The Imperfect Me

 Many times

 I stumble upon phrases 

Try to fit in

Were those words 

written for me

I wonder 

if its all in a dream

For perfection 

I crave to gain

In everything 

I wish to do

But people gaze

follow me

Put too much 

expectations on me

They ask 

who am I 

What do I want

I know not

Cause I am

Imperfect me.

Mumbai Rains Never Fails

 It rains heavily

All people run for shelter

At the promenade 

At the slippery rocks

At dirt and mud staircase at the stone bench they look for place to hide to escape

The crazy fierce wet wind

There is no room 

Just a shack 

Selling soft drinks

The owner blocks the entrance

Allows only seniors, weak or kids

Who will order drinks

Waiting outside are people

Drenched under rain

Water dripping down their face

A photographer with DSL camera

 A lovely couple 

A teenager munching gum

Rain shows no mercy

Pours for a moment

The heavy clouds move away

Its sunshine again

Mumbai rains never fails

The New Normal

 The streets are still the same

Whift of fragrance in the air

of flowers, of food, of sweat

this is the street, I have walked

many times, watching my step, avoiding broken path

careful not to kiss the floor

Bread must be earned

for the family to feed

vendors wait with their wares

for brave shoppers who dare

its the sense of freedom

that floated around

but that exists no more

all people express behind

their mask stoned

fear writ

across their eyes

handcuffed by sanitised cream

suspicious of deadly disease

I walk back behind closed doors

cooking washing hundred times

view from window is fair enough

the birds, the sky, the concrete hearts

thats my life, the new normal

watching lives through instalives

life stand still

Sole Traveller

 I am sole traveller

on a tight budget

travelling from one room to another

I see the world through small window

Facebook time lines, instalive

moving stories far and wide

tribal women

on mud stove

sharing cuisine, their mundane lives

they got net savvy 

in pandemic times

its a different world

i could have easily disappeared to Mars

nobody will miss me

at least for now

i connect easily

chit chat for hours

with strangers i never met

inner joy i do get

the roads are stretched far and wide

alone i explore the beauty

of the scenes unknown

in between

never ending dishes

washing hands

then utensils

tea time, lunch time, dinner, 

i have begun to skip evening snack

I am not sure

when i plan to return back

to the confused world

I lived in

walk down familiar roads

meet my friends

face to face

will i stretch my arms

for a warm reception

or will i continue to be

a lone traveller

walking from room to room

travelling forever

in cyber world.

Oh I wish I could find a company 

to travel with me.

Mumbai Rains in Pandemic Times

 Even though I am enveloped

inside Zoom Google meets

endless talks on ways of world

the sounds of rain continues to intercept

its soft whooshing sounds

its frightening shriek

the droplets dripping down the pane

No, i don't walk down

not in this rain

dare not go down the slippery streets

where cars like motorboats

whizz pass my lane

but then I have not

even when there were no rain

they tell me

the streets are flooded now

there is a lake view in every lane

though nobody uses the metro nowadays

the railway tracks are blocked again

Mumbai city, my concrete love

it disappoints me, time to time

Covid cases beat stock market

rain fizzles all travel plans

blame not people

Mumbaikars not bad

they have seen worst times

but still they dare.

Diwali During Pandemic

 So this Diwali is going to be unique..

will wish everybody online...

dress up,

wear only new t-shirt or new stole..

skirt or pants not important..

the upper body matters..

do nice make up,

(dont worry about grey hair...its trending)

wear jewellery (if u must)..

prepare sweets just for urself..

if u wish to send..

connect with home chefs..

make nice lunch...traditional if u must

but eat alone..or with ur family..

or with ur next door neighbors

(they r family now..too close perhaps)...

Gift yourself a diwali goodies..

spend quality time in every room...

enjoy fresh air from your balcony...

pamper self..

Hopefully there will be no crackers..

so it should be quiet.

.but u can meditate in peace...

praying is trending,

non stop instalive is trending.

