The Girl and the Moon

They tried so hard to make her see
That the moon was just a rock.
They tried so hard to kill her dreams
And suppress all her thoughts.

She said the moon was a ball of yarn
The Night Fairy used, to stitch each star,
In the blanket that she’d knit till dawn
For every living thing near and far.

She said the moon was made of cheddar,
And an old woman lived on it
With an old mouse and an old heifer.
They made the moon grow small and big.

She said the moon was a bowl of rice pudding,
And if you wished upon it before sleeping,
The Night Fairy would tiptoe into the kitchen
And leave for you, a bowl, with a big serving.

“But that’s not true,” they all exclaimed.
“The Moon’s just a rock floating in space!”
Her voice drowned in all their claims,
And she agreed with all they had to state.

The wanderer was witness to all of this,
And he scribbled in his manuscript.
“Mediocrity is the biggest enemy of genius,
And the Moon’s just a rock because of it.”

You, Me and the Night Sky

Me: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
You: I see millions of stars shining so brightly.

You: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
Me: I see millions of stars smiling at me.

Me: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
You: I see the stars create constellations so pretty.

You: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
Me: I see one vast constellation for humanity.

Me: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
You: I see the stars forming Taurus; that’s me!

You: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
Me: I see every star’s glow completing the night’s tapestry.

Me: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
You: I see the constellations changing with the seasons.

You: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
Me: I see each star waltz to a cosmic tune gracefully.

Me: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
You: I see what you mean and completely agree.

You: When you look at the night sky, what do you see?
Me: I see that without you, I’d never really see.

Is It?

Is it just a coincidence
That I keep running into you?
Our paths cross with persistence
Whenever I least expect it, too.

Is it just a coincidence
Or is it a divine intervention?
Is there a purpose in each instance
With a beautiful hidden intention?

Is it just a coincidence
That you make me so happy?
I am filled with a love so intense,
And you leave me head over heels.

Is it just a coincidence
That with you, I become different?
And it doesn’t need any evidence –
I bloom with your smiles so radiant.

Is it just a coincidence
Or are we meant to be together?
In this universe, and every dimension,
Are you my love, always and forever?

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.

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.

When You Said Nothing, But I Heard It All

The best things in life don’t make a lot of noise.

Like the Big Bang that birthed the Universe.
Like the life that takes shape in the womb of a mother.
Like the pearl that’s made from a grain of sand.
Like our love that sprouted when you clasped my hand.

In that moment, nothing was spoken,
Yet a bond was formed that couldn’t be broken.
In that moment, I heard everything –
Your promises of a love everlasting.

It was more than you just being there with me,
More than just a physical touch that I was feeling.
At that moment, I saw my life in a panoramic view.
My past, present, and future were with you.

I could never reveal what I saw and felt,
But in that moment, when our eyes met,
Something in the way you gazed back at me
Told me that you, too, had the same feeling.

Once Upon a Grey Day

The day was grey.
Grey it was, in every way.
The grey clouds cast a pall of gloom
Like the sky was mourning some doom.
Even the air that flowed around was grey
Carrying a chill for all who inhaled.
The grey street just blankly stared
As folks tred on with hearts greyed.
And that was how I turned grey, too
As I sat on a grey park-bench and rued.

Suddenly, you floated into view.
You smiled and asked, “How are you?”
With your lilting and happy voice
That instantly made me rejoice.

In that moment, the greys peeled away
To reveal a bright, technicolor day.
The clouds were cottony puffs of white,
And a rainbow glittered in the blue sky.
The air, with perfume, was fragrant
And warm like on a summer evening.
The street was decked with gay festoons
As if a carnival would approach soon.
And, each person skipped by
Humming a song with twinkling eyes.

And oh! That was when I saw myself
Blazing like the sunset with happiness!

A Love That Lasts

We fought.
Like the skies during a thunderstorm.
A spark lit, and like lightning, I lashed out.
You roared like the gunmetal grey clouds.
We howled at each other like the winds,
And like raindrops, flew the accusations.
It seemed as though the end had neared –
The end of our love, our world, our Universe.

