Month: August 2023

Deep Within

Deep within each one of us,
there lies a child so tender –
Bright-eyed and innocent,
curious and full of wonder.
O! Where’s the map to retrace
This long-forgotten treasure?

In Search of Freedom

In search of freedom, I consulted the vast ocean
With white-crested waves spreading into the horizon,
But it asked me to speak to the tall mountains
That limited its boundaries from all directions.

So, off I went and spoke to the mountains high.
They stood unmoving, reaching into the skies,
But the mountains said to ask the puffy clouds
That blocked them from view with their shrouds.

So, I ran on and asked the clouds floating by
They were parading in shades of grey and white,
But they all told me to question the gusty winds
Who often tossed them about to their whims.

So, I posed my query to the passing breeze
That was blowing freely among the green trees,
But it said to quiz the Sun shining blazingly,
For it’s direction was determined by the orb’s heat.

So, I quizzed the Sun with my squinting eyes,
As he was dazzling away like a ball of fire bright,
But he asked me to check with the Maker Himself,
For there were times when he too had to set.

So, I requested a reply from the Almighty Lord
As He sat in silence in the temple by the road.
He smiled at me kindly, and then finally, said
To ask the question to the thoughts in my head.

And, that was the moment it dawned on me
That freedom is really in what and how we think,
For those thoughts manifest into speech and actions,
And these, in turn, create societies and nations.

Go Slow

Why the panic?! Where’s the fire?!
Haste leads to consequences dire!
Consider carefully all the options
Before bringing a plan to fruition.
It could be deciding what to wear
Or going for a drive somewhere.
With impatience, you may forget
Important things, and then regret.
For, hurrying blinds the mind’s eye –
And is a waste of your precious time.

The Blank Page

“It’s thirty minutes into the examination.”
So went the invigilator’s announcement.
In the silent room, her voice reverberated.
Grabbing the attention of all the students.

The only sound that followed thereafter
Was the scribbling of pens on the papers,
Intermittently punctuated by the rustles
Of notes laden pages being turned over.

And this was the case for all except one.
He, too, sat with his head lowered down.
Except that his answer sheet was blank,
And he was thirty minutes into the exam.

He was staring at the empty white paper –
Beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
It was at that moment that he could hear,
“Read it again, you’ve studied this before.”

“Read it,” coaxed the page that was blank.
“You know the solution to the question.”
With renewed hope, he reread the query.
In his mind, the answers started forming.

Soon the pages were not blank anymore.
He passed the exam with a decent score.
For truth be told, my dear friends,
A blank page is never ever silent.

My Secret Garden

In the secret garden of my mind,
There are blue skies and sunshine.
Flowers bloom in myriad colors.
Birdsongs echo in the lush bowers,
Ushering hope and good tidings.
With the blessing of eternal Spring.