Simple Pleasures

 How often did you enjoy roasted peanuts?

  On a cold winter afternoon not walnuts

How many times you sipped juicy cane sugar?

       Not fizz colas or beverages sugar free

Ate a humble pie not frosted whipped cream

    Dug teeth in roasted corn that’s what joy seems

We long for distant pleasures in our dreams

  When simple pleasures around us reign supreme

PS- The pic is mine

A Rendezvous at Sea

 

The mast high on which the tricolour flies
       Depicts glory and pride when guns boom in skies
The white uniform and golden stripes
    Bring back memories of music n pipes
A blowing trumpet  starts a new morn
   The roar of jet a brave heart airborne
Valiant men and women  guard sky and sea
   With determined passion and unending zeal
The grey steel vessels look quiet n sleek
   Till they belch fire to make enemies retreat
They touch the skies, n explore the deep sea
   Sweat n toil so the countrymen sleep in peace

PS:  1. The Navy Week and Navy Day( 04 Dec) bring back memories of my years at sea. This is a small tribute to the great service which gave me an opportunity to don the white uniform to serve
2. Image kind courtesy Google

An Ode to Safe Life

A time of life when things standstill
  No movies or outings enough time to fill
Rare things, pandemic, nature's wrath spill
  Humans look helpless as life goes downhill
Never in a lifetime things looked so grim
  Innocent lives lost, and sorrows fill the brim
Time to tread cautiously adopt a new paradigm
   Keep distance, avoid touch be safe to outswim
There is a silver lining to every dark cloud
   Do not mingle, frolic, avoid the crowd
For soon life will be normal if we vowed
  To adopt new norms see pandemic, bow out

PS: The current scenario looks grim but we look forward to a better tomorrow
2.  A hearty thanks to the COVID warriors
3. Image kind courtesy Google

आयी होली

आयी बसंत बहार,उडे रंग अबीर की बौछार।

   थिरके भँवरे पुष्पों पर, चले सुगन्धित मस्त बयार।।

बिखरे गुजिया, लड्डू,बर्फ़ी और ठंडाई की मिठास।

   मनमोहक सतरंगी गुलाल पवन  में,लहराये फिर एक बार।

आओ जलाये बैर की होली, और मिलाये दिलो को इस रात।।

टेसू केसरिया से करे सरोबर,  हर मन को इस त्योहार।

   संदेसा प्रेम भरा भेजो होली पर ,हर किसी को इस साल।

आयी होली  ,मिलो हमजोली,बिखेरो स्नेह प्यार का आभास।।

Building Nation

A day to take pride in,
 as tricolour unfurls everywhere
Hundreds of sacrifices 
  many a life laid threadbare
No easy task it was
 to attain freedom from naysayers
  Yet, today we stand
 At  crossroads between hope and despair

Its time to rise above pettiness,
       Clear overhang, an air of gloom
To build a strong nation
      Work honestly, to see it bloom
We have the right skills, learn more
     Have steely resolve and a strong will
Let's  rededicate sincere efforts
    To conquer many more hills.

PS Image Kind Courtesy Google

A Spring Song

A whiff of fragrance fills the air

  A chill of winter still has its fair share

 A riot of colours and lushness around

  The chirp of birds contributes to the spring song.

The shimmer of dew drops on green grass

   Sparkles with first sunshine like beads of glass

How often we stand and watch the beauty

 Of nature's bounties and smells so fruity

PS- The above picture was taken at the Flower Show in the neighbourhood

A Prayer

Sunrise to  sunset the  time flies each day

  The daily chores punctuated with odd jobs stay
Not many changes to routine yet each day is new
 Resolve to walk more miles with energies renewed
Hear chirp of birds, the sound of bumble bees
  A clap of thunder, raging storms and thundering seas
The beauty of snow clad mountains and flowering trees
   Green meadows, flowing rivers and lovely retreats
So much to thank almighty for the countless treats
    Every new day brings untold joys with every heartbeat

