Credit Cards

It s easier to spend money
through credit card..
You don't worry
that you will be short of cash,
There is no loose change 
in your pocket
To send you an alarm
That jingling sounds of last few coins
That tell you
Its time to stop

You don't care
how much you spend.
Just Rs100 or Rs500
Rs250 and 40 cents
There are no notes
To stare at you back

Money just flows out..
With punch of fingers.
You stop at every mall
Buy things you don't need
One extra zero
Really?
What does it matter?
till the bill comes.
Hopping on your doorstep

Then you need a strong heart
to bear the shock
when u realise
how extravagant you could get...
You have crossed the limits
over your stable budget.

Plastic money
Slipped out of your palm
With buttery steps
Tango feet
A naughty grin

You realise then
That you have lost reins
over your money
It was not virtual
It was real

and there is no going back......

Modi Rules

Just
Under
Modi
Thousands of ants
Emerge from their secure hole
With a grain of rice on their backs
Sacks of them
Hoarded
over the time
Grain by grain
All summer

Grasshopper gloated
"This winter
You and I
Will sing the same tune"

The black crow cawed
Cawed cawed.....
Sitting on a tree
Watched it all
A golden ring
Hidden under its paw

Happy Children's Day

Fearlessly she plucks out
one grey hair
From the crown of my head
She stands on one toe
on the edge of the chair
Dunks her finger into a bowl of soup
When she sees my raised eyebrow
She straightens up
She knows
That it means 'No'
She puts her arms around my neck
Her love as pure as gold
Expects nothing in return
Just a warm, cuddly hug back
Her million dollar
Toothy smile
makes me forget all my woes
Innocence, purity comes alive
as I see her noisily hopping around

She is just two
bubbly, happy
A beautiful world to me

Fear

FEAR
The first emotion
that arrives
When there is change..

Fear of the unknown,
Fear of shifting
from a comfortable zone..

Mind blocked,
Knows not
How to react.

Best  it is
to take a deep breath
Relax..

Tone up the muscles
for a new beginning..
Wait..

Soon the darkness
will disappear
All will be bright again....

I Am Finally Home

My new house
Slowly spreads
Its tentacles
Around me
Enveloped
Warm and secure
I am finally home...

Body Protest

At first you don't realize, 
you go around 
finishing all the chores 
one by one, 
mind tells you to stop, 
Asking you to pause
but you promise yourself
'just one more chore and I am done'..
you do that N times
without respecting the limitation
of your body ..
Finally body protests,
knocks on your nerves,
gently at first
then a loud bang,
pushing you rudely on the bed,
Stunned
you stretch
hoping to relax,
pain arrives
With thorns and needles
ready to stay...

Shifting Back To New Home

Two years ago, 
I had moved out of my home
That I had built  over the memories of many years

There was pain..
A deep wound 
while discarding the materialistic attachments 
Accumulated over the years

Separation is never easy..
BUT the old must may make way for the new..

We have to shed off 
Load of karma 
to find freedom
From excess baggage

Building has been redeveloped now
Invites me to come back

I shall move in
Back to my familiar neighbourhood..
The shades under the trees 
Lining my lane 
Are cooler now
(some older by two years)

Same smiling faces 
Outside my main door..
In the lobby, 
In the lift, 
In the building compound

But the walls of my house are cold
Very cold..
Lifeless..
They know me not
They have a new name, 
A new soul, 

I will have to start all over again, 
Building my relationships 
With the newness of the building..
Kiss the walls..
Add some warmth 
Transform this house into my own home...

A new beginning has just begun
I have to start planting new seeds of memories
Once again

I am listening

Yes
I am listening to you attentively,
savouring every word you say
with a glisten in my eyes

But I may not write a verse about you
Unless they move me
Unless I am inspired by your thoughts,
Unless they touch my cords of my heart,

Meaningless conversation
is just noise,
like pebbles in a box
like distant drums

I would rather be drifted away by my own tune.

