A NEW Beginning

Walking the path of rusty leaves
Lying strewn, retired from trees
Their Yellow seems so nostalgic
Something bizarre, quite atypic.

A crunchy sound under my boot
Echoes, when I put out my foot
The worldly things that lie above
Are crushed by the embers of love.

The framework of branches left
Bifurcated, its soul bereft
From deep within, it does profess
A yearning for the leaves’ caress.

It seems to be an endless wait....
Rays of sunlight, then, penetrate
To say, for every END in the making
There's always a NEW Beginning.

A Touch

When the world turns its back on you

When you are left out without any clue

Like the first ray of the morning sun

Mom's touch says... 'I trust you child, take the turn'

When you struggle with a bicycle ride

When you are tired of things you've tried

Like the ambush of a protective armor

Dad's touch says... 'I'l be your shield, my li'l warrior'

When you’ve had a mighty pillow fight

When you get home late at night

Like the gentle stars that shine down

A sibling’s touch says ‘You’re one… but just reborn’

When you are set to take the plunge

When you are tangled in a melange

Like a rainbow that lifts your mood

A Friend's touch says 'I'l b there, don't you worry dude'

When in a crowd you seem to be forlorn

When your dreams are not only your own

Like the depth of a boundless ocean

A Soulmate's touch says 'You're mine, my life's reason'

These jewels on the ornament of life

Help you survive every other strife

Your touch will enhance their radiance

Let them not fall out… Or else it may mar the whole appearance.

5.32 am:

Standing on the terrace of my 15-storey apartment, at this time of dawn, I’m able to view a major part of the city in a single glance. Its making me feel as if I’m an important speck in this stupendous world. The sky’s started changing colors, from gray to metallic silver with shades of blue imposed. Yellow patches are trying to creep in and its tangy red now. The sun with all its supremacy, is rising each step as the color of the sky is changing and eventually has hovered over the city, above everything.

5.58am:

I peeped onto the roads. There were some really fitness conscious people striding, a newspaper vendor arranging his stuff, a milk van zooming through the otherwise busy street.. but.. I couldn’t see her.

Suddenly, the door to the terrace went ajar and she came running.

She hugged me and said… ‘Happy birthday Sneha.’

6.10 am:

My friend, Jaanki made it a point every year to be the first one to greet me on the morning of my birthday and I used to long for that, waiting here on the terrace. Today again, Jaan, as I called her, is here. She always gave me the best gift on my birthday…her ‘presence’.

6.30 am:

We sat there, talking… about things, silly things…. difficult things…. important things… sometimes just nothing. Each moment that went unspoken cemented our bonding, deepened the faith, increased the trust, strengthened our union.

6.45 am:

‘Look down there Jaan’. I said.

Jaanki feared heights.

Today, I have to make her get rid of this fear, I thought.

I made her calm down. I took her down to the verandah of the 1^st floor. I moved up every floor with her and asked her to look down. Now, by the time she reached the 12^th floor, she was composed. And on the terrace, we looked down together into city that was getting prepared for the day.

7.42 am:

We never could keep track of time, or rather time couldn’t keep track of us whenever we were together.

My watch alarm beeped.

I looked around…. Jaanki wasn’t there.

…………..The time machine had traveled exactly 1 year ahead. I had been overruled by memories of my last birthday.

Jaanki hadn’t come today.

Its been 7 months now that we haven’t spoken but our bonding hadn’t grown either.

She had annihilated her fear for altitudes completely.

She had jumped off from the 7^th floor of her building to death.

……..She had lost her brother in an accident. The tragedy took a toll and forced her to take the drastic step.

How could I let that happen…?

How could I not know her inspite of knowing her…?

How couldn’t I get any kind of premonitions of her feelings…?

How could I..?

How could I..?

It’s me who’s responsible for it. It’s me who had made her overcome her fear for heights.

If only... she still had that fear… she would’ve been here… right here.

…. I’ve been sentenced to be hanged until death in the court of my conscience.

(The Multitude of Altitudes)

Rains.. Unplugged!!

The first rains have always seemed alluring to me.. rolling down the memory aisle as the rain drops roll down my window pane.. that feeling, with a cup of hot coffee.. is something bewitching.. i can veritably feel the tangibilty of a loved one. But all that lasts only till the first shower. the remainig days of the monsoon irks me out.. wading through with the umbrella that turns upside out each time a heavy wind comes my way.. manging not to step in to those muddy puddles... n.. aww!! still its dirt n water all over when you finally reach your destination...

but...
its been a week that monsoon has begun this time..
though it hasnt rained heavily or so in these days.. these rains, even after the first one, continue to entice me. What can be the reason...?? i dont know.. i cant think of any thing particular. Whatevr it is.. i'm enjoying every bit of it.. every moment of it.. every drop of it..

It feels so cool as the breeze rushes just to touch my face.. the soil gets wet and disseminates its fragrance so that I.. only I.. can relish that pungency which had been hidden for months.. the raindrops beating to the tune when i lazily lie on the couch and hum my favorite song.. that thunderous roar reminding me of my mom's warmth as a child when i used to wrap myself around her with fear.. that lightning streak.. helping me envision a new way ahead..

I had always wished the monsoons to end soon but this time it really is different..
It has arrived with an altogether new lease in my life, hopes that may enable me to thrive upon for the years to come.. relationships that i'll cherish throughout my life.. situations of which i have made myself capable of handling with.. premonitions of a fantastic tomorrow.. the finesse to conceive what is and what is not.. and.. most importantly.. the confidence to be what I AM..

how i wish it would rain forever and i grow everyday.. for each rainy day would be teaching a different lesson...

A Lesson

I was walking wondering why

An infinitesimal butterfly

Is created with such beauty

But not assigned major duty!

By then, one flew past me

Something splendid and tiny.

Through roads of sand and gravel

I went on to grab the marvel.

I’d almost reached but it further flew

Playing hide n seek, out of my view.

Then, flapping its wings furiously

Slowly alighted on to a maple tree.

The tiny being had unknowingly

Taught me life’s lesson, savoury.

You look here, you search there

For happiness that’s present bare.

‘Tis when you would least expect

That it would upon you alight

Nothing you do will go futile

You’ll be happy, may be in a while……