The Arrival of Departure

Death never comes silently. It screams and shouts and makes all the noise it can. It tells you that its there in whatever ways it can. Death is never quiet. It makes itself known to you. You can feel it whenever it’s around. It is a funny feeling. A chill that leaves you warm or warmth that leaves you cold? You feel it enter your house through the main door; you feel it pass you by. You can feel its presence around you, weighing down on you. The atmosphere feels all charged up. You can almost lift your hand up and feel the intensity in the air around you with your very fingers.

Of course, you do not realize this till it has come and gone…taking someone along.

It is one robber that always leaves its prints and when the theft is complete you recognize the signs you missed.

I live with my family. My grandma lives with us too. Many years back my grandfather used to be the sixth member. He was taken gravely ill and he succumbed to cancer after two years of a brave struggle of the victim against the final victor.

I remember death. I saw it up close. The uneasiness was impossible to shrug off. It started the previous night. Something in me, either my heart or my mind, knew that something very bad was about to happen. It just did not know what. Departure of my grandfather was not even the last thing on my mind. It never struck me. But the beginning of the arrival of ‘it’ had begun and the departure was now due and in process. Nothing in this whole world could have halted it.

I felt that, me and my family, we were not alone in the house. There were many around us, with us that night, Angels of death or Fairies of relief. Whatever they were and whoever they were, they were here to relieve my grandfather from life, from soul and from the unbearable pain that he was, indeed, bearing.

I slept without sleeping that night and dreamt without dreaming. I woke up the next morning with tears in my eyes and my heart racing. I felt a feeling that day that I cannot even put into words. Does such a feeling even exist? Is there a word for it? A feeling of witnessing something, terrible or good, without the slightest idea or recollection of it. As if my soul knew but not my mind. As if only my soul controlled me and not my mind.

My father entered my room as I lay there with open eyes. My troubled eyes. He said, “Good Morning” and I said,”Where is he?”
First he told me that he is sleeping in his room and when I asked to be taken to him he told me that he had left. Left this world and us behind. Tears sprout out and my heart almost sprung out of its cage and I realized that I had known.

Death had come and gone…taking him along.

I am Your Slave Instead!

O thin fine line of bright blue ink,
you're supposed to flow as I think,
Why ever ye not follow my command,
for this I must ye reprimand.
I try to move you up and back,
you disobey, you go this way and that.
When I do decide to cap your vessel,
you, invariably, begin to rebel.
What shall I ever do with you,
always have your way with me, you ink blue.

The Ever Moving Train

Train moves forward blowing smoke in the air,
does not stop to notice passing beauty anywhere,
crystal streams, pure and tender green,
bright Van Gogh red, silver clouds overhead.
All that and more it forever leaves behind,
I look out the window and see it all disappear.

Question It

An awesome mountain looking dark over the sea,
even the endless water seems less comparatively.

What is it, why is it, I simply know not,
I kneel, I pray for I am scared of its wrath.

Godly or Evil, in reverence they stand,
I do the same for conformity they demand.

But there was a man, little and skinny,
with a voice that bellowed against all tyranny.

He was different, he refused to bow and comply,
Not God, not Devil, his own brothers did him destroy.

No Title

This that which I give to you remains yours forever,
do what you may, do as you please.
Adorn it with petals red and gold together,
or banish it to your dungeon and lay eyes on it never!
The decision is now yours, my strongest, my most clever,
Made today is the very path for tomorrow, dearest lover!

That Evening

Perhaps you did not look into my eyes,
never quite fully understood,
the day you met me under the darkened skies,
full of dreams and promises you stood.

For had you looked in deep and long,
heard the song they sang for you,
though entranced by feelings strong,
you would have looked for a conquest new.

No Title

That Golden chain around your neck,
beautiful and tight,
A thread, you think, binds you to Him,
shackle in disguise.

Thank you!

Its not that I did not know pain,
Its not that I did not know tears.

When'er I'd fall and scrape my knee,
And the pain was just too much to bear,
There were two arms that held me tight,
Blew air on my gash till his mouth went dry!

When I was scared and everything was dark,
I was unsure of whats there and what is not,
There were two lips that sang to me,
Taking away all my insecurities!

The pain now is much too strong,
The torrid tears, no less than a storm,
No two hands and lips in this world,
Can banish misery and console my heart!

Now I will never be the same,
Never knew pain could drive one insane,
Thanks to you I know so now,
for this, in front of you, gratefully I bow!

Feminism

Sometimes I wish I were a man,
I’d be tough, I’d be strong,
And best of all,
With nothing I’d ever go wrong.

Instead I stand here a woman,
I am delicate, I am fragile, so very she
And worst of all,
They just never let me be

He is supposed to be superior,
Ah! In, God knows, what all ways,
Maybe ‘cause he can beat me
in arm-wrestling, fist-fighting games.

You see, I am quite inferior,
For I have subtle techniques,
Play of eyes, a pretty smile,
A mouth that, like razor, speaks.

He only needs to open his mouth,
And his voice is always heard,
He is tough, he is big and,
By animal or nature, he is always feared.

While mine is soft and husky,
Often goes unheard but hey, be forewarned,
Like it is said ever so often,
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

I wear frills and I like heels,
Oh! He wears pants but so can I,
He may be topping the charts,
But hey, I, too, am soaring quite high.

Okay so, he brings home dough,
Believe me, so do I,
I can sew, I can knit,
I bring new life and make delicious pie.

I realize we are poles north and south,
If he is the Super Man, I am no less than a bird,
But know this too our paths will forever be together,
And, having said all that, I take back my first few words.