The Evolution

Today, I open the doors of my heart
To let in the Universe and all it brings
And flow with my evolution that will start.

Emotions hidden and kept secretly apart
Are released when I cut all the strings.
Today, I open the doors of my heart.

I let Love sculpt me into a work of art.
With Gratitude, I experience all things,
And flow with my evolution that will start.

I let Anger, Hate and Resentment depart.
Against them, I do not hold ill feelings.
Today, I open the doors of my heart.

I let in Prayers and the Peace they impart,
Invite Happiness with its unbridled wings,
And flow with my evolution that will start.

I make a concious decision to restart,
Let Grief leave, and count my Blessings.
Today, I open the doors of my heart
And flow with the evolution that will start.

PS: This poem is a Villanelle. The villanelle is a highly structured poem made up of five tercets followed by a quatrain, with two repeating rhymes and two refrains. The first and third lines of the opening tercet are repeated alternately in the last lines of the succeeding stanzas; then in the final stanza, the refrain serves as the poem’s two concluding lines. Using capitals for the refrains and lowercase letters for the rhymes, the form could be expressed as: A1 b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 A2.

The Navratri Palette

The world is full of colors, that cannot be denied,
Different tints and hues from the earth to the skies.
But, it becomes even more so during certain times
Like on the days of Navratri, when Maa Durga arrives.

The first day is celebrated by wearing bright red.
It shows energy and fervor, and the soul is invigorated.
The second day is celebrated by wearing Royal blue.
It enables introspection, and is a very calming hue.

The third day is celebrated by wearing bright yellow.
It shows wisdom, optimism and an interest intellectual.
The fourth day is celebrated by wearing emerald green.
It promotes communication, both seen and unseen.

The fifth day is celebrated by wearing light grey.
It is neutral and peaceful, and encourages us to reflect.
The sixth day is celebrated by wearing bright orange.
A color that exudes bravery, vigor and enthusiasm.

The seventh day is celebrated by wearing pure white.
It has a calming effect and an influence that purifies.
The eighth day is celebrated by wearing baby pink.
It is a symbol of kindness and represents innocence.

The ninth day is celebrated by wearing sky blue.
This shade stands for hope and limitless potential, too.
These colors represent the palette of Maa Durga’s blessings.
O Maa! Bless me with each of these for a life enriching.

Om Jai NavDurge Namah!

Love Lost and Never Found

Love..sprouting like a seed planted in the fresh moist earth,
Unsure of the world around it, drawn towards the sunlight.
Reaching deep within with roots, leaf upon leaf unfurl,
Growing, growing and growing in the showers of desire.

Blooming with fragrant deep red petals like soft velvet,
Blossoming in the neverending, eternal, etheral Springtime,
Yearning every second, every minute, every hour, every day,
Longing to be known, acknowledged, realized and alive.

But what’s this? There’s something new and undiscovered
Sharp, dry, prickly, they can cut and draw blood outside.
Thorns… yes thorns of Ego, hidden among the red buds.
Hurtful thorns…with the passing moments, they too thrive.

Unrestrained, they grow faster, weaving a net of bramble,
Piercing through all, even the petals, not heeding to their cries.
Till all that’s left is a woody, dry underbrush that’s dead
With buried memories of a love that was lost…and happy times.

From the Witch’s Chronicles

A long, lengthy time ago
There lived a king and queen.
They had a baby daughter –
The prettiest anyone had seen.

One dark night, an evil witch
Stole into the infant’s room.
The bonnie baby she then picked
And flew away on her broom.

A room in a locked tower high
Was where the princess grew up,
With blonde hair and blue eyes
And no company except the evil one.

One day, a prince wandered astray
And stumbled upon the tower.
The princess let down her long tresses
So he could climb up to meet her.

The prince tried hard to ascend,
But kept falling off midway,
For he loved his cakes and croissants,
And had a lot of weight on his waist.

Finally, after many many tries,
He made it to the princess’s chamber.
Huffing and puffing from the climb,
He vowed to save her from the danger.

That was when the witch arrived
And saw the prince with the princess.
The prince raised his sword to strike
But that only spiked his blood pressure.

