Musings

Like a ray of sunshine brightening the world Oh! For all darkness to be banished from my mind Like the fresh drops of rain cleansing the earth Oh! For all the dirt to be cleansed from my heart Like a sculptor working his magic on a piece of stone Oh! For a beautiful creation to make me proud Like a miser dearly hoarding all his wealth Oh! For some beautiful memories to call my own Like a mother giving selflessly to her child Oh! For creating a world free of greed Like ancient kings forever etched in the annals of history Oh! For a legacy to leave for the world to remember Like an eager traveller finally reaching his destination Oh! For realizing my dreams, big and small

Sitting across the table they found the outside world more fascinating Mesmerized by things around them happening and the idle chattering From having eyes only for each other They now looked like a jaded couple in some bother Ennui and disinterest they couldn’t beat Friendly banters and loving exchanges had taken a back seat Like chirpy birds of the day going very quiet in the dark The blazing passion had lost its special spark Living with each other they knew all the secrets Gifts and surprises had turned into complaints and regrets To revive the lost love, they were trying very hard Hopes and blessings of near and dear, in plenty they had Shaking off mundane routines, not taking each other for granted To rediscover their lost dreams, they hoped, prayed and wanted

Awkward and self-conscious they stole furtive glances Keeping a distance they exchanged shy smiles during the dances Having a lot to talk about and not knowing where to begin Into their past, present and future they started to dig in With a good feeling about each other and hopes for a brighter future In the small hours they parted with a promise this relationship they’d nurture Over more meetings they discovered each other Their tentative smiles and glances got surer Gazing adoringly into each other’s eyes and holding each other’s hands They were lost to the world and were in faraway lands This wonderful feeling they had never before experienced this fully Like floating in the clouds, this felt invincible and heavenly Of wedding bells and baby cries happily they dreamed With their love and affection a strong bond they weaved Into a brighter and more beautiful world they walked away After a stumbling start they had found their way

Songs of birds, no longer in the air Warm and inviting, no longer the water In a rush, hiding from it, runs away the mighty sun Pale and faraway, in the dark night, appears the silver moon Day shies away, night forever stays A gray blanket shrouds the skies Gaunt and naked, stand quiet the trees Numbing chill, frozen rivers Bitter frost, cold shivers Wiping away all despair Snow comes down and spreads cheer Cozy fireplaces given up for naught Favorite books giving food for thought Warm blanket, curling up in bed Dreams, hopes, anticipation, moving on and ahead

A child longs to grow up quickly For then the whole world can be fixed seamlessly A grown up longs to turn back the clock For then there is a whole new world to unlock A student longs for that very first day at work For there doing something meaningful is a perk A working person longs to go back to student days For there is fun and learning in lots of different ways A small town dweller longs to move to the city For then there can be found opportunities aplenty A city dweller longs for a quiet small place For then there is plenty of peace and solace An ordinary man longs for the glittering world of fame and glory For then of luxury, comfort and recognition there is a flurry A famous person longs for those days of anonymity For then solitude is really that welcome feeling of gaiety Life is full of paradoxes If everyone’s wishes were named boxes It would be just a matter of making choices simple To enter that elusive world of happiness eternal

In school, we have all learnt about great poets, their command over the language and their remarkable skill of using a very few words and yet conveying a wealth of meaning. We looked forward to the language classes where we were mesmerized by such literary geniuses as William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge and R.L. Stevenson. The present day Wordsworth and Keats can now be spotted among the SMS generation. College kids lead this new wave of wizards who economize on words and they can be recognized by fingers flying at supersonic speeds on the keypads of their mobile phones. They don’t let the surroundings and company intimidate them. You can find them tapping away furiously on their mobile phones in restrooms, movie theaters, restaurants (where they manage to talk to their partners and also type at the same time) and public transport (with one hand holding on to support for dear life and the other hand typing away). U hv 2 c it 2 b’lieve it. Dis is a lingo dat sum hv bcum xperts @. Dey r q...

Dressed in faded jeans and a worn red blouse With a strong purpose I leave the house Walking past the bakery and the bus station I finally reach my favorite destination Wrapped in layers of warm wool I look around casually and feel quite cool Sitting in a cozy corner near the warmth of a fire For its warmth to take away the chill I aspire Caught in the harshness of the cold breeze I rub my hands to not let them freeze Cutting through the throng trying to warm up There comes the man with a steaming cup With a nod and a smile, he walks away Taking in the sweet aroma, I gently lift it from the tray Drinking the first sip and slowly savoring the taste I promise myself not to finish it in haste Feeling the warm liquid trickling down my throat In a cloud of happiness and optimism I float Enjoying the last sip, courage and strength I get To take on the world, I am now all set