A Friendly Banter

I hear him consulting whispers

I hear him sing to me

Some tempting strains of melody

His voice pregnant with glee.

In his notes so vibrant, true

A smile too lights his face

Makes me think of brighter things

And joys I can’t express.

He talks of something he conjures

He thinks it high of all

I like to see him build at it

Lest I stroke its fall.

Looks at me with spirits high

His doubts just take a peep

Like good friends I cry, “Tarry!”

For joys can make you weep.

Caution maketh heroes none

And prudence breeds no love.

My skeptic soul would still profess

“There is no God above.”

Never love so deep and fast

n’ tie that silken thread.

If love cometh without a din

So can do hatred.

Delay, defer, prod and judge

Let love take all its time

As beauty ushers in true faith

With caprice emerge rhyme.

All my wisdom at his feet

I delve into his eyes

A serene smile etched out of lips

‘Love’ stares back in surprise.

Was It Only Yesterday ?

Was it only yesterday?

That you held my hands

And walked the yards.

The day reclining to rest

As the Sun took shade for the night.

My eyes attentive, inert to your words.

My mind fixed at some distance

Counting present worries

And those yet to come.

Some yours. Some mine.

And the road ribboned forward

Only to bend at curbs

While the air mixed hues and sounds

Of the approaching evening.

You loved the sunset.

And I loved you.

You were always this reckless.

Never giving a silent thought before the leap

Splashing muddy waters onto your silk churidaar,

Spoiling my starched dove-white shirt.

And then having only a pleading smile

Half impish, half sincere

And full of unrepentant joy,

That made me smile. Annoyed.

But, you never noticed.

You kept pace with the fireflies of rain

And chased their wings

Like a child at play.

Like that girl untouched

Of pain or vice.

I, like a fool, watched.

And relived my faded childhood.

Through you.

You danced.

Was it only yesterday?

When unawares you wept out loud.

For the kitten was hurt,

Or the urchins were poor

Or that ‘people just die’.

My emotions too confused,

My responses delayed,

Waited for waves to settle

In your tremulous heart.

I only breathed.

And somewhere deep within me

Something moved

In the blissful knowledge that

You are to be treasured.

For life.

If not by me.

Someone else.

For sure.

The sunset makes me feel silly.

As I take the long walk home

I see people huddle in the rain.

You loved getting drenched, I remember.

And every time the deluge,

In its joyous rhythm

Obliged.

In setting you free.

By letting life play around you

As you danced to the thunder.

I stood at some corner watching.

Miffed and amused.

I knew it would be soon,

Time for a kiss.

And then ‘Goodbye’.

The unclasping of fingers

And pearls of longing

Gracing you eyes,

Slipping down your cheeks

In their cruel climb.

I smiled like irony.

That made me live

My entire lifetime.

Was it only yesterday ?

A Climber Growing Up My Wall

Last afternoon when I was free

Ambling aimless all by me

At my backyard made this find

Of one luscious climber tree.

Growing off one seedy crack

I did marvel at its knack

Of surviving the cruel heat

Running up an unseen track.

Tendrils hung in mystery curl

Every node in eager knurl

As if reaching out for help

To let its nascent leaves unfurl.

Taking moments off my praise

Reason intervened my gaze

I considered uprooting it

And put the trouble all ablaze.

Craven, it did seem at first

For this summer it won’t last

Though I pondered if the clouds

Would come early to its thirst.

My mind from me wanted to know

If some kindness I could show

To let this harmless climber live

And come back later, see it grow.

That very moment I could sense

Tender leaves wilt in suspense

No fruit or flower tempting me

That often makes for recompense.

And while I turned my back to leave

I sensed a feeling of reprieve

In unheard words of thankfulness

That I had let that climber live.

My tribute to Robert Frost and his poems which inspired me through the simplicity of their verse and gravity of their import. This was written a couple of years back as a humble homage.

photo:google-images

UTOPIA

Set me free from hungry hands

Set me free from mortal chains

Lead me to a better world

Where no tears tickle pain.

Let be this a piece of land

Where flocking birds do sing

In rain and sun and summer-time

In season of gold-harvesting.

Let us draw no battle lines

Amongst brothers, amongst creed

With enough to feed sustenance

Not a grain to appease greed.

Noble be the way of life

Let courage lead us to some place

Wherein shade of thunder sleeps

A dreamy damsel of solace.

Void or brimming, fast or slow

Death will still in ambush wait

Until then, let life be good

Until then, let love sedate.

2008 - 2007 = 1

It's a little late perhaps, but, as we Bangalis are of the habit of prolonging our Bijoyaa greetings till Kaali pujo, I hereby take the opportunity to wish you all

A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year

in the truest Bangaali spirit and the attendant languorous bliss.

Well, it has already been three full days into the new year and it's still the 'same old story' with my life. Nothing seems to have moved an inch.

Complaining and complaining profusely is not in my nature. So, I hereby preclude all such aspersions which are on the verge of being cast on me, of being a 'hopeless sulker'.
I am actually content that nothing seems to be changing that much with me or my life. Some how, I have grown to become fond of stagnation which, I guess, I take for stability.

So, here's hoping for an Indian batting collapse in Adelaide, a drowning monsoon in Kolkata, a glut of bandhs and hartals to provide lazy afternoon siestas to middle-aged Sorkaari clerks, numerous ways to celebrate my infinite unemployment, a new set of 'gulp-downable' gyaans on a multiplicity of issues, a final adieu to my college, 'spreading sweetness and light' everywhere (i.e being true to my name) and helping at least one person realize the goal of his being and in the process exploring the same probing question for my own sake.