughts arose in my mind at that time and at a much removed moment were crystallised into the form of a poem [prosaic poem if it may be termed!]

I saw silently
As my self tore in pain
It went, flying away,
Never to return again.
Couldn't help but remain numb
And watch with a smile,
As my silent eyes' protests
Remained forever futile.
The self that stayed
Took the burden and reins
Coz it was damned forever
To be cold and vain.
So I survive
Another day
Seeing a part of myself go
And a part of myself stay.

The Untold Tale

A refined thought,
A distilled word,
Fall short of the task,
The task to tell.
For things worth saying,
Are best left unsaid.
So walk away knowing,
Knowing this well.

A closer look,
A look at the misty eyes,
You know the Tale,
Of the present and the past.
But things worth saying,
Are best left unsaid.
So walk away knowing,
Knowing this well.

The Tale cannot,
And will not be told,
Futile is the spoken word,
The speaker knows.
Hence things worth saying,
Are best left unsaid.
So walk away knowing,
Knowing this well.

The depth of silence,
The power of smile,
And you know the Tale,
And the feelings sublime.
So things worth saying,
Are best left unsaid.
So walk away knowing,
Knowing this well.

Cold Thoughts on A Winter Evening

[I had gone for an evening walk today, a silent walk. A walk that became the source for this prose poem. Sometimes walking gives rise to thoughts worth penning, or rather, typing down. :)]


As I walked down the silent road,
A walk that was to try and let go,
Cold from outside, cold within,
Coldness, in a wave, rushed in.

Coldness, in a wave, rushed into
A heart that had become cold and dark.
Coldness that made the heart rigid,
Coldness that made the soul frigid.

Coldness that made the soul frigid,
Coldness that pierced the heart with the cry:
A cry that made my eyes move,
My eyes saw the starlit sky

My eyes saw the starlit sky,
My eyes saw a dream die,
My eyes turned behind and saw,
A living hell that had been the world.

A living hell that had been the world,
With thorns of deceit; not hearts of gold,
Ah, a world that did not smile,
And wonder about the birds that fly.

And wonder about the birds that fly,
Or the fish that swim in oceans deep,
My eyes looked at the starlit sky,
My eyes felt the wonder die.

My eyes felt the wonder die,
But no, my eyes did not cry,
Not a tear was shed as my legs turned,
And walked onwards towards meanings unknown

And walked onwards towards meaning unknown,
But coldness, in a wave, rushed in.
I continue to walk on a silent road,
Cold from outside and cold within.

A Day Temporarily Arrested

Too close,
A call unheard,
Arrested attention,
Quick thought,
Action needed?

Mind thinks,
A road not traversed.
Will a glance
A peep
Suffice to refuse?

The road
Seems green.
Why not?
Why the hiding?
Seize the moment.

How cruel,
The moment slips.
Mind jumps back,
Restores stasis.
...The day moves on.

A Space of My Own

All that I ask for,
Is a space of my own.
All that I ask for,
Is to be left alone

If you can't understand me,
At least ignore me .
But don't, under the pretence
Try to stifle me.

I am sorry but I can't be,
What you want me to be
But that is way I am
That defines me as 'me.'

I feel indignant,
That being so close to me,
You chose to misunderstand,
May be intentionally?

I need this space -
This space of my own.
I am sorry but you can't,
Join me in this sojourn.

Hope you understand,
And bid an adieu.
That will be,
The best thing to do.

The Enterprise

I stayed awake 
Last night till one. 
With an innocent wish, 
And feelings so warm.

I wanted for once 
To be there on time. 
I wanted for once 
To say the words so prime 

The hours passed 
The minutes passed 
As I waited and waited 
For the moment defined. 

But even before it arrived 
I sensed a distant storm 
Try as hard as I may 
It did not go away on its own. 


The inevitable happened, 
I gave up the waiting, 
I forsake the Enterprise, 
Of Wishing.

Elusive Tears

Two tears,
Flowed silently,
Noiselessly,
You wouldnt’ know,
Their birth.

Rapidly down,
They flowed.
And finally,
Met with quick death.

Bound in eyes
Elusive were they.
But today
They found their way.

The unmisted eyes
Are peaceful now.
For, the clouded vision
has cleared now.

(a poem written long ago...transferred from a restricted blog :-)