Few years ago, I drifted on a wetland
swiveling through the pewter
of evening as contours of statelv herons
unfolded...velvety the feathers white,
and ablaze by clear Asian ripples of before.
Yet, from a visit today, my eyes
follow them along weeds...
their poses now limp from a gray night
through rows of frail blooms, fumbling
along a marsh looking old;
their feet throttling in slow sink of motion
against those once radiant plumes:
In quiet reflection, I imagine
these birds' pliqht amidst
nature's environ , steeped in frail
passages of late life stages unattended:
How I weep for these herons' destination
beyond soiled grasses
as I wrap my fingers in prayer,
relishing this instance where
I gaze at an avian delight,
slowly yet wondrously aging through my eyes.
Once. we trailed a lush forest
Of sweet desire and fiery embraces -
Where writings of eternity strayed
And a riot of fireflies
were circling
Right under a golden narra tree.
Twilight carried us, high up
a Manila moon,
Casting its glint ...we were eternal as time
Throttling off with endless schemes --
One by one, the petals bathed us
With a dewy scent of affection...
Until pile of leaves caught
Our laughter snuffed by thieving winds--
And you fell on a mantle of reeds
Chilled freezing from
a final sense of unknowing :
I remember... that was two decades ago
When all the flowers bowed
As You and I parted as pale shadows,
When love's vow of forever
melted like trickles of clay...
Whose psyche has come to my physique? Do I ever know?
I accept it as a stream accepts the fresh rain and flow.
In Ram, Rahim, and Robert, Rajeet this soul might have been
Did this dwell in Buddha and Jesus in a form unseen?
How many bodies had merged with the dust like earthen pots?
How, like feeble flies, has it passed through many throttling knots?
Did I get through any fragrant flowers and fleshy fruit?
Did I breathe through violin, guitar, sitar, flute, and lute?
Entwined amidst meaninglessness are wisdom and reason
Amidst winter, fall, monsoon, and summer, there's the spring season.
When absurd ends put a pause on flawlessly flowing streams
As though after dreams, before me dawn rays of rainbow beams
Peace, bliss, Nirvana, liberation, or transformation
New life, new hope, resurrection, or resuscitation
Concepts, caprices, conceits, and convictions could continue
Life, yet, like a fountain in flux, would secrete nectar new
he has always been my death –
he has always been my fear –
doors banging,
plates flying and breaking,
shouting, conniving,
lying to save my face from fists,
the only love I know –
the kicking
of my locked bedroom door
the swearing
the throttling of my neck,
fear and loneliness –
forceful penetration
the long rape, the long long rape –
the only love I know –
anger displayed
like a horrifying painting,
emotional outbursts,
the look of hate
and grinding teeth on top of me,
he has always been my death
he has always been my fear –
Mom’s boyfriend, the only love i know –
Smeared In a pattern.
This Rorschach abstraction.
Flowing like satin.
In cascading fashion.
Symmetry, mimicry.
Mirroring the mind.
Coddling, throttling.
Either or is fine.
Full to bursting.
Ache encephalitis.
In many minds of how this building
pressure will ignite us.
"Ticky tacky" tinderboxes.
Longing for the flame.
Effigies of rememberance.
Not all burn the same.
The beauty of the sanguine bloom,
detonator primed.
T-minus the countdown.
Get on with the ride.
Functional, nominal.
Broken by design.
Apathy, empathy.
Whatever's left is mine.
In written depiction.
This Incessant chatter.
An empty inscription.
For a mindless matter.
Wish all my friends on Poetry Soup a joyful, peace filled and prosperous New Year!
As the glow of 2022 has died out
When a new dawn’s halo is round the arc
Best wishes and prayers from all hearts sprout
‘Let a new world of light emerge from the dark’
Let us wait to see new hopes blooming
Grab the little joys the mind can contain
Dismiss all defeatist thoughts surfacing
Warmly greet the New Year about to begin
The stream of life glides gurgling
Listen to its dulcet rhythmic refrain
Put down smothering blues brewing
Cast away all sad and throttling pain
Inhale the salubrious air and begin again
Hope for happier times, day after day
With enormous appetite, life’s zest, regain
Newer vistas will open up and come to stay
* * * * *
Jan.1.2023
"Gazing at the rising sun and telling yourself- 'the new day has newer promises for me' fills you with gallons of fuel to run the whole day"- By poet
See life blooming in full and keep smiling
Grab the little joys the mind can contain
Dismiss all defeatist thoughts surfacing
Wait for the fresh dawn about to begin
Inhale the clean air and begin again
Hope for a better and happier day
With greater appetite, life's zest regain
New vistas will open and come to stay
Downhill, the crystal clear stream glides gurgling
Listen to its dulcet rhythmic refrain
Put aside all smothering blues brewing
Just cast away all sad and throttling pain
Admire the purity of white flowers
Those that open in the dead of the night
Love nature with the fervour of lovers
Feel glory in each sound and every sight
July.6.2022
~ Placed First~
It’s All about Three Q’s Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Constance La France
Theme- Nature
Syllable Count. 10 each (HMS)
The thug’s greedy plan was ill-fated.