PS- Image Kind Courtesy Google

Thanking Women

A day most important that matters most
 We need to thank someone who bore us at huge cost
Raised us as kids, had sleepless nights
  Held  our hand never left out of sight
Loved as a sister, a companion and best friends
  Expecting little,sacrificing, and helping at every bend
Let us thank lord each day for he created women
   So that we have some one to take care and listen

PS:1. Image Kind Courtesy Google
2. One cannot convey the gratitude in enough words to thank all the women who make the difference in a man's life

Awaiting Good Times

The unending loot, and fall of trust
 Raises  graph of crime and insatiable lust
The hapless honest can do little but stare
  While crooks and lumpen continue to blare
They mock at systems that have little worth
   Except harassing poor and needy since birth
We live in times when honest are taxed
  The cheats and crooks are scot free and relaxed
When will we see the good times come?
  When equitable treatment is meted without drums

PS: Image Kind Courtesy Google

Facades

Saying what your mind does not agree with
  Is what we often do to take a path less arduous
Doing what we would not like
  Is what we often are enmeshed with
In the world of facades, the reality is lost
 Only half-truths and lies are dished shamelessly most
Be childlike and innocent is taught most
  Least practised and pursued as we grow more
Sit back to  listen to beats of your heart
  A silent rhythm unchanged despite tearing apart
Hear the songs of nature, birds chirp, revel n bask
  Do any of these ever change to don any mask??

PS- Image Kind courtesy Google

The Cusco Trail

The lush green mountains, the sparkling blue waters,

  Cascading down Andean Peaks n Urubamba valley totters

Standing tall the remains of Incan Empire

  Leaves one spellbound in awe n much to inspire

Ayar Oche raises high in flight towards heaven,

  Listen to the murmur of Cusco tales make feet leaden

As you climb higher on Machu Picchu trail

 Stand, look, admire the edifices n structures frail

The delicacy of stonework on Killke raised complex

    Will raise a heartbeat, leaving jaws open n perplex?

Cusco is still a jewel adorning Peru’s crown

   Rising amidst jungles, rivulets and many a Llama towns

PS- 1. This poem is a dedication to the history, culture, and uniqueness of Peru, a land I desire to see one day!

2. The interesting legend of  Ayar Oche, that stood and displayed its large wings and came from where Sun was and turned into stone, just as he was, according to the folklore

3. The Killke people came before the Incas in 13^th century and built the fortress, temples, and aqueducts

4. Llamas are domesticated animals that are prevalent in the region

5. Image of Machu Picchu and Llama- kind courtesy the Google

Welcome Rains

Heat waves give way to the dark clouds

  

  The sunshine backs off and no longer people growl

It has been a long and arduous wait in sweat

    

   The clap of thunder and raindrops take away fret

The gurgling streams and puddles spill all around

   

    Torrents of rain and streaks of lightning abound

The respite is soothing as green shrubs have rebound

     

   Nature has its way to bring happiness beyond bounds

Steaming hot tea and pakoras are such a delight

    No better way to celebrate the drenched nature’s might.

PS: Image Kind Courtesy Google

A Torrid Summer

The searing heat, the scorching sunshine,

   Dry torrid wind, dust laden air shield the moonshine

Parched lips, and never ending trickling sweat

    Makes one long for green grass laden with mist

The color yellow dominates arid sky

     Blazing red gulmohars by day, fragrant jasmines by night

A still calm interrupted by dust storms 

    Cool breeze from the cooler is a welcome norm

Guzzling endless glasses of water and sweet drinks

    Red watermelons, mangoes save from going over brink

In the backyard a cuckoo sings

     Most melodious song with a tinge

PS- Image Kind Courtesy Google

An Ode to the Tricolour

The steel birds fly with a hawk’s eye

  Guarding with vigil the azure limitless sky

Men in white defend the turquoise sea

      With grit like  a Casabianca in reverie

Sentinels in olive green never wink

   Face avalanches in Siachen for no cheap thrill

Did likes of Abdul Hamid loose life for a religion?

