The curtain rises
fraught with expectations
of a performance.
What if there is none?

A few weeks ago,
I saw you
from the other
side of the world.
There you were
shining still the same,
but you seemed dull
a little in that frame,
as my eyes
had been shrouded
with a momentary haze
and yes i was dazed
with another dream,
as my heart screamed
of joy, and delight
filled those nights.
I tell you,
my fascination for you,
dipped a little.
But, back I am to
this world again.
Today, you stepped out
from behind the hill
as I watched from
my window sill.
At loss of words
I am.
You are the one,
the only one
irreplaceable, eternal.

In the moonlit night
from Notre-Dame,
I started my quest for you.

Walking along the Seine,
Waving at Bateaux-Mouches,
My love for the city only grew.

From the locks on Pont-Neuf,
Symbolising eternal love,
I couldn't have asked for a better view.

And then at the stroke of the hour,
Along with the stars,
You started twinkling too.

O Eiffel,
one of the wonders of the world,
I have always been awed by you. 

Autumn

I had an image
of you in my mind,
with trees bereft of leaves,
You appeared harsh and unkind.

But then I saw
in the other part of the world,
there you were in full glory,
a new picture, in front of my eyes, unfurled.

A picture that
forever I have saved,
in my memory
and shall never let it fade.

Red, orange,
yellow and green,
all colours' leaves
add to.your sheen.

Never ever has been
the weather so beautiful,
leaves fall and scatter
under your rule.

Cool breeze
takes them here and there,
some dangle on the trees,
rest move about everywhere.

Fallen leaf

It all began in Spring,

After the bout of cold,

Some respite weather did bring,

Buds sprouting on the stem,

Unfolding a little

Everyday.

As days grew older,

So did the buds,

Blooming in their vigour

They turned into leaves.

A leaf,

Brightest in colour

Together with its peers

added to the beauty

Of its family tree.

When the wind would blow

They would dangle together

Creating a symphony

That people would admire.

After a long hiatus

Thus came Autumn,

Season leaves dreaded most.

Its neighbours had descended

Their lofty abode,

To lie on the ground

And follow their fate.

The day arrived

When reality hit

Its face too,

It found itself lying

Among the others in the group.

There came a passer by

Who was smitten by the leaves,

In a bid to stamp her experience

She decided to choose a leaf.

She picked the one

That had fallen

Which was once the brightest

And the leaf realized

It had not fallen in vain.

In the labyrinthine alleys
of memory,
I embark upon
a journey.
I head in the dark,
a little unsteadily,
Deep in the corners,
I meet people
here and there,
some I recollect
from the present,
some have
paled and faded away.
Amidst the crowd
A face recurs
every now and then.
Someone
I have known
all my life.
I smile at her
she smiles back.
We resemble a lot
yet we know
we are not the same

The lanterns of hope
kindle my belief
of reaching atop
the mountains
of dreams
I had once
seen with
my eyes
wide open.

And I think about that girl and her ideas...

While I was doing a short term course on Indian art forms at the National Museum Institute, I met a girl who was my course mate, I came to know of her only until the day of field trip and started  talking to her by chance. I do not exactly remember what triggered our conversations at the first place but I do have retained all this while the rest that followed. She told me about her experiences and I must admit I found them quite fascinating and intriguing. 

To begin with, she narrated how she had been working for some US based company and one day she decided to leave her job and do something she really wished to do in life. What was that she desired? She loved travelling and besides travelling what really touched me quite strongly was her passion for serving people through the channels of NGOs. Why are my thoughts going to the girl at this moment? Well, I have just come back from Paris where I had gone for a workshop. 

Since I came back in the year 2009 from France, I always had this desire to go back to the country where I had learnt so much about people, life and above all my own self. It might sound a little stereotyped and mundane but this girl told me what many others might believe in too or might consider a simplistic approach. She had said " Listen girlie, if you really wish to travel to some place, concentrate all your thoughts towards it. When I say focus, I do not mean that you sit at home, daydream and plan to make that wish true. But put all your efforts and work towards it. Tell yourself that yes you have to go to this place and a day will come when you will be seeing your dreams right in front of you. You will be living the dream itself," 

Well, she didn't put forward a complicated, not yet discovered point of view but I cannot express in words why the whole idea got stuck in my head. Let me tell you it is not only about your travelling dreams but just about any plans that you might have in life. Having said that, I also realize and have known myself that many a times, whatever your plans must be, they do not get well coordinated with the Master Plan and hence none of what I have actually written above seem to be real. Well, what can be done in such a situation? To each his own. React the way you wish to and move ahead with a positive approach. 

There was one more aspect to the whole conversation of being thankful and grateful to whatever good is happening in our lives. I particularly remember her thoughts when she made me visit all the people who form a chain in order to provide us food. She started with the farmer who puts in so much effort on the fields and grows the crop, and then so many others like transporters through which these items reach to the markets, and when they finally reach to us, they have already been brought to us through the efforts of so many other people. So the need to be thankful to all of them who have ensured that we get our food. While she went on and on, I found this idea of being grateful so beautiful and I was so touched that I did not even realize when my eyes had welled up. 

I think it through sometimes and remember this girl who made me come face to face with something I already knew. The two ideas are not something out of the box. They have been there along with other beautiful ideas. Here's hoping I come across more beautiful ideas every now and then.

Hold my hand
Come along
Let us make this world
A beautiful place to live in.

When we are together
How would one know
Who is one
and who is the Other?