Renewed Friendship

The day you unfriended me
A piece of me died
Of having lost a good friend
Laughter, fun, good times
In a moment
You changed
Cheerless, depressed, sad
I let you slip off my finger tips
after much ado and fuss
Everything revolves around a reason
To move on
We must

But now you are back
With a newer jest
Earnestly tying knots
Over broken fest
Sure I am not
How do I react
Careful I am
What do I express
Everything said I
My words you wore like a cap
Not everything is about you
There is sun, stars, moon
Newer set of friends have I
with better humour and sense

Life goes on
Time stands still not
New stories made each day
Older left to rust
Friendship could start again
If based on trust
Wound around confidence,
laced with love

You may sit on side lines
Start all over again
Let words tell stories
Let new chapter begin
Pick up the scars
Scattered on the floor
Nurse them back to life
Bring them indoors

Maybe we will merge
before the day is done

At a Street Café

The footpath was so high that one needed a ladder to climb on it. Thank Goodness I had a walking stick for support and an extended palm of a friend to hold on to. I climb up and entered the newly launched café.

The café occupied a part of the footpath, the extended part of the café was covered by bamboo curtains, coloured bamboo sticks, and fancy artefacts . Footpaths in Mumbai are normally used by shops as an extension to display their products, or they may be used by hawkers, also used by street dwellers, or otherwise they are broken with missing pavers. It is never safe for common people, pedestrians normally walk on the middle of the road, dodging traffic.

“This is first thing you must attend to, if you want the clients to enter your Café, keep a lower step” I grumbled

A large cart of ‘Delhi chaat’ was parked just at the entrance. There were assortments of street food like Pani Puri, Papri Chaat, Samosas and a large hot plate with potato patties, ready to serve.

The waiter looked apologetic and guided me through a glass facade into a small AC room inside the café.

“We have a nice Palak Papri Chat, would you like to try it?” asked the waiter at our table.

A spinach fritters with sweet curd, spicy chutney, garnished with pomegranate seeds, Sev and coriander leaves sounded good.

“Yes okay” I said, drooling

“Lets see what else they have.” Said my friend and asked for a menu card.

Although café looked small, it had a great variety of food on its’ menu card. There were street food from all over the world. Two or three specialities, the most famous and relished dishes from India, Italy, Indonesia, Middle East. Etc.There were hummus, Falafel Salad, Pastas, Spaghetti, exotic sandwiches, and everything vegetarian........

continue reading...Read more at https://niume.com/pages/post/?postID=100483

Friends Meet up

The day sparkles
When you meet up
With friends you love
Spend time with them
Doing nothing
No cares in the world
Worries kept on top shelf
Chores unscratched
At the back of the mind
Just music, food, drinks
A chat or two
A game of poker
Rummy or flash
A board game would also do
But gossip is must
Harmless they be
Perks up the moods
Eyebrows raised
Shine in the eyes
Loud laughter
All in the game
Talking freely
Of this and that
Day sparkles
When you meet up with
Friends you love.....

She seeks me out
Puts her arms around me
Speaking in her broken words
In the language of love
Munching on a piece of carrot
She begins to recite a poem
That I had taught her many times
While she sat on my lap
Holds my hands
Leads me to her room
Shows me her toy cabinet
Bends double to pick her favorite
Hopping on one foot
She lets out a joyful squeal
Her innocence fills my world
My moods change
Happiness surround me
All I feel is just
BLISS
Happy Birthday to my
Living doll
Jhalak
Two years today
May you always shine on......

Friendship

They walk with me
at my pace
through desert sand
and prickling stones
There is laughter
joy, bliss in store
although I sulk silly
down the road
My friendship is not
like frozen water
that melts away
with soft sun stroke
It stays strong
Precious for many years.
shining brightly
like uncut stone
Friends for me are
soul mates for life,
Those who know me
have survived.
Weak ones I left them
far behind.
In maze of thorns
of different kind

True friends those still around.
they for sure can last life time
I thank them for being by my side
For being important chunk
of my life

Strings of Attachment

Strings of attachment 
all they bring is pain
when they snap off connection
leaving the loose ends
entangled at finger tips
no love remains.......

Cuss Words

Cuss words
uttered carelessly
is no step to publicity
You might think
it being your superiority 
to relegate people
under feet and dust
but humility has always
been the winner
words laced with love.....

Guru Purnima

My Lord resides in my soul
my saviour, my guide
leading me towards path
of happiness and bliss
Attracting only the blessed souls
that enhances my life
Happy Guru Punam
to good souls surrounding me
I am because you are....

