The Reward

Once upon a long time ago,
There lived a wealthy man.
With money, his coffers did flow,
And there was nothing he lacked.

Silken clothes, jewels and gold –
His closets were full of them.
A mansion, servants at his call,
And plates encrusted with gems.

Yes, he called himself fortunate
As he had all of life’s rewards.
He felt he had all the happiness,
And that he needed nothing more.

Then, one hot day, his caravan
Stopped to rest in the afternoon.
The chariots parked under a banyan
That had vast branches and roots.

As he got down to stretch his legs,
He saw a man dressed commonly.
Who smiled benevolently at him
And asked if he was hungry or thirsty.

With disdain, the rich man denied
And told him that he had no wants.
The man bowed his head and smiled
And turned away to another person.

This man served food and water
To people who rested under the tree.
He took no money even if offered,
And this, the affluent man saw silently.

As the sun set, he questioned
That man why he did what he did.
The man smiled and invited him
To serve with him food to the needy.

The opulent man laughed loudly
And agreed just to humor him.
He served a weary traveler a meal
In a plate made of woven leaves.

All of a sudden, he was overcome
With an emotion hitherto unknown,
From his eyes, tears flowed freely, and
He felt at peace and happy all at once.

As he looked at the common man,
That man just smiled at him.
He knew that this humane action
Had turned to dust his arrogance.

As the princely man sat in the chariot,
And his caravan began to move,
He realized he had been rewarded
By his own service that afternoon.

A reward that couldn’t be measured
By diamonds, gold and gemstones.
It was a prize he’d always treasure
From his generous gesture alone.

I hope that like the wealthy man,
My friends, you too realize –
An act of kindness and compassion
Is itself the true reward in our lives.

Mirrors

We were not lovers.
We were two mirrors.
Reflecting.
Revealing.

We were not for each other.
We were because of each other.
Glowing.
Accepting.

We did not bother with flowers.
We were happy with what was ours.
Speaking.
Expressing.

We were not secret creatures.
We were the elements of Nature.
Blazing.
Burning.

We did not exist together.
We were cosmic dancers.
Twirling.
Gliding.

The world called us lovers.
Lovers in love…forever.
But then…we were not lovers.
We were…and are…two mirrors.

Just Laugh

Laugh like the daisies
Bobbing in the breeze.
Laugh like the little dew
Shining on green leaves.

Laugh like the golden Sun
Blazing in the afternoon.
Laugh like the great ocean
Glistening white and blue.

Laugh like the midnight sky
Twinkling with tiny stars.
Laugh like the crescent satellite
Beaming from a distance far.

Let there always be laughter
And reasons to laugh out loud.
Let it fill the heart with rapture
Like a rainbow in the clouds.

Let laughter be your pal
In moments of sadness.
Let it cast its magic spell
As the harbinger of happiness.

The Birth of Jesus

‘Twas a holy starlit night
As the winged angels took flight
To proclaim the good tidings –
The arrival of the one true King.

To the shepherds in the fields,
They appeared in all their glory,
And told them not to be terrified
For they had brought news of joy.

They spoke of the Savior’s birth.
He who is the Messiah, the Lord.
And then, they revealed a sign –
In a manger, lay a little child.

A child, wrapped in bands of cloth
In the city of David, this day, was born.
He who was, Himself, the Light
He, whose words, would be the guide.

Then all the heavenly hosts sang,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
And on Earth, peace among
Those Whom He favors.”

With that, the angels went into the yonder.
Leaving the shepherds talking in wonder.
They, in turn, left for Bethlehem
To see what had been told to them.

So, it was that they all went in haste.
And found the Child that in a manger lay.
They saw the Parents – Mary and Joseph
And told them what the angels had said.

Everyone who heard them was amazed,
And the shepherds returned full of praise,
Singing of God’s glory as they had seen
All and as it had been told to them.

Mary, too, heard the shepherds,
And she treasured all their words,
And in Her heart, She pondered them.
They said that the Savior was Her Son.

And after eight days had passed,
The Little Boy was named Jesus –
A name that was given by the angel
Before He was conceived in the womb.