And then, with the dawn, tiptoed a light
Spreading warmth and color on all sides.
We both couldn’t help but stop and stare
At the resplendent beauty everywhere.
Just as it seemed the damage had been done,
And the crack in our relationship couldn’t be undone,
The golden light of love brought forth a horizon
And we were united once again as one.

As we looked back at the fight,
We couldn’t reminisce who was wrong or right.
But, of one thing, we did become certain –
Our love would outlast everything.

I Will Never Forget You

There are people,
And there are memories.
And then, there’s you, infused in all my memories.

There’s hardly anywhere I can go,
Or anything I can do
Without thinking of you.

There’s hardly any object I own,
Or any that I don’t
That doesn’t remind me of your love.

The other day, I was in the subway
When someone handed me a pamphlet.
It was of a store announcing a sale,
One of no remarkable interest,
And yet, I saved it till this day
Because its red shade
Reminded me of the roses you gifted
Me on the day we had first met.

Then, there were the tear drop earrings
Made of imitation rhinestones
Twinkling in the afternoon sun,
As, in the shop display window, they hung,
Very much like the light in your eyes
Whenever you looked at me and smiled.

You knew I loved birds.
The scarf with printed peacock feathers
That you bought for me is a reminder
Of the times we spent together.

I love you – that’s quite plain to see!
And I really like to think –
These knick knacks that bring forth memories
Are actually just you – always professing your love for me.

The Moment

‘Twas a moment wrapped in silky mist and silvery dew
As we strolled together on the wooded mountain trail.
The patches of sky visible through the trees were blue
And the breeze caressed each leaf to waltz and sway.

It was as if the forest, mountains, and Universe already knew
The emotions hidden inside me that sought an escape.
You walked on, talking, laughing, as always, being beautiful
Awakening within me all the thousand shades of sunset.

Then, you pointed towards a flower that in the moss, grew,
And asked me what I thought, but I was admiring your face.
At that moment, everything converged, and I said, “I love you.”
Never in my life can I forget the awkward silence that prefaced…

The smile that lit up your eyes as you said, “I love you, too.”
All my inhibitions suddenly vanished without any trace,
As, in your eyes, I could see the promise of a love so true –
A love that all the moments of our lives would forever grace.

A Love Story

Theirs was a match made in Heaven
… And on Earth.
Her effervescence
Perfectly complemented his calmness.

Love was but natural,
As deep as the still waters of a lake in the morning.
It was more than just physical.
It existed in everything.

She loved flowers.
He loved watching her braid them in her hair.
He loved his morning coffee and newspaper.
She loved hearing his views on making the world better.

She’d laugh like a gurgling river.
He loved it when she did.
He’d hum songs from the yesteryears.
She loved it when he did.

Even their moments of disagreement
Deepened their affection,
Like a special condiment
That added a flavor to their connection.

They were the kind of lovers
Who actually lived their wedding vows.
Each year saw them together.
Each year saw their love grow.

But, then, there came a wretched phase
When an ill wind did blow.
It took her away in its grasp
Leaving him pining and alone.

Now, in the autumn of his life,
He yearns to be by her side.
At times, a tear rolls down his eyes
As he searches for her footprints in the void.

The Language of Love

Golden sunflowers
Turn toward the skies at dawn.
If this isn’t love, what is?

Raindrops from clouds
Kiss the earth as they fall down.
If this isn’t love, what is?

White-crested oceans
Embrace rivers with open arms.
If this isn’t love, what is?

Silent Summer zephyrs
Carry with them sweet birdsongs.
If this isn’t love, what is?

Leaves in Autumn
Relinquish their space to new ones.
If this isn’t love, what is?

Silvery moonbeams
Shine their light on everything.
If this isn’t love, what is?

It would seem that love
Converses not in sentences or words.

It is the language of the heart and soul,
And to be fluent, one only needs to love in return.