Think Positive On A Rainy Day

Cold and dank room at midday
Wet clothes spread on floor and bed
Sun hides behind heavy clouds
Sheets of rain 

Slippery ground

Friend sends a message
"Are you doing good?"
I complain "Bad rainy day"
"Use no negative words
Not even for rain" she writes back

Not that rain troubles me
I stay comfortable
Lying on bed
staring at sky
Through my window
criss crossed with grill

But down there on busy street
I hear non stop beeps
Of cars, buses, ambulance,lorries jeeps
Two wheelers might zig zag
Through maze with speed
But four wheelers wait impatiently

I feel their frustration in traffic jam
I am sure there is water logging somewhere, 

or a pothole, 

a broken pavement, 

a path covered with fungus green or 

on a footpath a missing slab

People trying a balancing act, 

somebody must have missed their step, 

fell on their knees, 

broke an ankle, 

bruised their limb
Patients flock to hospitals
With illness more serious than a sneeze

"Use no negative words" 

says my friend
I look on this dark day for positivity
Doctors happy, their biz is good

City continues to be crippled by heavy rains

Self Imposed Curfew

Under self imposed curfew
enclosed within four walls
I watch the rain drops drip
The sheet blotting the world
I shift my gaze
Beyond the pages of my book
Cold air carressing my skin
Skies tear apart with rumbling sounds
Light gnashes its sparkling teeth
Days shall pass bit by bit
Till  health returns to pink
Its just I, me, myself
and crawling words on the net

Imaginations round up
of far away birds and clan
that glide down the rainbow
into mysterious ramp

Sindhi Refugees

These men got to go

Declared enemies

So they packed their bags

And became refugees

They crossed  borders in shame

Over dispute of two countries

Coldness between India Pakisthan

Divided all Sindhis

Gold coins, crockery,

Luxuries of happy homes

Vultures of the land

Looted their hard earned money

Holes in their soles

Forced to live in open tents

They dined in community kitchens

Just rice, lentils, bread

Dignity had to be earned

For pride to return

A new life was chalked

For them to start all over

They up-toned their muscles

To begin from scratch
No map to follow
There was no going back.

On streets, railways, footpaths

On every unclaimed land

They spread their merchandise

Began to sell their wares.

Night and day, day and night

They toiled under harsh weather

Framed inside faith

Wrapped in cloak of self respect

Inch by inch,  hard work

Yielded good results

Sixty years after migration

Sindhis are everywhere

Offering hand of compassion

They lift their families up

Sindhis, the philanthropist

Helping every common man

Building schools, hospitals

Doing unselfish work

Communities, friends, families

Share their extra wealth

Hardwork pays,

Lady luck smiles

Wheels of fortune

Turns around

Dot by dot,  chain by chain

They learnt to survive

Third generation of

Migrant Sindhis

Winners of the game

Fore fathers

Faced much hardship

With stickers of refugees

on their backs

Scion of refugee men

Champs in present world

Suicide

Suicide 1

I want to commit suicide
Walk over to a different world
Natural death might take me to heaven
But suicide is a sure shot hell

Send me a poison
You experimenting with
I am willing to taste
Much corruption now,
Every product adulterer
Always disappointing

Were I to die
Famous you could be
For having reached a new milestone
of producing better stuff
World would rejoice
For having product
That really kills

A suicide note
I will leave
with poison name
that works

Suicide note 2

If you find me still
No breath under my chest
Understand I am gone
Forever

Dont panic
And thrust me in an ambulance
Like pizza in the oven
Stay cool

I have my will neatly
Filed and folded
In the lower
Shelf of kitchen cabinet

Some recipes, tried and tested
Few bottles of sauces, herbs
Steel pots and pans, brand new 

Up in the loft, they stand

Had even bought ceramic knives

Thought I would use some day
You inherit them all
Its my parting gift for you

Cooked Briyani sits in fridge, 

Feast for those who may come to mourn
Few pickles that will last 

Few days or maybe months
You may taste them all
But remember to clean up 

After you are done
The maid may not return

She too ate the poison that you wanted to experiment on me
Yesterday.