This is the story of the Messiah’s birth.
Not in a palace, but in a humble manger.
This is a testament of God’s love
Through Jesus, He brought hope for all.

Gravity and Me

One beautiful day, I was strolling down the street
With the breeze in my hair, a song on my lips,
A skip in my step and my eyes towards the sky.
Imagining shapes in the clouds floating by.
When, all of a sudden, She crept up stealthily,
And I found myself lying flat on the hard concrete
After stepping on a discarded, unheeded banana peel.

Then, there was that day, when I visited the library
Hoping to read a book and borrow another three
Debating between Robin Cook and Agatha Christie,
Or, maybe, an Isaac Asimov would be the best for me.
When, who should espy me? Yes, it was again She.
And there I was heeding to her as She called me,
As I stumbled and tumbled down ten stairs painfully.

And, I can never forget that lovely dinner party
With food so scrumptious and wine that flowed freely.
As the skies outside turned rosy with the Sun setting,
The music was turned up and everyone began dancing.
When five minutes into the prancing, whom did I meet?
Confound it! You’re right – it was my “bestie”; it was She.
As I landed on the floor instead of my heeled feet.

Yes, we’re in a special relationship – Gravity and me
Except, we’re not like chocolate and strawberries.
I may think I can hide, but She’s too good at seeking.
There’s just no chance of avoiding her or escaping.
Like Fevicol, She’s stuck on me permanently,
And every encounter when She shows up gleefully,
Unfortunately, ends for me distressingly – O woe is me!

Social Media – An Unreality

As the city wakes up to a new dawn,
And the sun peeps over the horizon,
He excitedly reaches out for his phone
To check the “likes” on his latest post.

Not far away, in the same city’s corner,
She takes a selfie with some flowers,
And to make herself look even “better”,
She uploads it after applying a filter.

While in another house down the alley,
He shares a video that fascinates him.
A video that’s completely fake and false
With contorted facts and no truth at all.

Yes, there’s a new epidemic in town.
One that spreads all the year around.
Drawing us into a world of “instants” –
Instant fame, love and gratification.

We were different without social media.
We were more “social” with each other.
Emotions weren’t equal to emoticons.
Networks did not limit our connections.

Where are the heart-felt conversations?
Why do we crave the clicks of buttons?
Let the smog disperse to reveal the light
Social media can never replace real life.

A Different Kind of Hero

Not all heroes come to the rescue.
Some step back and cheer for you.
Not all heroes have shining armours.
Some instill hope in dreary corners.
Not all heroes ride steeds that fly.
Some ignite a spark in your mind.
Not all heroes wield a sharp lance.
Some till the earth with their hands.
Not all heroes have superpowers.
Some translate sunsets and flowers.
Not all heroes lead battle armies.
Some clean the rivers and the seas.
Not all heroes save damsels in danger.
Some choose to walk to protect Nature.
Not all heroes have great conquests.
Some create vaccines against viruses.
Not all heroes wear a flowing cape.
Some become examples of change.
Not all heroes are decorated knights.
Some use verse to spread the light.

A Season Called Christmas

It may be cold and snowy outside, but it’s the season
Of hope.

It may be dark and cloudy at night, but it’s the season
Of giving.

Santa arrives with his bag of joys, for it’s the season
Of love.

And on this day, His Son was born, so it’s the season
Of glory.

Come one, come all, let’s rejoice, for it’s the season
Of miracles.

Come with gratitude and faith; let’s all celebrate a
Merry Christmas!!!

Musings for the New Year

Month after month, year after year,
Space scientists struggle to answer
This question – Is anybody out there?

With them, everyone else wonders –
Are we all truly alone in this universe?
And is this for the better or for worse?

But do signs of alien life really matter?
Or how far all the galaxies are scattered?
Or the location of black holes and stars?

Now, how about when a neighbor suffers?
How do you ease their sadness or fears?
Or is being compassionate a big bother?

Do you help your brothers and sisters?
Would you care or lend your shoulder?
Or do you chase glamor and grandeur?

As the curtains drop on the past year,
Let us all pledge to always be together,
Listen to and empathize with each other.

Let Humanity be the focus this New Year,
For the question we all should answer
Is about ourselves – Is anybody in there?