When Mind Resonates

The city is burning… It was a noisy market till yesterday, From colourful clothings, To most beautiful decors, And everything in between were sold and bought. There were chatters and laughters… Confectioneries sent the delightful  Of fragrances that made stomach grumble, And the most ambrosiac of delicacies- Spreading its temptation in the air. Kids giggled to school, The residences nearby had an air of warmth… Now none there, just smokes and fumes; People panicking and fleeing… Girls abducted, schools in ashes… Letters killed, and motherhood- Burnt alive in her solitude! Baby in the womb begging for life! Orphans, who belonged until yesterday- Sobbing in silence, unable to comprehend- The reality of loneliness! God! You fools, God is in the eyes- Of the one you look into- If you look well, you will see yourself. You won't see, you are blind.

Young minds, who departed early from- This world we are awake to; The innocent young Ann Frank, Writing realities unknown to grown ups; Joan of Arc, the valiant leader… The scholar and brilliant Vivekananda, The magical mathematician,Ramanujan, The young Reiji Okasaki, who unraveled The mystery of the doubling pattern Of the seat of our traits… Rosalind Franklin the secret face behind the revolutionary postulate… The poetic revolutionary, Frederico Gracia; The embodiment of romantic verses Keats and Shelley... The beautiful Marilyn Monroe, The elegant Diana… The king of music, Mozart; The emperor, with no match- Alexander the great... The God, Jesus Christ, And many more… The beauty is that, They still live young in our minds, No matter how many eras get passed…

I walked mindlessly, grief was filling in- The heaviness of loneliness bore in heart, No, tears were not welling up, I wished to vent it out, But I couldn't, I felt lost, Nothing around seemed to make sense, I wished to fall back into caring arms, And just stay there… The only place to walk to was, To the temple of the Lord. I sat there in silence, I was blank, but it was dark within… I didn't ask, nor did I tell, It was silence echoing within myself. I stood up and walked back, The street seemed desolate, Though there was a crowd. And I looked up, now I couldn't stop- Myself from the stupid grin of mine; It was my gulmohar, with a single bunch of-  Beautiful red flowers, as if it was for me. I felt being filled with the gush of love... I thanked him, for the kind gesture, Did my eyes get wet? And I realised,I do have warmth surrounding me; It's just about realisation… And it was not his time to bloom, Definitely...

Then, my heart was full of song, But didn't know how to put it, And that's when I heard the strains- From the Spanish guitar... I was allured by the notes he played, It soothed me and disturbed me, Stirring my song, from amber to flames… I asked him to teach me The magic touch on the strings; And every day I learnt, sitting On that park bench, when people  Randomly threw alms to him. One evening, he was missing, And I heard people talking, " Oh the poor man killed himself, He was gifted indeed" He left, putting the myriad facets of octaves in me. And I grew into my adolescence- Searching for the words for my song… To exhibit myself through what I sang, Just not another, romance or melancholy; But the 'me'... And in that bookstore, I randomly picked  A book at the farther corner of shelf, And I flipped the pages; Each verse a resonance of myself… This writer ruined me! I found my voice in there- The r...

It was another morning, My eyes, swollen from crying the whole night… I slept in kitchen, to avoid further abuse, The world shouldn't know, I wrapped myself up… Did my daily chores, Kept 'his' break fast, tea, and ash-gourd juice, Yes, a small tiffin box with 'his' veg salad- On the dining table… I hurried to leave, while 'he' was still asleep. We were informed to leave office, as civil war broke, Our cab driver denied the ride… I called 'him' up, as always and usual, As if the day before never existed, In an excited voice 'he' said: "Babe, I'm home, it's civil war…" I told I was stuck; in 'his' cold usual tone, He said: "you manage to reach around, I will walk you home." I did manage to reach around… I saw men running around, smashing cars, Glasses shattering and the metal clinging… He was nowhere to be seen, I somehow walked through  And reached home. ...

I sat again at my window The darkness lit by my lantern And it still raining heavy And me contemplating myself… Memories discorded and blurr! Tried hard to find the root of insecurity. I do want to embrace these feelings, Though I don't understand it well... I do love being me, But, the flashing distant memories, Do fill uneasiness re-emerging From deep within. The waves of emotions, Raging and calming again; Transform into destructive self, I try not to be derailed into insanity… Night, lantern and rain - Thank you, for the company…

Through the pines, I saw you, Afar, bright in orange-red- Ready to bid adieu… With a promise to be back again, To fill your light in the darkness… Never did I realize, that I ever loved you  Until you left… Darkness and the stars were my companions… Never did I ask you to stay and be mine... Though I cannot bear your morning  brightness,  Be mine for the beautiful dusk- When you calm and wear the orange-red…

