Who are you?

Oh! Twinkling star of the sky
Why do you blink as a spy?
You peep in only in the night
You are only a coward not might

Agree I am a sight while you lie
Look I am far away not a sly
I am bigger than the Sun you see
Do you get the answer from me?

Oh! Bright Morning Sun of the day
You hide in the night where you stay
You scorch us badly in the summer
Why do you wake us from our slumber?

Enjoy the light that I give freely
Night and day you count from me only
While Earth revolves me in an orbit
She brings in seasons not my gambit

Oh! Are you Mother Earth nice?
Why do you toss us as dice?
You shelter our needs I agree
But storms affect us as your decree

Land and water do I have grand
Sad by your offence of my sand
But play of Air is not in my hand
As he is the cause of your strand

Oh! Listen to me invisible Air
To feel your breeze blow my hair
I am indebted to you for my breath
But why do you storm us to death?

Appreciate my role is very noble
My presence is felt throughout global
I am only an actor of nature’s serials
Why don’t you look inside for your ordeals?

Whom to be accused for my sorrow
As no takers to lend or borrow
I am nailed to cross by my deed
As I had acted always in greed

Wealth and gold came my way
Fame and fortune held me in sway
Lost the balance of my mind
Is there any one to guide this blind?

Listen to your silence inside
Guidance is not there outside
Splash your life with innocence only
Paint other hearts with love gladly

Listen O Heart

Laugh with the crowd
But cry when you are alone

Wounds may heal quickly
But scars shall stay forever

Radiate your love with a smile to all
But sulk alone for the lost ones

Life’s myriad views
Bring tears in your eyes

Words may fail to express you completely
But your silence answers them all

Listen O Heart, march on with love only
As you are the purest of all…

[Published in NDTV site]

Invitation to Death God

Away I ran, away I ran
Was cooked dryly in the frying pan
Fired by the words of cruel ban
Burning all over is this swan

Fly me high, fly me high
Wondered at myself when I shy
Locked in the maze of only my
Should I live tell me why

Take me away, take me away
Careless was I in my lovely sway
Flowers bloomed in perfect gay
Words I have none to say

Tear me apart, tear me apart
No role I have to play my part
Driven by the reins of thorny cart
Am I a thing seen in the mart

Drown me down, drown me down
Devilish me dances in town
Tears of sadness rule my crown
Hate to live, is this demon grown?

Let me die, let me die
Happy am I to flatly lie
Come O Death, fast as my guy
Hug me quickly in my lonely sty

[Published in NDTV site]

I wish I were gone

How I wish I were gone
From this world but I stay on

Watched the chirping of birds very sweet
Wanted to imitate their lovely tweet
Sweetness eluded from my hand
Understood I could never be grand

When I felt this, I wished I were gone
From this world but stayed on

Watched the waves lashing the shore
Wanted to become a fish fore
Breathless I became as I went inside
Understood it is not in my stride

When I knew this, I wished I were gone
From this world but stayed on

Watched the poor taking alms painfully
Wanted to embrace them lovingly
Turned to see a lot who stood behind
Understood my incapability that bind

When I saw this, I wished I were gone
From this world but stayed on

Watched the needy panting with grief
Wanted to pacify with concern brief
Tears rolled down to see a crowd standing there
As I was helpless to embrace all with care

When I realised this, I wished I were gone
From this world but stayed on

Watched the world painted with blood
Wanted to raise the souls of the dead
Peace is the only fashion statement available
But more are put to rest in pursuit of this babble

When I sensed this, I wished I were gone
From this world but stayed on

O Lord! Beauty is abundant in your cosmos
Except that you fail to implant in our hearts
Love is bought and crushed here in a trice
Where feelings are cheapened for a price

How I wish I were gone
From your world but still I stay on

A soul aspires

Little bird, little bird where do you fly
Over the hills towards the sky
Vain is your effort for you will die
Envy not friend my soulful try

Try you may but what to reach
Rejoice more in the comfort of the rich
Above the earth nothing you can find
No matter how far you strain your mind
See the world with all its glitter
Cradle yourself with inviting titter
Empower your status with imposing power
Nothing can stop your commanding vigor
Drive your charm to appeal the gross
Strive not greatly to behold the dross

Live I must to die one day
Offer my all this is my way
Valour I have you visit my cove
Enjoy the thrill with wings of love

