Golden Moments

Gold is the color of these moments.
Of the days spent in idyllic pleasure.
Leisurely, we’d set paper boats afloat
Down the streams in green meadows.
Evenings passed in carefree play, and
Nights were when grandma told tales.
Mom and dad would tuck me in bed.
On to the land of dreams, I’d then sail.
Memories of friends in photographs,
Each posing with smiles and laughs.
Nothing compares to those times.
Those were the best days of my life
Saved as remembrances in my mind.

PS: This is an acrostic poem. Join the first letter of each line and see what you get!

The End

It’s the end of the journey.
The flame clings to the last drop of oil
Carried by the last bit of wick.

While it lasted, it saw everything –
The white of lies, the grey of ambiguity,
The red of love, and the black of malice.

Now, its tiny yellow and orange shape
Casts a dim shadow on the wall
With no escape from its fate.

It struggles against the gusts of winds
Hoping for one more opportunity
To flicker, to dance wildly, to just breathe.

Slowly and slowly, it loses strength.
And its will also fades away
With each passing moment.

Then, with a final sigh, it gets snuffed
Released from all that it suffered
Curling into a wisp of smoke.

The last trace of the flame is gone
And with it, all the colors
Mingle into the vast azure calm.

Ashen Grief

Somewhere deep within my heart,
The garden we nurtured is ablaze.
The love we had was ripped apart
When you left me and went away.

The memories of us being together,
Each one, like a petal of a red rose.
All that we shared with each other,
Like creepers, entwined with hope.

And now, a raging wildfire blazes
Destroying each petal and leaf.
Everything I cherished, it erases,
Till all that’s left is ashen grief.

Days turn into months and years,
But the layers of grey still remain.
At times, a budlike illusion appears,
But it’s just a mirage evoking pain.

The Bee and the Rose

O! It was a scarlet shame!
The way they were together –
The bee and the rose blossom
In the small, fenced bower!

He couldn’t resist kissing her
As she trembled in the morning.
With her velvet petals unfurled,
She looked beautiful and tempting.

And she didn’t stop him either,
But delighted in his affection.
Yes, they were unabashed lovers
Who didn’t hide their passion.

“Oh dear me!” Said the Amaryllis.
“What blatant shamelessness!”
“Why, yes!” Nodded the peonies.
“Towards damnation, they’re headed!”

The chrysanthemums all whispered
“Something has to be done quickly.
What would our little buds learn
If this brazenness, they should see?!”

And they all tried hard in vain,
But couldn’t restrain the lovers.
And so, they’re still a scarlet shame –
The bee and the rose in the bower.

Crimson Fury

Rivers of blood;
Generations of blood
Lost to aggression
By men who are captive to borders
Drawn on maps with the pen,
By men who are slaves to religion
Written in books with the pen,
By men who are controlled by power
Assigned in offices with the pen,
The price of childhood and innocence,
Of freedom and peace is death.
I know not what is right in this world,
But I am sure there’s much that’s wrong.
So, when I die during this war,
Know that I regretted being helpless,
And bury me not in a patch of daisies
But in a field of red Cockscomb blooms,
Under the fiery red evening sun,
That I may rise again
With crimson fury in my veins,
And a pen that’s mightier than the mighty
That will rewrite the script of humanity
Not on paper, but in the souls of men,
That lives may not be snuffed again
Due to borders, religion, or power
And peace reigns over all, forever.

My Heart Beats For You

My heart beats for you
With a crazy jungle beat.
It goes a-dum-dee-dum-doo-doo-
Bid-a-bop-bop-bop-beep-beep.

My heart beats for you
And every time we meet,
Can you hear it, too?
Coz I see you tappin’ your feet!

My heart beats for you
With a special love so sweet.
With you, each moment’s new
As the beat plays on repeat.

My heart beats for you,
And it ain’t hard to see
That everything I ever do
Is so that you keep loving me.

My heart beats for you
Louder than a carnival on the street.
It goes a-dum-dee-dum-doo-doo-
Bid-a-bop-bop-bop-beep-beep.