Snow prints in the sand

As you walk on the beach,
focused on the path ahead,
Not ebbed by the waters,
Or blown by the wind,
Winter chose to preserve,
your snow prints on the sand,

As you wind through life, 
Carving your own path,
Eyes riveted on the road ahead,
Ever wonder about the trail you leave behind, 
That may one day be etched in history..

A Winter’s tale

Hidden under the dense cover of leaves, 

Eclipsed by the attractive flowers,

Quietly supporting the more ornate,

The unprotesting branches swayed in the summer breeze,

The winter lays bare the trees,

Exposing the elegant branches,

That remain strong, bearing the freezing cold, 

Through all other seasons, their story  untold, 

The limelight  is finally on the skeleton that never shrugs,

Flitting across the world with fleeting thoughts occupying our mind,

Deeply submerged in our own lives,  not catching a break from the daily grind, 

Taking for granted the engine that drives the world,

We enjoyed the sun, and never worried about the cold,

The icy pandemic strips away all distraction,

Exposing the strength of society’s foundation,

Scraping away a superficial layer of charm,

Revealing the cement that bonds relationships,

During this long winter 

We found those dear to us, eager to shower them with hugs,

The limelight is finally on our Atlas who never shrugs 

He cannot vanish..

Every time we read a poem.
Every time we look at a photograph,
Every time we enjoy a joke,
Every time we witness a passionate discussion,
Every time we feel enthusiasm, for the simple joys of life,
Every time we want to dive into a new field,
We will remember him,
He seems to be nowhere, and yet he is everywhere now,
Filling our hearts and minds with indelible memories,
That will last a lifetime.. 

RIP Siddesh Mama 

It takes extraordinary courage,
To constantly look over your shoulder,
To tune your actions to fit unarticulated norms, 
To relentlessly fight for what is rightfully yours,
To face the dissonance between reality and promise,
To adopt struggle as a way of life,
To protect yourself from your “protector”
Why should it take extraordinary courage
to just live an ordinary life?

True to her vision,

Stimulated by her passion,

She weaves to perfection,

Reiterating her design ethic,

Blending the modern and ethnic

Shunning the distraction of color,

Ignoring the elements of popular styling,

She plays with a variety of fabrics,

Bonding them with absolute precision,

Creating an eclectic collection,

Echoing her deep conviction,

Etching her ideas in paint,

She makes a bold statement

Bringing unparalleled joy to the artist,

Though dissonant with popular opinion,
Intricate details lost on the hurried observer,
Symbolism too subtle to capture attention,
Commercially, it failed to make a connection

She treads on undeterred,
Proud of her perfect execution,
Confident she can find joy in the expression,
Knowing no other has been on her journey,
To earn the right to judge her story

Covid-19

Like the Night king, it goes on a rampage,
Gaining strength from the carnage
Its icy fingers strike down its foes,
Dancing on the mountain of its victim's woes
Turning unsuspecting observers into soldiers against their own,
It is all set to usurp the sceptre and the throne

As the shadow of death looms larger,
The spirit drains like a battery with no charger
Disguised as a friend, it gains entry,
Rendering useless the duty-bound sentry
Without humans turned into soldiers, I ponder,
Would there be a war to wager, I wonder

If to protect each other we make our mission,
Would this land us in an economic depression?
Would the invisible nemesis thrive,
Because we cannot ourselves deprive?
Our adversary will be slain one day,
Until then in human lives, the cost we pay.

For no reason, but with good reason

Sometimes I toil away driven by,
Neither money nor compensation,
Neither trophy nor recognition,
Neither necessity nor compulsion,
Neither proclivity nor addiction,
Neither responsibility nor obligation.
I never ask myself why.

I toil away,
Engrossed and enthralled,
Undeterred by fatigue,
Unperturbed by hunger,
Unconcerned about the passage of time,
Employing my undivided attention.
I never ask myself why.

I toil away,
Excited about the process of creation,
Enjoying every moment of the journey,
Weaving a simplistic universe,
Stripped of judgement and expectation.
Knowing I don't need to ask myself why.