CAT CALL

Cat slipped off the wall

and landed on its feet;

Nine-lived cat

lives each time - 

unlike my ninth call 

that went dead

 

RAIN AND CHAI

It's a dark, rainy day

Rain-splattered, 

I take shelter in a wayside teashop

Shopkeeper places a

steaming hot cup of chai in my hands

I gaze at closed shops across

and trees bent in the wind

Someone runs into the shop,

pulling their coat closer for comfort

and stands against wall, shaking off the water

Shopkeeper places a hot cup of chai in his hands

Gratitude and Thanks, this is all I need

Shopkeeper gives me a plate with a samosa in it

And I think,

At this point in my life

I am exactly

Where I want to be.

MONDAY MUSINGS

monday muse and musings...

if you will...

the blues...

the grind...

coffee-lingering...

the neverending stretch of week ahead...

horrid bright sunny faces

and horrid happy 'good mornings!'...

grrr!!  hate!

monday morning

deep breath -

HERE GOES!

I CAN DO THIS!!

 

slouch.

 

PEACE THAT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING

I heard voices -

Left and right.

On the left I heard

"Your words are wrong

Stop speaking"

On the right I heard

"Your God's not there

Stop believing"

To the left I heard

"You're not perfect

Stop judging"

To the right I heard

"You hypocrite! You liar!"

On the left, the fanatic screamed

"Not religious enough!"

On the right the cynic goaded

"You're just half and half"

To the left, the demon screamed

"I don't love you, you fool!"

To the right, the voice of venom

"I hate you"

The demon, a woman in his arms, scoffed

"She is the one - not you!"

On the left was deadly purpose,

"I shall see you destroyed"

 And amidst the cacophony,

I sat

Peacefully playing the harp.

 

ANSWERED PRAYER

Dear God

Where is the lake of my childhood?

Here you go my dear!

Dear God

Where is that refreshing breeze

Here you go my dear!

Dear God

Where are those trees and green grass and wilderness that I love so much

Here you go my dear

Dear God

Where are the birds i used to know the names of

Here you go my dear

Dear God

Where is the blue sky with the white clouds that I used to lie on the grass and watch float by

Here you go my dear

Dear God

Where is that first star that knew my deepest desire

Here you go my dear

Dear God

Where is the Sun

that the newborn lamb in all its innocence wakes up to?

Here you go my dear

Dear God

Where is the Moon

That I tell stories about to my grandson as I feed him his dinner

Here you go my dear

Dear God 

Where is the mist that I used to cut through to go to school

here you go my dear

Dear God

Where is that beautiful rain that came as a blessing

Here you go my dear

And how do I know it's all from you?

Look up child

I'm that formation in the cloud

REQUEST FROM A PUBLISHER

 

Dear Writer,

Please don't achieve anything in life - 

I try to be lenient, but it's all so inconvenient

Don't marry and have kids and be a husband or a wife

Don't get an education, go to school or to college

What's the point of all that knowledge?

Don't work, don't earn, don't teach

don't clean the barns or be a priest and preach, 

Don't be social and contribute

Don't have role models and pay tribute

Don't be philanthropic

Boy! That's a WHOLE OTHER TOPIC!! 

Don't, don't, don't ever write to anthologies and get published

Don't bring out books...well may be one or two

Don't be nominated and win awards

Pretend you have the flu if you do

Don't have hobbies other than to write

Don't sing, don't click, don't bite or fly a kite

And certainly don't be from Delhi, Paris, London or Ohio -

You see, I just want a non-existent bio.

FULL LIFE

 

This poem isn't

about childhood - 

fleet-footed, hair flying;

Or about school days

books, teachers and homework

plaits and ribbons and uniforms 

and pranks;

Or about teenage and first love

and first heartbreak 

and the horrific pimple outbreak;

Or about true love

marriage

children

grey hair, falling teeth

grandchildren 

and the growing medicine cabinet;

Or about a million small and big things

that go to make up a life well lived....

This poem is about

an old woman

reminiscing.