PERSPECTIVES

she sat besides a homeless man
and said the vaasthu isn't good
and you know how my stomach aches
when i eat too much food
and all my kids are married
and all my kids are good
and my life is one big blessing
for god besides me stood
and saw me through all troubles
and all my joy he doubles
for i have been so good.

the homeless man he looked
and said i have no home
sometimes i eat, sometimes i starve
most times the world i roam
i have no kids to think of
no penny to buy a comb
my clothes are barely held up
the bin might be my tomb
but, dear lady, to your god i'll sing
such beauteous songs and herald ring
for i live still 'neath the dome.

ON A NON-DEPRESSIVE NOTE

(Note: Depression is a disease and this poem is not to make light of it.  This poem is for depression as a mood - not a chronic illness)

Hey there!

When you feel you've seen it all

and nothing impresses you anymore 

come to me

Let's get excited about those  priceless little things

like a sea-shell

like the waves

like digging up some potatoes

like facing the wind

like dancing a little jig

like checking patterns on leaves

like catching fish and letting them go

like watching a sunset

like being awestruck by the mountains

like chasing a butterfly

like a baby's hand in yours

like running after the horizon

like just smelling a flower deeply

like you mother's home-made jam

Hey there! Do you find all this very 'childish'?

They're much better than the box of pills

you're reaching for.

ON NON-ROLLER SKATES

hey! i didn't put on any roller skates
and yet i've skidded all over the place!
one stop New Year
Happy New Year, hey!
come to my wedding...
wedding slipped into a birthday
long-lost and well-loved faces loom -
they smile and sing happy birthday
and i smile back and promise to keep in touch
and i'm aware there's something wrong
someone is not happy for me
someone thinks i...
someone...but hey!
it's time to go back
now, for sometime, a semblence of mundane
but you've won a prize
YOU'VE WON A PRIZE
Uh...Uh...yes, I've won a prize
I'm tired, I'm breathless
Hang on a second!
while I digest that 
piece of information
oh...
oh yes, "I'VE WON A PRIZE!!'
Yey!!! But hey!
Don't give it to me yet
I've gotta a death anniversary coming up
the tenth one
I can't laugh, I can't celebrate
I must cry
and you must wait till I'm done crying before I say
Yey! again, but only this time
I know, we've won a prize

I look down the road of 2018 now
Alarmed at the pace at which it's moving
and I still don't have roller skates on!
Tomorrow I join a new job
day after, I publish a magazine
Sometime I shall breath too
and before I can say, "Hallelujah!" 2018 will be done.

THRESHOLD THOUGHTS - 2018

those old ways that repeat themselves

proving people don't change

what changes are circumstances

what does not change is the way

people react to circumstances

if people changed the way they react -

what a change that would be!