the rooms grow smaller
quieter
after every departure
clicks the latch
they're built to keep
weather out
not harbor grudges
that echoes leave behind
forks, vases, plates and pens
settle into their places,
as though, they're expected
the yellow walls
once held afternoon teas,
until the laughter
sealed the paint
and screened the light
the banister
smooths its touch
before any hand
remembers its feel
the curtains
lift their seams
peering underneath
themselves
the stairs
borrow sunlight
for the tread of feet
the kettle
answers itself
in a kerfuffle
chorus of steam
the floorboards
clear their throats
one board
too soon
the hallway
widens for every
shadow
still waiting
outside
every afternoon
rehearses mornings
one curtain call
at a time
the dust learns
the shape
of fingertips
the chairs
lean much closer in
to listen
the doormat
combs its
greeting nap
every echo
tries on
a different voice
as the house
leaves
the door
ajar
for no one
I stand by the stream
listening to the sound of flowing water.
the gentle invitation it offers
is a soft unraveling
of everything the day held too tightly.
it murmurs over stones
in a language older than sorrow,
each syllable a cool blue note
slipping into the air.
there is a tenderness in it,
a steadiness
that smooths the edges of thought
and loosens the knots beneath my ribs.
the stream keeps moving,
silver-bright, unhurried,
teaching the me
how to breathe again.
and as it trickles and flows,
its gathers calm around me~
a quiet presence
that feels like being held
by something patient
and endlessly kind.
Sage just does not know when to stop.
Not everything needs your energy.
This green knows the weight of No.
Not everything needs your company.
Sage gets tired of useless talk.
Explanations we do not need.
Your No is enough, there is No need to rush.
This green collides with harmony.
This green will gently close the door.
A shade that leaves me whole.
Sage is the green that clears the air.
But it does not promise miracles.
Sage is not about renewal.
It is about honoring boundaries.
This green smooths with no spectacle.
Burning away such misery.
At the dusk of life,
All promises of dawn fade.
The hopes of noon arrive dead—
Petals wilt, beauty flees, and regret dances.
Time feigns vivacity within the day,
Yet grows listless before twilight unveils.
Its carcass leaves behind bitter regrets—
Like emptiness gripped in bare hands.
If you still feel time’s galloping pulse,
Run with blistering speed, lest it leave you behind;
For time deceives, wears down all strength,
And barters vigour for disillusionment.
Build your fort—adorn it with success;
For mockers wait to scorn your fall.
Only steadfast endurance sustains your stride,
And smooths life’s rough gallops on your way.
With soft touch of hands
mother smooths creases of fear—
folding in embrace
touching quivering candle
fingers humming haunting hymns
Love requires no hands
it invents its own language—
wing, beak, paw and lick
a body curled up to care
whispers —'you're safe'
Whales cuddle up close
dolphins ring rosy halos
seals seek safe harbors
penguins bow against the wind
birds soothe with beaks and feather
Love without fingers
a current that wraps and lifts
a tide unbroken
it cradles the heart within
steadies the faltering steps
Such love needs not touch—
it listens, watches, imbibes
hovering in care
joining two hearts together
with spirit of motherhood
ASCENSION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
moon slowly ascends
silver coin in well of sky
glow smooths rough edges
She's only seventeen
Eyes of warm blue ice…
a sky with clouds of pearl
Kindness peeks out,
empathy for the whole world
Ebony lashes, concealing,
revealing, in a graceful fan
Flickering glimpses of
this strong woman within
Youth plumps and smooths
dandelion dusted skin,
That only glows a golden bronze
when the sun's shinin’.
Hair, a long and straight
arrow down her back
Sometimes it's a rich brown,
sometimes blue, or black
Not interested in pink satin
or frilly, white lace
But she loves to have shiny jewels
to decorate her face
Inside this stunning shell,
behind all the bling,
Lies a mind full of deep thoughts,
a heart that's known pain
Yet she laughs without boundaries,
she will always dance in the rain
My heart and soul, my beloved,
She's only seventeen.
Ultimate Journey
Dr Ranjit Dutta
When the soul freed from
Life's turbulent sea
When the weary wings
No longer room
In midst of blue.