Stay safe..

be happy..

its not going to last forever ..

take care of your health

and dont go under depression.

Drink a glass of wine

(if u must)

Happy Diwali...to u and ur family and.....ur next door neighbors

37Gitoo Shafizadah, Saloni Mirchandani Malkani and 35 others

47 comments

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I Long To Go To The Seashore

 I so long to go to the seashore

To watch the birds dive above waters

The sun go slowly down to kiss the ocean

Leaving the blushing clouds behind

Hundreds of joggers walk on promenades

Seniors sit quietly as the wind caresses their cheeks

Children chirp and squeal, running to catch the rolling ball

Lovers find peace behind the rocks

Romacing the moments of eternal bliss.

Long time now

The memory fades

No one buys colorful wares

Vendors walk up and down the streets

Everywhere is virus scare

All Days Seems The Same

 All days seems the same

Morning wake up, 

night for sleep, 

hours between, 

home activities tweaked

Helper walks in to wash the dishes, 

clean the floor, 

dust the room. 

There is nothing much left for me to do

Except press keys on my phone

 to chat, 

to inquire 

if there will be some adventures to explore,

 or just watch 

visual, virtual, colorful images and endless shows

Is this new normal life?

Lost appetite,

 there is no taste

No more, 

all food tastes just the same..

sweet is sweet, 

sour is sour and

 bitter is oh so bitter

I long for travel

 to distant land

Capture the images of

Wind and sand

Meet new people

Shop new designs

But no incentive for such pleasures

Just black and white

 is new normal

Those who say their life is good

 are big liars

Too proud to admit 

that they are bored.

EveryBody Talks Of Shots Nowadays

 Everyone talks of shot nowadays

"Did you get fever"

"Did your arms ache"

They exchange notes, 

satisfied that they were not singled out.

Plans are made for travel to exotic places, 

just few night aft twenty eight days

Everyone dreams of perfect world

Where the world will come back to moving around. 

Will everybody walk free without a strip of mask, 

exchange greetings

With warmth and words?

Just two shots of vaccine will untie 

the knot of terror-a global virus..

do you really believe it so?

Inside Four Walls Of My House

 Time passes by

I have learnt to sit inside four walls of my house

The only long walk I take, no more in parks but on my 8th floor

From the window touching my bed, passing through my bathroom door, kitchen, living room, to lobby outside my main door, passing through three lift till the opposite closed room no 804 and back again.

Enough exercise for the day is to complete six rounds. Sometimes  might walk down to seventh floor and climb up again.

With me as my sole company, I  have learnt to argue with me,  i rest on my soft sofa close to the window and watch the sky change colors during the day from light blue to dark blue to pitch dark with twinkling diamonds on cloudless nights

Greedy crows visit me only if I have bread to share. On the days when I am generous I offer them mithai or crumbled fruit.

Friends I had once upon a time, I recognise them no more. 

Food has been my savior. My daily normal food has suddenly got exotic. English vocabulary puns behind my cheeks. Curd is now greek chilled yoghurt. Palak is local greens, chappattis are tortillas, fried potatoes -french fries, rolled up roti with left over food is wraps.

I buy fruits from farms all the way from Tons Valley at Uttrakhand, the hilly regions of north east India. I am supporting farmers who protest on the street. I tweet my support in 140 characters

My linen pyjamas with floral design are ordered from Surat. I invite my family to buy the same designs and we party on boothcamps, each one us chomping on same menu of samosas and mint chutney and cup of adrak wali chai.

Netflix and prime videos have replaced cable network, radio FM keeps the silence away, Endless podcast, instalives, zoom on, turn the needles of my wall clock I find no time to read, words overflow from pages of book begging for attention

Did you get Vaccine? Are you still alive? Next building is sealed with 13-15 new cases, the intelligent talk of the town are conversation on taking precautions, as if you dont know.

Time passes by

I have learnt to sit inside four walls of my house

To Eat Or Not To Eat

 To eat

or

not to eat??

