Quiet Christmas

silent winter night-

distant christmas bells echo

laughter lost and found.

Wa(l)king Nights

his dog eager to return

he eager to wait---

the moon-drenched night walks.

Warm Winds

Chilling winter night---

sudden warm winds bring back lost

summer afternoons.

Moonlight

The dazzling moonlight---

but see the star shinning so

quietly afar.

The Wait

Under fleeting lights---

sitting over a bridge he

waits for his lady.

Whim

Writhing like a midget

The thought lies dying,

As I look away

To paint a new silhouette.

Streams

The hours tick by

Like liquid psychedelia,

While I lie awake

In a still slumber.

Mute

I write

Sentences that

Don't speak.

They only

Tumble out

When grey guards

Aren't looking.

Cause we are

Children of that

Mute monkey.

The Little Boy and his Magician- Stormy Woods

Skipping down the merry road, the little boy suddenly came to a halt. He could not believe his eyes when he saw it standing in front of him. How did he reach here? Where was he? How did he get lost?! He looked all around for the familiar road but this time he was really surrounded. And all alone. Trembling with fear he looked at the raging trees that had him surrounded. He was standing in a small clearing bordering the entrance of the Stormy Woods. His parents had always protected him from this path, had taught him every other way that ran throughout the town but this. But his Magician friend always said, "You cannot escape it my friend. Everyone has to pass through it. Its necessary." The thought reminded him of his trusted friend and he started calling out to him with all his might. He knew his Magician would never fail him. But he was wrong for as it grew darker he found himself more alone than ever. There was only one way out and that way ran through this forest. He had to cross it. Alone.

As he entered the darkness, the imposing trees seemed suddenly alert. Their usual swaying had lulled for they had sensed him like dogs sense the smell of meat. He kept his gaze down and hurried his steps. Everything that he had ever heard of these woods started rushing through his mind. Some said no one comes out alive from these woods, some said they do but are scarred for life. Others said it changed them for life, rather changed their life. But everyone had agreed that these woods were a nuisance. No matter how much you try to avoid it it has the uncanny habit of luring you into it. Their headman had tried to convince the Magician to do something about it, but strangely the wondrous man had politely declined the request. He always maintained that the woods were needed. "No wonder they all think he is weird", thought the little boy of his friend. He was particularly angry with him now. "Why did he not answer me? Just when I need him the most he vanishes. I will never talk to him again. He clearly does not love me." As he mumbled on the winds suddenly became furious. He was now right in the middle of it. Rains thrashed him this way and that. He started running with all his might, but he could hardly see anything. Wild with fear and desperation he didn't see a log in the middle of the path and fell flat on his face. Getting up, his eyes fell on an old, sorry umbrella. He thanked his lucky stars that it was a rather large one. It had him covered from all sides. He could now see where he was going. Boosted with renewed courage he started his last run. This time he will not stop, he thought and he will not keep his eyes down. He had to see his enemy eye to eye if he wanted to survive this...

Then suddenly he saw the end. Laughing with mad joy his speed doubled and he came out gasping for breath and collapsed on the sand. He was bruised and drenched to the skin. But he was alive. He started laughing with relief and as he looked up the setting sun painted the sky with brilliant hues of gold and crimson, as if to honor his victory. He had never seen the sky so beautiful. He felt so alive, so human, and most importantly, big. He had finally grown up.

"Ahchooo!" The little boy(now slightly grown) whipped around to find his Magician squeezing the rain out of his robes and wiping the mud off in between his sneezes. Forgetting all about his epiphanies he ran up to his Magician for a full round of fight.

"Why didn't you come when I called you? Why are you never around when I need you the most? Do you have any idea how I came out of that mad, mad place??? Why DON'T you do something about it??? Had it not been for this umbrella Goodness knows how I would've come out. I'm not talking to you,EVER. Then I'll see how you will go about without any friends. Hmph!"

The Magician fought very hard to keep a straight face. He loved to peeve his friend and he particularly loved their fights. Controlling his laughter he asked,

"Umbrella? Where? I see none."

"Have you gone blind too??? Its right her.."

The umbrella was indeed gone. Looking around and then at his drenched friend the little boy asked incredulously,

"YOU were the umbrella???"

"Ahchho!"

"But why didn't u meet me at the clearing when I was calling you?

"Oh please! You cannot possibly need my help to enter a forest. Besides I have far more important things to do than spoon feeding you...Ahchho!"

The little boy could not help but smile at his sneezing friend. He took his hand and started walking towards home.

"But why as an umbrella? You looked so funny!"

"Ahchho! I am a performer remember? I love theatrics! Ahchho! The things I have to do for you and all you do is scold me..." The Little Boy hugged His Magician like his favorite teddy and said, " There, there! I am sorry. I will tell momee to give you my share of milk too, today.."

An Eye Imprisoned

An eye imprisoned in a corner

Of ignorance

Of darkness

Of a hopeful moment

Of joy transient

Of moonrise

Of sunset

Of childhood

Of a room

Of a red room

Of the sky

Of a street.

Blank and Black.