My autobiography (in a scrambled form)

Lazily I am lying in the corner of the lane
With my eyes closed thinking of my past in reels
In black and white it whirled off in action
Taking me as a helpless victim in that trodden realm

Brown is my colour so say these humans
Born in the street I was deserted very soon
Wandered a lot for want of food
Fighting for it with your homeless boys and girls

Many a day I starved as a little puppy
I grew this tall only in the midst of brawls
Scratches and wounds I have in plenty
To win a small piece of bone taken from the bin

After many ordeals and sleepless nights
I chose this place few days back to settle down
No naughty boys here to hurt me with stones
Also, I get a shade in rain and sun somehow

Fever and pains visit me often mercilessly
Making me drain and cry in solitude
No doc treats me for my physical weaknesses
And none to think of my welfare in kindness

My life is one big challenge every day
Street urchins find me irresistible to kick
What with prowls of animals & men around
To hurt me more than to fondle my feelings

I am vigil in the nights for no reason
Bark in high pitch during those dark phases
Faces I see little but smell I do a lot
That’s the strongest point out of my miserable lot

Anything that we don’t have are worshipped always
Is that the reason why humans glorify love always
Look at me, I don’t have anyone for me till date
Still I am loyal and loving to one who gives me food

You people brutally killed my friends in China
Fifty thousand in number, they say so
I fear if such madness affect here too
I have none to protect and nowhere to hide

You mock me as a mere five sensed animal
But I wonder at your wizardry of sixth sense
Killing your own brethren for selfish motives
Brewing with vengeance and jealousy inside

My eleven years of life is gone already
What with my friends and mates discarding me
I am tired of all these in my life now
How I wish for a caring hand before I die

I have no name to introduce myself
After all I am an old, ugly street dog
Sure my soul will leave the world without any log
Oh God! Please tell me why am I born

See those doggies inside the gates of houses
Being hugged and pampered by their masters
How much I yearn to be loved unconditionally by someone
After all, I too have a tender heart of my own


[Written in August 2006 condemning the ruthless killings of 50,000 dogs in China through the eyes of a homeless dog]

Published in Gulf Daily News in September 2006

Where is my papa?

Back from school at four
I reclined on the chair
Snacks I ate with relish
Only to run out to meet my friends

My mama gave a loud cry at six
To caress my books for a while
My teachers stood in queue
In my dreams with a stick in hand

Everybody praises my memory power
For my smart recollection of numbers
I am through with my papa’s & mama’s
And devouring even my friends too

All of a sudden I remembered
To prepare a project on animals
I tried calling on my father
To bring those stickers on his way home

There was no answer for my calls
Was he busy with his office work
Upset terribly, I consoled myself
To call him a little later with a raised voice

Watched TV for sometime
But my project was lingering in my mind
My mama stroked my hair fondly
To ease my tension in distress

It’s already eight by then
My mama too got angry with my papa
For his addiction to office work
And negligence of his family in total

She put me to sleep so early that day
With a pat that she would handle my Miss the next day
Gone was I to the other worlds
In her cosy embrace and warmth of love

I woke up the next day so fresh
Shocked to see my mama crying in the middle
With lots of people around her
I went to her worrying about the animal stickers

They told me not to go to school
I was happy to stay back home with my mama
My eyes were searching for my dear papa
I am a six year old girl of my papa

Do you all know the truth
I am my papa’s girl throughout
His laughs and jokes I enjoy the most
Wonder always at my papa’s lovely personality

My mama was crying her heart out
But why was he not here to pacify her
Let me go and sit on my mama’s lap
As I was comfortable there in this crowd

Please let me know where is my papa
I want him to know how much we cried
I want him to cuddle his darling daughter
I want him to be back with us for ever

I miss you papa very, very much
Life is not the same sweet melody any more
Do you know papa, mama has gone thin so much
And her beauty seems lost for ever

When are you going to see us papa
With your wit and charm to mesmerize us
Today I have come with a trophy from school
I am your daughter only throughout

I cannot bear the separation from you
With a hug, I want to tell you a secret
That I love you the most in this world
Please come back soon, my dear papa
Please come back soon, my dear papa


[Written in July 2006 dedicating it to the victims and their families of 11/7 bomb attacks of Mumbai]