A Walk Home

Clear blue skies
sneaking in through
a canopy of gulmohurs
summer temperatures
cooling in twilight
seemed like a walk
I would remember

A man lay
motionless
in muck and water
dead or drunk
I wish not enquire
passed him by
not wanting to
break my reverie
of a pleasant walk home

Paused

a moment longer

what if

pushed the thought away

walking

A man

relieving himself
further ahead
Darkening a wall
well abused before
flashing his member
in nonchalant entitlement

A man spat
on a tree trunk
owning it
not noticing
the Giant cringe
in hapless subdue

Revelers ahead
snacking with abandon
against uncollected
garbage from days bygone
feeding flies
in service
of furthering their species
helping its mission

a flowing drain

A pup ahead
ah! some relief
in his playful swagger
hungry he seemed
rummaging!
pity I took
needing to uplift
my waning mood
biscuits would do the trick
a kick he got
from a passing man
scurried the mongrel
into a drain petrified

leaving the biscuits untouched

Sigh! for wanting
a happy ending

A carcass ahead
Burnt to the bone

unrecognisable its species
An old mongrel
gnawing at it
with ferocious hunger

Keeping some biscuits near
I hurried away
Not wanting to plant
the image of man's
indignity to another species

Looked up
in search of stratocumulus
beyond the gulmohurs
only enveloping darkness
engulfing my being
in silent triumph

A walk home
in sullen silence
was all that I managed

Home By A River

I stayed at a home 
by a river
A home it is, 
built with love, care and happiness
hardwork, toil and a dream
by a man whom I have come to admire
in the last few days, I met him.

It took him decades of hardwork 
and many a sacrifice
to find a dream and make it a home
It overlooks a river day and night
and every second in-between
and speaks volumes of 
the beauty that earth is
and what man can do
when he respects and values
our abode as it should be.

I have spent every morning
in silence and awe 
of the beauty of nature
that surrounds this home
gladdening my heart 
and making me smile.

I could have sat for hours more
just in silence
watching glorious nature
unfold outside
this gorgeous home.

I have spent many an evening
in reflective happiness
as I have watched the moon
play with the river
and wash the home
with its wondrous light.

The home, this home
has a wondrous energy
calmed me and my nervous nerves
as I sought to take a break 
from life's many burdens.

Thank you Babla Uncle
for building this dream
and for your generous
heart to share this home
with friends and friends of friends
Your generosity has given me
memories for life
of a home by the riverside
and the inspiration
of man who has a dream. 

~ 24th October 2010

Thank You!
For sharing your home with me these past few days! It has meant a world to me. Thank you Ishita for bringing me here and introducing me to Babla Uncle. He is a remarkable human being. 

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.