Poetry in April #Poem 25

There are the rich
The poor
The families cling to tradition
The sons compelled
Urge their members
To hold certain beliefs

A family live to uphold anarchism
Theories and beliefs handed down
Assume the dignity of blood laws
The levelling tradition is dead level of equality
Not a man of the family has been
Whole-souled, single-purposed labor man

The man of the family is actually
The woman.

Poetry form:Erasure..
Source text ‘Youth Challenges’ by Clerence B Kelland

Poetry in April #Poem 24

Soon you will be off those trees
On to our dinner plates
Now you are green 
So I wait
Till you begin to blush
As you approach your maturiy
Your flesh- juicy and succullent
You will be a delight
When I chop you to pieces
And enjoy it with my meal

Ah ‪#‎Mangoes‬
I am eyeing you from my kitchen window

#Napowrimo

Poetry in April #Poem 23

............................Smile...............................
...................Fine rayon thread......................
.........................That binds...........................
.....................People together......................
.......................Unkind words........................
............................Spoken............................
.........................On impulse.........................
.........................Causes rift..........................
.........................Friendship..........................
........................Decays like..........................
.....................Withered flower.......................
...................Cannot be revived....................
........................Till set aside........................
...........................Pressed............................
.................Between folds of book...............
............................For it to...........................
.............................Bloom...........................
.............................Again............................

Poetry in April #Poem 22

Friendship

She calls me for lunch.....Feast is on her mind
We need no.....................Reasons; we meet any time
My friend is my board......Intellectual and sound
In good times and bad.....Emotionally we are bound
We meet in hunger, in......Need, and in peace
We seek no favors, no.....Desires, just love
Expectations are born......Shared, joys unclaimed
Morning, day, night, all.....Hours untamed
With all the strength........ Invariably I recall
To be worthy, I..................Pray, that it lasts on and on.

Form-Poem Mesozoic
The letters in the centre make up the word ‘FRIENDSHIP’

Poetry in April #Poem 21

Child lifts sand in his plastic pail
Walks barefoot, with staggering gait
To empty sand again
He chuckles
Exposing his two front teeth
Unaware of the future

Somewhere, at this hour
Thick blocks of ice descent
Rumbling down from North poles
Gushing angry waves
Wash away shores

Good Earth looks for a place to hide

Poetry in April #Poem 20

Paper doll
Covered from head to toe
No mind of her own
Sit
Stand 
Cry
Stretch
Obey
Thick veil of dictatorship
Crushing her under weight of norms
Love
But with strings attached
Watch
With silent eyes

Man
Turns
The key

Until the day
She opens her mouth
To speak

Poetry In April #Poem 19

He posted pictures
Tagged her name
To refresh her memory
She wished to forget

The great expanse of hills
The dusty roads
Where they had trekked in broken shoes
Just two of them
Their faces bright
Reflecting radiance
As they stopped to sip wine
From faded urn
He would pull her plait
Fold around his arm
Bring her close to
Whisper nothings

Time has changed
All that remains is
Chill of deep dark void
Filled with sadness and pain
They are friends no more

Her best revenge is to live well,
Untag him

Poetry in April #Poem 18

She was young
Desires were plenty
There was no money
Not enough money

She walked down the road
Lined with stores
Just gaped
Nose pressed against window

Someday I shall buy fur
Some day I shall buy
That pure leather purse
Someday I shall have money
She walked away, heads down

She worked hard
It paid
She climbed the stairs
Of success each day
Time finally arrived
She could afford everything

But feeling changed
Beyond horizon
Spirituality was the cloak she wore
Four legged animals were her best friends

She never bought fur
Nor any pure leather bag

Poetry in April #Poem 17

One way love
Meaningless verse
Words hang in air in
Silence

Joie de vivre message
Crawling into his phone
Reads them all in
Silence

Generation gap
East and west
Forced bondage in
Silence

She strikes off his name from her life

Silence

#Napowrimo

Poetry In April #Poem 16

Cousin sends me her picture
Dressed in green silk dress with gold border
She is wearing the necklace that we had exchanged
During her last visit to my home
The glow on her face tells me that she is having fun
I begin to wish
I should have been there with her
We could have shared the happy times together

Like we always do

Walk down the narrow lanes of new city
Try the local cuisine
Stroll by the riverside
Enjoy a boat ride too.
Watch the sun set together
Munching on chips and seeds
Argue for no reason at all
Next moment wash away the blues.

