Dilip The King

Quiet were his steps
Invisible almost

Colour to paper
is all he desired

Gasped with joy
when he found
sketches, crayons, paints
laid out in invitation
beckoning him
to flare his imagination

Silently he began
every waking hour
A palace he imagined
Bringing it alive
hue by hue

Not a word he spoke
all of day one
disappearing
in breaks
to his still world
filled with colour

Day two we noticed
when meals he missed
consumed as he was
by his art

Feverish in his endeavour
adding layers of depth
to his thriving imagination

He brought it to life
colour by colour
blacks, reds and blues
in stressed richness
adding dimensions
in mysterious ways

Not a word he spoke
amongst forty others
A craftsman he was
still in his art

As colours emerged
so did he

We saw the shift
certain and real

from flirtive eyes
to steadfast gaze

from fidgety hands
to firm strokes

from drooped shoulders
to arched back

from established frowns
to almost smiles

As his art came alive
He came alive

Feverish in his pace
He slept little
as day three dawned

He knew
his time had come

Quietly he walked
Still, he gazed
as forty pairs
watched
with bated breath

'Art I love
day and night
yet, colours
not have I
at home or school

Colours I see
colours I seek
all around me
even in the drab
of my spaces

To heaven
you brought me
and let me be

You saw me
even as I am
hidden from me

Accept my frailties
with grace you did
and here I am
with grace
I say
Thank You'

and with that
he unfurled
a fantasy palace
brought alive
from deep
in his being
befriended with colours
that danced on paper
under his able command

In that moment,
his eyes shone bright
having found their light
from within his heart
steadfast and sure
they made home
to shine bright
for ever more
Never ever
to be shut again

A journey
just begun
for in art
Dilip (the king)
had found
himself
only himself
truly himself

Note: This is the story of 14-year old Dilip who attended a 4-day outdoor experiential camp by Dream a Dream and where he discovered his inner strength through art

The Mythical Kingfisher

With the first rays of the sun,
I bring a bright blue happiness to the world.
I find myself at the same bank of water
Everyday.
In expectation of Fish
The food of my liking.
Alas! The water is dark and slimy.
All I see is a black, green and brown,
for as far as my eyes
and sometimes even my wings take me!

Perched on an electric wire,
I wait patiently
Look intently
For longer and longer
each day now!
I seek my food
in the black, green and brown.

Ah! I see a bubble rise up
There definitely must be fish
Excited! I make my dive
Quick and focused
Beak first
Nothing! Yet again!
Just another inflated plastic bag
letting its air out!
leaving me black, brown and green
and a weird smell that takes days to go!
I smell no good anymore!

The fish have long left,
not finding the air to breathe
beneath the slime
They have gone to a happier place
While I wait in hope!
desperate and in despair
yet hopeful in god's world.

I remember the day
When I could see my bright blue
In the light blue of the water!
When kids came to watch me
Make my dive
swift and focused
Yelping with joy
I emerge proud; Fish in beak.
They clapped and asked for more
sometimes I obliged.

No kids anymore
It is difficult to spot me
In all the slime!
My friends have left
and I get by with worms and human waste now!

I am no long the Kingfisher of yore!
Just a pathetic shadow of the past
Soon to become a myth
as all my kind go extinct
giving up hope
on human kindness and empathy.
No longer able to live
in the black, brown and the slimy green.

~ 26th October 2012. At a Bridge in Pune on an early morning walk.

The Song Of The Universe

Egrets and Cormorants
Crows and pigeons
Swans and Cranes
Sparrows and Barblers
Eagles and Kingfishers
and an odd Drongo too!

It's a beautiful morning they announce
and they put up a show for me
as the Sun takes its rightful place
on this side of the hemisphere.

I see a sky filled with Wings
A cacophony of sounds
A choir of the universe
putting up their best show
to announce their arrival
with the chilly morning breeze

A song they sing,
an ode to the universe
a dance they do
in celebration of life
They belong, they make
and they are the Universe!
They blend, they integrate
and stay unique
in the celebration of the morning!

A show they put up
for me and anyone else
caring to see!
In the midst of ruins and destruction;
inspite of human greed and waste;
A song they create
in gratitude to the universe

The birds of many hues and sounds,
make the universe dance
if only we stopped to watch
for a moment, pull ourselves
away from our busy-ness
and just hold our breath
for the spectacle of the morning!

A lesson they taught me today,
to be thankful and mindful
of my intentions and actions
and forget not to celebrate
my very existence
for that is the greatest gift
we can give to ourselves
and to them
the choir of the universe!

~ 29th October 2012. At a Bridge in Pune.