Hope

As the clock strikes three,
In the darkness of the night,
A frightful nightmare steals
Into my pair of sleepy eyes.

I’m walking in the forest
Stalked by animals wild.
Fear rises as they chase,
But I can’t run though I try.

And yet, against every odd,
I’m pushed into wakefulness,
And returned to this world
With a feeling of hopefulness.

Yes, hope is that brave knight
Who rides into all nightmares
Fighting valiantly against fright,
And rescuing people from scares.

And there is no well or storm
That can hinder his mission.
Be it a deep ocean or dark barn,
He defeats all ghastly villains.

And so, I go to bed each night
Unsure of what I may dream,
Yet, hoping to see the dawn’s light
Through the shivers and screams.

The Girl in the Mirror

How does one solve a puzzle
That is unsolvable?

How does one name a color
That’s a mix of all the others?

How does one read a tale
Written in words incomprehensible?

How does one predict
The breeze’s path in the next minute?

How do I ever decipher
This girl I see in the mirror?

How do I ever translate
All of her mysterious ways?

How do I ever recognize
The dreams she’s locked deep inside?

How do I ever know?
It’s like finding a snowflake in the snow!

All I am aware of her are her words.
A poetess she is, a peddler of hope!

The Hopeful Bird

My heart yearns to be a bird
That sings her song at dawn,
A song of hope for the world
In the wee light of the morn.

She flits among the green trees
Picking notes along the way,
Weaving them into a symphony,
Which she sings the next day.

Come rain or cold or sunshine,
She never runs out of tunes,
For with those, the Sun will rise
And bathe her with warmth, too.

The world may not comprehend
The songs she sings every day.
But her songs, with the dawn, blend
To say that hope is here to stay.

Hope – A Story

The train started from a tiny village
Deep within the Indian hinterland.
And, in one red and black carriage
Sat Ami with a brown bag in her hand.

The train was bound for the big city.
The journey was of a night and day.
Soon, the whistle blew, and it slowly
Moved with a chug-chug on its way.

Along with Ami in the compartment
Were a bunch of old men and women.
She did not have to give any explanation.
They could see that she was pregnant.

The women smiled and gently asked
Her about her family and her baby.
In casual conversation, the time passed.
Then night fell, and they all went to sleep.

Sometime before dawn, Ami awakened.
The pain had started like ocean waves.
Her wails woke up the men and women.
They realized the baby was on its way.

The news spread throughout the cabins
As the women rallied around her to help.
Water, towels, bedsheets, and curtains
Were all arranged around her small bed.

After hours of the painful contractions,
Ami delivered a beautiful, pink baby girl.
Everyone wished her with congratulations
As she kept weeping with joyful tears.

Slowly, she revealed her life’s story.
Her husband was martyred recently.
All that was left of his love was the baby
Whom she named “Hope” in his memory.

The Light of Hope

The Sun may set in the west
Leaving behind a trail of darkness.
And if this weighs heavy on your chest,
I’ll be the one to ease the sadness.

For all that remains unexpressed,
I light a candle at dusk with earnestness.
And through its glow, I suggest
Let’s talk to end the hopelessness.

Many-a-times in life’s quest,
There are moments of unsureness.
Let this little flame put your mind to rest
With it, you are no longer directionless.

Just like the flame flickers with zest,
Let hope chase away the gloominess.
And if you need to choose for the best,
Choose life with all its meaningfulness.