In the realms of light
When love resides
The heart once heavy
Now only abides.
Free from the chains of
Fear and pain,
It finds its gain
In infinite calm.
The whisper of soul
Is now clear.
It echoes through time
Without fear
A gentle breeze
That smooths the mind
As wisdom lessons
Are still left behind.
In this cosy stillness,
All is made new
The soul's deep longing
Finally come true
The eternal peace
In midst of serenity.
Near a distant sun
Under an uncontaminated crystalline sky
Exists a world without me
Where the viridescent grass ages unchallenged
Wears wizened beards
And bows only to the wind
Where the waters crash when you thirst to surf
Smooths when you desire to paddle
And ripples towards shore when you’re heading home
Where zebras change their stripes daily
From neon green to psychedelic purple
Or any color in between
Where the “H” on a building simply symbolizes “Help”
And is a communal gathering place
Where anyone can ask and receive assistance with anything
Where government is synonymous with communication
Leadership is synonymous with service
And opponent is synonymous with respect
But, this distant inhabitation,
Magnificent as it may be
Lacks Caleb, Adam, and Kelsi
Two sons and a daughter that have shone so bright
That they must have burned themselves into my pupils
Since they are always in my sight
So, I turn from this distant scene
A dream without an imperfect me
Because,
A world full of wonders
Will always fall short of wonderful
Without the likes of Caleb, Adam, and Kelsi
Quote: When earth’s one half faces the sun, the other half goes to restful sleep – Anonymous
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
With tilted axis
And elliptical orbit
Earth shimmies like Prima ballerina
With a graceful pirouette
She faces the Sun’s heat
Smooths out glare on her feet
At night she parties
Filling veins of her green
With stimulating goodness sap
Moon, the proud practice partner
Strenthens her seasonal jumps
Allows her to Celebrate
Appreciative Sun shines
More on the partner
To see well the glow on ballerina
Unmindful of Newton’s theories
Lush lives thrives on this duet
In the shadow of sunlight
He welds and melts, pours and molds
In his "Conversations with My Soul"
He smooths the rough steel of syllables
Into a "Portrait" graced by his "Play on Words"
Unrolling "Scenes from a Countryside" to "That Starry Night"
Whether "October Skies" or "In November" "Moonlight"
So, "If Ever I Don't Know"
which way my adjectives should go
when wandering "A Starry Galaxy"
I follow the "Sinuous Melody"
To cross the river and climb the boulder
While tapping "Gently on the Shoulder"
He finds summer in "A Piece of Winter"
As a friend, brother and mentor
He is welcoming, and when reading your poem
His comments are "To You Alone"
And if you come to say
"I Needed Wings Today"
He will weave lines in a "Distinct Ballet"
As if "It Came Upon a Prophecy"
And not from some stifled "Academy"
Dear John, please continue to "Compose"
Even when "Getting Old is Getting Old"
Without your gift
We are "Too Soon Bereft"
The "Verbal Miracles" you perform
Show how "All of Life is a Poem"
You have been my friend
my artistry sibling,
"And I Am Grateful".
12/20/23
Your hairy brown exterior
Belies the sweet interior
A gift to humans culinary
Or cocktail quite extraordinary
Your oil it smooths, caresses
A babies bum it blesses
Your cream is heaven slurry
As I add it to my curry
In short you're what we all need
Though your stature for a plant seed
Might be intimidating
I'll still give you 'A' star rating
ethereal lovely touches like
etheric ocean waves smooths
excellent whisper of love
cool breeze of romantic fall night
come and go on right time
coalesce the two souls
Bold-lit lamp, rained on, snowed on
Undaunted; undismayed.
Even of tree's fleshy torn strips
What is splattered for leaf.
Constant standing in one place
With this one fixed purpose;
Courage, nights! Which clear heart-way
Steadies as smooths beneath.
The moon is at his window
It bathes him with its light
It smooths his features wan
With fingertips of white
Steal slowly moonbeam rising
Across the bedroom floor
Illuminate his breathing
Enchant his sleeping door
Take time for observation
He slumbers, still, as stars
That twinkle in the heavens –
Like you his dreams are far
Beyond the near horizon
Beyond infinity
Too far for us to reach him
Ourselves with him to be –
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