“Beware of the dog!” the sign stated.
Sharp teeth pierced his butt.
He screamed, “Get off, mutt!”
Desire to steal quickly abated.
For Samson, fame was just beginning.
This brave dog would set the world spinning
with such doughty deeds,
supplying the needs
of many while great kudos winning.
He quickly developed the power
to fly. There exists not ONE tower
inhabited by
trapped ladies who sigh.
Now all the bad guys hide and cower.
This thug-throttling canine has muscle.
He comes out on top in a tussle,
but he’s brilliant too.
To Mensa* he’s new.
Competing with him, humans hustle.
This grand rise to fame was engendered
when Samson so actively hindered
an evil guy's plan.
Now many a fan
admires him for services rendered.
howmanysyllables.com 9--9--5--5--9 per stanza
He-dog--canine version of "he-man"
*Mensa is the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world.
In an annual Mensa competition, usually held in April, Mensa teams from around the U.S. and Canada compete within their local geographic area.
March 16, 2022
I was pulled out of the school; doomed into hard labor,
To my home, at budding age, I became a life-saver...!
When kids of my age, with stylish satchels, proceed to school,
I, in cracker-workshops noxious, chemicals heat and cool...!
With my tender hands, I shape cute beautiful fire-works,
When I see, you crack them, my wish to do so, within sparks...!
The fumes and toxins I breath, I know, are deadly harmful,
I cannot just shun them, as life toward me is scornful...!
I am squeezed in often, into damp, cramped throttling spaces,
Where, doctors say, children catch incurable diseases...!
My fingers and hands get blisters; they often itch and bleed,
I cry loud within often, who could, my soundless noise, heed...?
When I, owing extreme aches, from mounting duties relax,
Manhandling me, my master, like a galled gory goose, quacks...!
Rules and laws, they say, made for our benefits, are, many,
They remain in books, and for us, never earn a penny...!
I have just one request, to you, dear friend, who's of my age,
When you meet one shabby like me, do not flare-up in rage...!
18 March 2022
Exceedingly painful shoes
About your blasted toes The Curious ask ‘Whose?’
The footwear to distrust its ever becoming loose;
If your feet were some neck, a throttling noose.
Off-And-On Tightening Shoes:
You put them on, ease a ruse;
God you shall need for their prolonged use
But the very insistence, a real bad news!
Massive Shock-Giving Shoes:
Their trauma you fight with booze:
Bottles of stout beer taken in twos
And then around try to cruise…
Smile-Snatching Leathery Shoes:
Sometimes, more of my tuneful blues!
A turbulent year has faded out and a new year is before us. Many who were with us are no more. Many are maimed and marred in the battle of life. Let us hope that something better awaits us and it is this hope that pulls us on. Imploring God’s grace, I wish all my dear Soup friends, a Happy 2022.
As the glow of 2021 has faded out
And a new dawn’s halo has surrounded the arc
Best wishes and prayers from all hearts sprout
‘Let a new world of light emerge from the dark’
Let us wait to see new hopes blooming
Grab the little joys the mind can contain
Dismiss all defeatist thoughts surfacing
Warmly greet the New Year about to begin
The stream of life glides gurgling
Listen to its dulcet rhythmic refrain
Put down smothering blues brewing
Cast away all sad and throttling pain
Inhale the salubrious air and begin again
Hope for happier times, day after day
With enormous appetite, life’s zest, regain
Newer vistas will open up and come to stay
There lived an old man named Brett
Doctor’s delight and hospital’s pet
He got finally convinced
It’s better to be deceased
Than be in medicine’s throttling net!
*Reassured*
Amidst the glitzy party, I wallow in suffocation,
Secluded in the bathroom – my apt accommodation.
Trapped within the hollow walls, I weep aloud,
Brutally slapping myself until my brain clouds.
My nerves throttling, I strangle myself,
Sourly oblivious to my true self.
I want to end this relentless agony,
And glide blissfully into eternal serenity.
Thrashed and unraveling, I am not a coward,
Frittering away is my will to carry forward.
My body completely bashed by bruises,
Depleted, I mumble self-loathing abuses.
Wearily battling my inner turmoil,
A stream of defeats left my rope coiled.
My roommate recognized my detrimental behaviour,
With one considerate gesture, she became my saviour.
Her empathy liberated me from the mental anguish endured,
By seeing my worth, my value was reassured.
My roommate’s understanding blessed my life,
Grateful to her for helping me battle my unyielding internal strife.
when ego seeks
higher peaks here
love speaks no more
02-December-2020
my grandfather
died from black
lung working in
a mine that wasn't
his and now all this
time cautious of the
dark and the damp i
can't seem to find my
own mine so turning
silently i become a
mime and ask you
to understand
my gestures as if
a jester in your
court am trying
to court you by
holding my breath
while holding my
throat throttling
in hopes you
will guess and then
i'll be able to gasp
but your yours
is not mine
and as the batteries
of the sun dim not
sinking just being
less of a beam for
me to follow i stop
and swallow that
last gasp of air
as my ears
clearly hear
the song
dark as a
dungeon
down
in the
mine
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