Month: October 2022

.
Meaningless they seem, senseless they talk
 bearing no truth based onsuppositions
 more or like the weather forecasts.

The weatherman says it is going to rain,
 a depression is expected, in few hours
 the storm will have a landfall.,

 The conversation, meander in circles,
dubbing one as loss maker, the other as
an immoral woman.

They speak as though they saw,
the fall, the wayward  behaviour
with precision, quoting time and date,

Distancing from this demeaning
community is the easiest remedy.
I do that with an emphasis,

Vishnu sparkles in deep blue,
I wonder what exact blue he is
sea blue or sky blue. Likely
sky blue, “Neela Mega”

His consort Lakshmi
 Is gold like, lustrous dazzles
Coral lips enhance her light skin
An aura of gold and blue fascinates,

Shiva’s face turns red. A fearful Tanadava 

follows,His  jumps, squats, revolves,, pink hue 

gets darker .The green toned Shakthi competes 

ruby outshines, emerald diffuses.

Blue and gold stay the man and wife,
romancing in the seabed..Shiva and Shakthi 

reign supreme,pink and green embrace 

high up in the Himalayas.

.

Serving me in good faith
my subordinates demand less
except a few hours rest.

To be truthful I yield to their demands  
hand over liberal perks. To put it bare
I am not a hard task master.

Their predecessors remained
for three years, never once did
they betray,

Few decades back, their kin were
not found and I had a crew who bunked
often causing inconvenience,

Unlike my people these come to a halt
only when their life system fails.
never could they be restored — tragic.

The motherboard crashes,
leading to a hardware failure
 a sudden massive attack

leads to a collapse 

the bodies are muted
android and laptop breathe no more

Talking about those who live for gains
at the cost of principles and values,
I become emotional at one stage.

While sailing in the calm waters,
 a quick harsh tide throws the boat
 0ut of gear, a metaphorical allegiance.

They turn cordial, behave gentle,
speak softly, an absolute antithesis
of their original, akin to a sly fox.

Being a pretense, I am aware.
decide not to fall a prey
to their baits which they

throw liberally, a ruse to entice

and entrap me. Wisdom takes over,
Resolve there are more ideologies

requiring attention than these earthly

desires. Shutting up with them I gaze
at the sky which thunders mildly–
 a beckoning call, 

–

 I greet aloud with a namaskar,
my lips unfurl a dainty smile.
eyes glow with love,

 The garden competes with my posture
red and white dahlias stand tall, encharm.
an outburst of colourful  brilliance.

Rains challenge my generosity
They pour every evening, not mad.
enriching and enhancing the soil

My hands unknowingly fold,
head voluntarily bows, I go about  
whispering a namaskar.

–

A sharp-witted woman, my mom

happens to meet her friend, a local Raja’s
daughter, later her son becomes
 a minister in the Federal government,

 Mischievously she calls her 
“Raja’s daughter then,
 now Mantri’s mother, Don’t
 you  feel demoted”.

My mom could not help laughing.
jokes that the groom, my dad  
resembles a clown insinuating
my dad’s mom and his sisters.

Incidentally, dad is a handsome guy
 for his bridal dress was a bit oversized.

Living within my scope, I spend
on  the essentials. I seek nothing more.

Mom must have been infuriated,bids me
to stretch my hands. Puzzled,I stretch them

 Her wit overlaps.” Your hands appear short”.

Little did I realize at the moment
it is a pointer to.my thriftiness. “Mom.
my hands are becoming shorter

and shorter as days roll on,”

 Peace, mom!

–

It is a ten-minute event
which takes place
in the temple.

Parents, siblings,
aunts and cousins
queue on either side.

The temple bell goes
the priest chants performing  

aarti.. The sanctum turns vibrant.

The boy nervously
 eyes the girl, who
 is shaking with fear.

The eyes of the girl do the trick
 catch a glimpse of the boy
 unnoticed by the crowd.

The family elders’ step in
exchange thamboolam
a precursor to the wedding.

A ten-minute discovery
paves the way for a lifelong

partnership.  Going strong to date.

 

My friends tease me
call me a proud peacock,
a country mouse, contrarian
attributions.

Hailed proud because I am reserved,
Disdainfully a country mouse as
I stay contented within
limited precincts.

Enjoying their taunts to the bit,
chuckling, I confide to no one else
than me, a peacock is virtuous,
secured is the country mouse.

Minding not what others talk
I carry on with pride.
My style of living focuses
on discipline and sincerity,

Downsizing my meals
bigger dishware
give way to small.

Two ounces of broth
three spoons of curries
half a bowl of rice,

a glass of buttermilk
with a pinch of salt
comprises my lunch.

My old utensils have
climbed the attic, and will stay
for the rest of life.

The kitchen adopts
a miniature form that reclines 

to an obnoxious  silence.

There is no clattering of vessels,
no more scrubbing of charred  
wares, taps do not sing.

The pantry is bare
bereft of stacks of rice,
pulses and gallons of oil.

Refrigerator breathes easily, 

little dumping,  of stock

a minimal occupation of space.

Tranquility unassumingly takes hold
awe grips, fear and solitude
reign supreme,

The first week of every month
when payments storm in
both output and input
the outflow pulls me beneath

while the inflow overwhelms
like a river which floods during 

monsoonwhich dries during peak summer.

Very much familiar with these nuances
as I come from a business family.

my mom used to tell me  
“no one teaches a fish
how to swim”.  I sigh almost
like a hippopotamus when
I have to substantiate each expense..

Earlier the outward was greater
while the inward was minimal
a semblance to the dried up
wells, wherein water seeps nebulously I

 minimize the purchase,skip 

the most required, my mom,again

“buy a fitting shoe, never 

opt for a bigger one”

As I grew in years I learnt
the art of balancing.
debit the giver, credit the receiver,
the only principleI remember till date
I pursue the ledgers, journals,
daybook, cash books, bank books
with the ease of reading fiction.

The blood that runs in my veins
neither allows me to reach
the realms of fantasy, nor permit
to seek the divine, The ethereal
turns elusive, the mundane
co exists.  I continue to wear
the business garb, no matter
how awkward I look.