Is the Question

 I ask thee.

In these Covid times,  

There are fines..

on even small things like puffed rice

Everybody Has Story To Tell

 Everybody has a story to tell

In this month of April

Droplets glide down the spine

Tingling every sensation

Mixed with words that weave a long tale

So although I sit by the window 

staring at blanket of sky twinkling with stars in row

I am transported to another world by poets

Awakened at Napowrimo.

Silence on Streets Are Back

 Silence is back on the streets 

After a brief moments of life

Of fresh air

Of happy smiles

Of hawkers selling their wares

Cutting chai

Batatawada

Samosas

Tempting aroma on busy streets

Even drove extra miles 

To a resort

To spend some happy hours

With friends

Laughter

Selfies

Potlucks

Those brief moments on rainbow canvas

Is now a dream

Till this deafening silences

Stops to shriek.

Home Haven

 Here I am in my home haven

It was delight to feel the calm within

But now the silence crowds inside out

I want to tear its folds and reach

The warmth of people, the smiles, the touch

The happy hours

Of chats and food

The naughty jokes

In between.

On My Own In Pandemic

 Time passes by

I have learnt to sit inside four walls of my house

The only long walk I take, is no more in parks

but on my 8th floor

From the window touching my bed,

passing through my bathroom door, kitchen, living room,

to lobby outside my main door,

passing through three lift

till the opposite closed room no 804

and back again.

Enough exercise for the day

is to complete six rounds.

Sometimes might walk down

to seventh floor and climb up again.

With me as my sole company,

I have learnt to argue with me,

I rest against my soft pillow

close to the window

and watch the sky change colors

during the day

from light blue to dark blue to pitch dark

with twinkling diamonds on cloudless nights

Greedy crows visit me

only if I have

bread to share.

On the days when I am generous

I offer them mithai or crumbled fruit.

Friends I had once upon a time,

I recognise them no more.

Food has been my savior.

My daily normal food has suddenly got exotic.

English vocabulary puns behind my cheeks.

Stale curd is now greek chilled yoghurt.

Palak is local greens,

chappattis are tortillas,

fried potatoes -french fries,

rolled up roti with left over food is wraps.

I buy fruits from farms

all the way from Tons Valley at Uttrakhand,

those hilly regions of north east India.

I am supporting farmers who protest on the street.

I tweet my support in 140 characters

My linen pyjamas with floral design

are ordered from Surat.

I invite my family to buy the same designs

and we party on booth camps,

each one us chomping

on same menu

of samosas and

mint chutney and

cup of Adrak Wali Chai.

Netflix and prime videos

have replaced cable network,

radio FM keeps the silence away,

Endless podcast,

instalives,

zoom on, google meets,

turn the needles of my wall clock

I find no time to read,

words overflow from pages of book

begging for attention

Did you get Vaccine?

Are you still alive?

Next building is sealed with 13-15 new cases,

the most intelligent talk of the town

are conversation on taking precautions,

as if you don't know.

Time passes by

I have learnt to sit inside four walls of my house

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All Days Seem The Same

 All days seems the same

Morning wake up, 

Night for sleep, 

Hours between, 

Home activities tweaked

Helper walks in 

To wash the dishes, 

Clean the floor, 

Dust the room. 

There is nothing much 

Left for me to do

Except press keys 

On my phone to chat, 

To inquire 

If there will be some adventures 

To explore,

Or just watch 

Visual, 

Virtual, 

Colorful images

Endless shows

Is this new normal life?

Lost appetite,

There is no taste

No more, 

All food tastes just the same..

Sweet is sweet, 

Sour is sour and

Bitter is oh so bitter

I long for travel

To distant land

Capture the images of

Wind and sand

Meet new people

Shop new designs

But no incentive 

For such pleasures

Just black and white

 Is new normal

Those who say 

Their life is good

 are big liars

Too proud to admit 

That they are bored.