Friends come and go
But cousins are there
Forever.

‪#‎Napowrimo‬ ‪

Poetry In April #Poem 15

Mumbai Metro
Versova to Ghatkopar
An interesting ride

Comfortable you sit in a cool cabin
Through crystal window, you watch
Reality of Mumbai life
Rich and poor live side by side.

One moment tall skyscraper
Of glass and steel reach for stars
Next moment mud houses
Coated with dust crawl on the ground

There is stark contrast like in Movie scene
Everybody is struggler in this city
Be it in glass buildings or on streets

Metro rolls on cutting through under belly
While life continues to bleed

‪#‎Napowrimo‬ ‪

Poetry in April #Poem 14

Limericks

A self-styled Godman Baba Ramdev
Teaches tummy trick night and day
In Yoga lesson he warns
You might lose your charm
If you didn’t chant regularly ‘Bharat Mata ki Jay’

‪#‎Napowrimo‬ ‪

(Ironic at what Yoga Guru Ramdev Baba promotes in his programs, the beheading comment by him showed a violent streak.)

Poetry in April #Poem 13

There is certain kind of pleasure
In cheating
At board games

I love to watch your expression
Of threat and disgust
As you crinkle up your nose
And warn

I defend that I am honest
And cross my heart
Make you believe
I am smart.

Mood lightens
We continue to play
Friendship bond strengthened
By the end of the day

A blissful afternoon
A day well spent
Of food, laughter, song
And a board game

It’s the betrayal in real life
That brings pain

‪#‎Napowrimo‬ ‪

Poetry in April #Poem 12

She could not talk loudly

She repeated her views
Several times
But it faded 
Blurred

Thunderous voices
Even though
Gibberish
Were clearly heard

Nobody cared

She covered her opinions
Under her cape
Walk away into oblivion

#Napowrimo

poetry in April #Poem 11

Don’t ring my doorbell today

I am sleeping
I am cooking
I am reading
I am meditating
I am dressing
I am watching TV

Listen love, come back on another day

I am taken by me

#Napowrimo

Poetry in April #Poem 10

Chop
Chop
Chop
Put some butter
Add some salt
Knead it well
Roll into a perfect ball
No worries
If its’ taste not right
This is only your first time

We learn from mistakes
Experiments are just a game
You can always redo again

Only life has no retakes

#Napowrimo

Poetry in April #Poem 9

Ten minute
Twenty three seconds
To be exact
Since you last uttered a word.

Your silence is so refreshing

Like going for a long walk on a quiet beach
Like sitting on a lone bench on top of hill
Like watching colourful sunset rings

Talk
Talk
Talk
You talk too much
Rambling same stories
Over and over again
Throb
Throb
Throb,
Hammers on my skull
Ouch!
My head hurts.

Silence is Gold
Come sit
Cross legged
Shut your eye lids
Listen to magic sounds
Of soul within

Shhhh!!

#Napowrimo

Poetry in April #Poem 8

Gasping for breath
He jumps into moving train
Too late
Not a vacant seat in sight

He stands, shifting his weight
From one foot to another
Rivulets of sweat trickle
Down his glossy skin

The train rumbles in rhythm
Of musical band
He opens his mouth as if to yawn
But begins to sing to ease
The pain of hard work done

Catchy lines.
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa
Trallala la la
More people join
Some tapping their feet
Some drum their fingers on window sill

Bollywood song of 80’s
Proves to be stress buster

He is regular on Mumbai Trains
A common man,
A happy man
A struggler.

#Napowrimo

Poetry in April #Poem 7

I dragged him
By flap of his collar
Buried him
Inside pages of my book

He rattled on
To draw my attention
I stared briefly
At his script

He rolled into lit
Explored
Full range of words,
Monstrous words
Cynical words
Chocolatey words
Buttery, slippery words
Words that rhymed
Twisted without reason
Till cul-de-sac
He was a great raconteur

I fell into his trance

‪#‎NaPoWriMo‬ ‪