Mysterious and Myriad.

Dangerous yet Dreamy.

With Dreams that remain unspoken.

How Snippet Was Born

And there goes another plot down the gutter. First things first, I am no writer,far less blogger. But after reading a rather interesting blog a few days back(the link of which came quite suddenly to me one fine, Facebook morning), I decided in all my confused excitement to rise. Rise to the occasion of oiling my rusted writing habits. Geared with iron determination, I log onto Blogger. Name of blog- profile-info-design-all materialize in a jiffy. Satisfied, I open my page to preview it then make my way to 'New Post'. Happy (or was it surprise?) that I could finally see Miss Procrastinator (my Other, henceforth referred to as Miss P) retreat with a vanquished air, I prepare to write.

Ideas riding on Words gallop, fly, scramble, trip and fall to reach the finish line(in this case my hand). I with baited breath wait to see who reaches first. But alas! They all come to a noisy halt in collective confusion. Miss P clucks and calls the confusion to order--- " Friends! Lend me your ears! You rush to the Hand, but to what purpose? You fly to it,knowing full well that your wings are still not grown...have you no fear of being slaughtered to pieces on the way? You will say your spirit spurs you on, but what about your experience? Do you think you have the power to make them hear you? You who do not have a sense of direction, let alone strategy or technique. Further do you, who carry her innermost thoughts, not fear that you might endanger it by releasing yourselves? (your camouflaging techniques are highly suspect, methinks)". The silence said it all. She had won. " Now I on other hand have far more interesting things for your fellas...follow me! "

They amble out sheepishly.

"She a very powerful one...that Miss P. Theres no stopping her!" whispers my other mate Miss Fumble.(Miss F).

So after days of nagging and sulking Miss P hurled at me one final question-" Fine! Write! But what will you write? How will you choose from so many Ideas? Then you have your Words, which frankly my friend, are a royal insult to that wonderful and all important thing called Expression." I promise to train my Words on Drafts first. Miss Critic(Miss C) nods in approval.

So, here I am cutting the grass, while my Words are being trained by the hard and cruel Miss C.. "She a very hard task master, that Miss C", Miss Fumble murmurs again, while I nod appreciatively.(Despite Miss C sending a new born Idea back to the pavilion just because it did not have style. Jesus!) I guess I just have to wait till they are all trained. Sigh! Till then lets hear it from Miss P!--- Muahh! ;)

PITY

That night she wrote on her blog:

Just when I had given up on my ultra-monotonously hectic life, a life that (besides the usual stuff) also includes the daily odious journey in a dear old rattling bus, God sends me a diversion. I’m happy to announce (rather share) that human looking men are not altogether extinct from the face of this earth; and that I had the good fortune of spotting one today. Needless to say after a few surreptious glances, his radar caught the signals. But unfortunately for him (and fortunately for me) the eyes could not spot the silently-hidden-in-darkness gaze. (Phew!)

And so we rattled on---the gaze, the radar and the bus. Here I must add that since I don’t know his name let’s call him Mr. Blue Shirt. I wait for the journey to end with mixed feelings(I distinctly remember being angry too for my sheer ‘ teenagerishness’). The journey ends. He meanders to the door, all the while searching for the gaze. The gaze on the other hand feigns slumber. Blue Shirt vanishes.

And thus starts my wait…for a more eventful tomorrow. Funny how life never resolves K

That same midnight he commented below her post:

Hi! New to this place…really liked it! Experienced something very similar today in the bus. But lost her in the crowd. Keep writing! J

The next evening as the threesome rattled along( the ‘gaze’, the ‘radar’ and the’bus’) somewhere above a smiling Cupid took aim. But Destiny lowered his hand and said: “Pity! They are not meant to be.”

The Little Boy and his Magician- Goods And Bads.

He ended his act with stupendous applause. Looking around he could see eyes of admiration, awe, and fear. Fear had almost become his other name. After all he was the greatest illusionist ever known. But he never asked for fear. Nor did he want to wield his powers, but sometimes certain things had to be looked into. Or dealt with a firm hand. They forced him to show his Force. That made him sad.

But today was different. After a long time he saw a pair of eyes that didn't admire, nor fear. Rather, the eyes were questioning. But not challenging. He recognized the eyes instantly, they belonged to his 'little buddy'. His little buddy always had either a smile or a sweet to offer. They seldom spoke, but whenever he passed down the lane where the little one played, he would be greeted by a spirited wave and a little toffee. He adored the little one's eyes. It was brimming with love (the only thing he ever wanted from his followers), but it was ever silent. He often showed tricks to please his little friend, or to make him talk. The most he could achieve was a warm hug with the customary toffee.

Today was different. As the awestruck, fearful crowd dispersed, the little boy meandered through the throng towards the magician.

The Magician asked: "Did you like my trick today?"

The boy asked: " You can vanish everything.Why don't you vanish bad? Mum says there are good things and bad things. Vanish the bad ones and all will be good."

"But then life will become perfect!", said He.

"What's wrong in that?", asked His little buddy.

"Life will lose its beauty and I can't let that happen", answered The Magician.