    Every soldier sees tricolor flutter his only religion

Sitting in cozy confines the think tanks debate

    Whether tricolour is foisted to perpetuate hate

The intellectual debate rarely brings unison

        They only lead to an endless frustration

Let tricolour fly in every Indian heart

 To usher harmony and patriotism for a start

PS: Image kind courtesy Google

A Sweet Chronicle

A quiet, a still, and then a loud howl

  The peace is shattered and face has a big scowl

The little one saw a’ big lizard’ crawl under the stroller

    One ‘hush’, the lizard retreated ashamed little prowler

She posed as a teacher with toys big n small

   It was time to punish and dole out ‘Choco’ rewards

The funny ‘Bunny’ rabbit always came late

   Cute ‘little ‘Barbie ‘only, finished food on plate

Mom and Dad took turns to narrate stories

   Of fairies, brave n evil and other tales of glory

They live their own’ bachpan’ hiding with her in attic

    Making faces, sharing fun and indulging in antics

Time moved and now she was in school

  She wanted to lead and be ahead of the pool

The ‘little head girl’ was no longer a Red Riding Hood

      A little authoritative but as helpful as she could

The pace in college was full of fun

  A lot of learning and exchange pun

The little doll has now grown wee bit tall

  She does not forget still, to have her’ Choco Kelloggs’

PS: 1.This is my post for Kelloggs/Indiblogger sponsored ‘Khuljaye Bachpan’ contest (https://www.facebook.com/mychocos)

2. Images kind courtesy ‘Google’

The Tremors of Rage

The unchecked greed, the lustful eyes

      Raped and plundered the mother divine

For countless years they cut down trees

   Built towering edifices, on valleys green

Converted crystal blue rivers and ponds

     Into cesspools and murky pools of scorn

The lofty spires and statues filled space

    Replacing clean blue sky with dust and haze

It’s time to teach lessons few,

   To check desires to a heightened new

Every now n then there comes a flood

  Followed with a famine with gust renewed

The earth shakes and trembles with rage

   Scurrying humans to find  places safe

It’s time to pause n make new amends

  Lest we face extinction n see a dark end

PS : Image kind courtesy Google.(http://greenyatra.org/)

Little Girl

 At crack of dawn her eyes open with a yawn

   A full moon face all smiles and grace

I thrust my hands to hold the little babe

   Her tiny hands and small feet curl into a bale

Oft I wonder what fairy tales are about

  But for warmth of cuddling little baby dolls

Though nature bestowed some best formations

    None to beat this human angel like creation.

With every passing year she adds pleasure

   Her radiant smile makes joys beyond measure

A Moment of Pride

It was a long journey with perils n thrills

  One final command and scientists stood still

There were anxious moments n hearts beat

  Then it was sighted to a thunderous treat

Long hours and perseverance was behind this story

  The result was grand n brought immense glory

‘Knock, Knock, who is there’ Maven gazed

  ‘It is Mangalayaan ‘ came reply from haze

 PS: Maven is the first spacecraft launched by NASA to explore the upper atmosphere of Mars. It was placed in the Mars orbit on 21 Sep 14 and Mangalayaan entered the orbit on 24 Sep 14.This poem is a dedication to the scientists of our country who realized the near impossible dream at a fraction of cost!

Heartless

A heartless man with no emotions

  Makes the life a drudgery notion

A princely life with all the might

 Means little if cannot bring delight

Those who have little but a big heart

  Bring joy and smiles as a priceless part

Each day is a gift so share n start

       A rich life and riches to part

Life is a journey so cherish and relish

   Look beyond small things and abandon fetish

PS- Image Kind courtesy Google

A Hairy Tale

Tresses curled n sometimes straight,

     Sway gently in elegant sensual gait.

Strong, no split ends, no grease

      They shine all times to please

‘Tresemme’ wonder works all the time

      Keeps hair nurtured in youthful prime

A huge range to choose from

      Climate Control to Hair fall defense

Salon smooth with frizz control

        Smooth n Silky no worries of troll

A sure protector from hairy heartbreaks

           Apply with ease n take a break

Why look elsewhere for hair care?

           When there is ‘Tresemme’ my best mate

PS: 1. Submitted for the contest sponsored by 'Tresemme' and Indiblogger

       2. Image Kind Courtesy Google