Night was falling, I looked at the wild beauty of night, Lying lazily, staring through my open window; When the cool breeze brushed past me, Whispering the message from the firefly, Who was winking at me in the front yard... Flickering around, as my eyes wandered  Behind the being, as if to trap it in my gaze, But just in vain… And, the lightning sparked, like flashing lights! Me, finding it impossible to keep the pace, I kept myself ready for the roar of thunder- But it didn't make its noise! The lights flashed again and again, in silence! Revealing the sky hidden in the darkness… And it drizzled, then poured… My eyes wandered to find the firefly, I couldn't spot him… The message from him was: " Await a bit more, the night is going to Have the bliss of rain"

The rays of the sun filtered through the foliage, I squinted to look at the rays Making the floral bloom unearthly… The light shades of pink  Seemed to fill an overwhelming bliss: The bliss to fill my solitude! I tried to imbibe the moment within, That I could reflect upon when I sit back. Unable to find the source of solace… I don't know the depths of the thoughts People carry within… Nor do I know to decipher the unsaids…  But these foliage and bloom, Reflects them as they are… The warmth and the love gushing From you to me and me to you… Touched and felt in the depths of soul, Just our secret, that no one knows The unbound emotions shared...

A dew drop glittered on the edge of the tender grass blade- Winked its eyes, still half asleep Reluctant to look at the golden rays Half smiled at me, wrinkling it's forehead, As if trying to recollect where we had met last… I smiled back, reminding our encounter Yesterday night, when she had made  The soft bed for me to sleep on While we had shared the secret stories Looking at the twinkling stars afar… When we promised to keep our secrets, The stupid secrets, upon which we laughed Till it hurt the gut, and the tears overwhelmingly streamed from the eyes… Upon recognising, she smiled sparklingly, Tossing her head swaying in the cool breeze… We laughed again remembering our stupid secrets… And I hushed, as if afraid of the world knowing Our  'big' secrets…

She was playing, Mindlessly with an empty bottle. There was an immaculate smile- Playing on her face, And the bottle fell down... She looked like a child, Who lost her toy… I, under my breath said, “it's okay” Not that she heard, And I found an ever calm face,  Whose eyes constantly lingered Her with deep care, And now I realize it to be love Or more than that… And he bent, picked the toy For her, and her face lit up again. Being on that wheelchair Unable to move... Still she seemed like,  she owned this world... And now, I know, He is the world Or rather he created that world!

I woke up, from deep sleep, A flickering flame of lantern was seen; It was dark around, I was lying on a hay bed, Probably it was an open hut, In the midst of a vast paddy field… I lay silently, imbibed into the moment's beauty, But next moment, I wondered of being there! I always wished to be in paddy field at night, Watching the stars, cherishing the beauty of night… Suddenly, I felt lonely; All alone on the planet… I was about to panic, I felt fingers Moving across my forehead, Gently caressing my hair and brushing it away from my face… I felt an immense sense of belonging. He whispered in my ears: "don't be afraid" As always, I said: " I'm never afraid of you" He smiled… it meant a lot; Love, re-assurance, promise of belonging And acknowledgement of my adamancy… I smiled back, and fell back into the soothing sleep… Afar, temple bell was ringing, Invoking the deity to the morning.

It was the start of ‘Arab spring’ After two long weeks of self house arrest, the curfew, noises of exploding tear gas shells- Random gunshots- Incessant copter blade rotations above head, deafening ears, Periodical alarm of ambulances… Only working class being, soldiers, doctors and nurses! Streets filled with armed soldiers in black. The days were fading bit by bit, And every vehicle strictly checked. The soldiers were celebrated to be of the - Most brutal tendencies, shot one  Without another thought ! The men in black always covered their face- Only eyes seen, and wondered what those spoke… And one day, we were waiting our turn, In the school bus with kids To be checked for arms… And they checked, that's when  One of the soldier asked my fellow teacher - “Teacher, do you remember me?” I saw the teacher who was afraid of- The soldiers in black, cursing under breath For scaring the kids with the guns and stares, Had her eyes w...

I am like a granddaughter to them, I visit them sporadically. I make sure to carry something different, They are both in their eighties- Like babies, fond of variety! Sometimes a different flavour of ice-cream And other times a different cake like Tiramisu! They ignore their blood sugar seeing me. I listen to their fights, Listen to their ailments And how they can not tolerate the other… And I find the love they share  That's coated within the blames they put, When they smile at each other- While listening to the allegations… And last time I had met her hospitalised, She could not walk by herself, I had spent some time with her- I was told that she will leave the hospital the next day. And last day only I realised she was there for another month! Completely bedridden… I went their home, she was in bed, He looked frail and his hair was completely silver… I have seen him only in his dyed black hairs, I went in, she was lying on the co...