The battle was short and one-sided.
The witch turned him into a frog.
And to add to his woeful plight,
She threw him into a muddy bog.

And so, it was that during rainy nights
One would often hear him croaking,
“O! I wish I’d eaten less and exercised,
And not slept through military training.”

Well, that was how this story ended.
And I hope this helps you realize.
Good health comes from self-discipline.
Don’t wait to lose it and then be wise.

The Perfect Present

The corridors of the Past are sealed and dark.
The Future is a trip on which we are yet to embark.
The Present is where we can make our mark.

The Present is the interface linking the Past and Future
Like the Windows home screen on our computers,
Lessons are used to create possibilities by us as users.

The Present is the moment in which we are alive.
It holds innumerable opportunities for us to try.
It is where all actions and manifestations come to life.

So, make your Present your best friend and comrade.
Dwell not in the Past, for it has already faded.
And worry not about the Future, for it is not made yet.

The nature of Time is to keep flowing away.
The Present is it’s boon, in which we are awake.
So arise, and in this instance, stake your claim.

For the Love of Chocolate

Midnight’s bittersweet child,
Ambrosia from Paradise,
Harbinger of innumerable pleasures,
Enticing the senses beyond measure.

The smoothest criminal in history,
Unleashing a revolution culinarily,
The favorite of entire generations,
The star of many celebrations.

A soft silkiness that melts readily,
Fruity, caramel, nutty and earthy,
Even a whiff of it is magical,
A bouquet of aromas paradoxical.

Messenger of unspoken emotions,
There’s one for every occasion.
Tempting to every type of palate –
All this, is a piece of chocolate!

Incomplete

I have wings
But without the flowing winds,
I am incomplete.

I have eyes
But without the glowing light,
I am incomplete.

I have a mind
But without the Divine guide,
I am incomplete.

I have a heart
But without a true-blue confidant,
I am incomplete.

I have words
But without a quill and paper,
I am incomplete.

It would seem
That I am incomplete
Without the world around me.

Could it also be that the world
Is a bazillion-piece puzzle
That’s incomplete without me?

There’s a Choice…Always!

In our lives, we always have a choice to make.
Every moment brings with it an array of options.
We become what we choose from them to take.

Every wish, every dream that keeps us awake
Can be brought to existence by our own actions.
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.

We can’t decide when the Sun rises at daybreak,
But the dawn brings chances without questions.
We become what we choose from them to take.

Even when we feel we have made a mistake,
We can make amends after some reflections.
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.

It’s our life after all, and we are the ones at stake.
The world offers a Pandora’s box of passions.
We become what we choose from them to take.

With every little shove that seems like a quake,
We can either give up or reshape our missions.
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.
We become what we choose from them to take.

PS: This poem is a Villanelle.

Treasures Of the Past

Some say what’s out of sight is out of mind,
And this is also true for the steady flow of time –
Seconds, minutes, hours, days, years and decades,
With every passing moment, they all fade away.
They take with them experiences sad and happy
And seal these in a cabinet labeled “Memories.”
The cherished ones at times pop up in the mind,
But many of these are forgotten and left behind.
Oh! To catch and freeze all those moments
With the details just as they were in that instance –
The dress, shoes, eyes, garden, smile, and rapture.
Yes! All these are captured in a beautiful picture.
These images are all treasures from our pasts.
They are the ones that make the lost times last.
Be it people, places, adventures, events or things,
A photograph is sure to pull the heart’s strings.
And whenever you want to relive those moments,
All you need is to look at the pictures in albums.

The Faces of Life

What is life if not an evergreen shrub
With hurtful thorns and velvet buds?
What is life if not a swinging ride
Sliding down and then up so high?

What is life if not a bride’s dress
With sturdy satin and delicate lace?
What is life if not a big mirror
With a side clear and other blurred?

What is life if not a vast ocean
With calm waters and raging storms?
What is life if not a bestseller
With true love and aching heartbreak?

Yes, life in all its beautiful moments,
Strives to always create a balance –
Opposites so distant and yet so near,
Life serves up both smiles and tears.