This poem is from Ajit Peter. He has a beautiful creativity and words just dance and come forth when he pens a poem. I like his style a lot...........simple...meaningful and elegant in all ways... the flow...the lyrics...and the beauty. In a jiffy the poem is in his heart and mind and down in a paper.......I have a keen desire to write poems with a similar touch..

Thoughts

in a drop of tear a world to see

in a drop of rain joy to be

in a tick of a clock eternity

in a single cell life to be

in a touch of feather hearts be shy

in a single word the spirits to fly

in one friend a world to see

in a wink of an eye love to be

in a ray of sunshine warmth in heart

in stars twinkle joy be got

in a single flower love to tell

in a smile to cast a spell

a drop of joy

a drop of tear

a simple smile

a simple wink

a grain of sand

little in the world

yet a lifetime of thoughts

The money plant

I have this money plant at my home. Wanting to have some greenery in my kitchen, I cut a small stem from the mother plant and placed it in a bottle for it to grow. I used to keep it in my kitchen or drawing room...to add beauty to the room. Two new leaves grew, and I was happy. And then it stopped growing. No new leaves seen. But the thing is they did not lose the fresh green colour. Each morning I was greeted by just the four leaves with their roots. Neither did it wither nor did it die....Why then did it not grow further I wondered.
In my balcony is the mother plant. Here too, new leaves failed to sprout. Having the habit of speaking to them, I spoke to both the plants...but there was no response by way of growing from them. More than a month passed and no improvement in their growth.
Lying on my bed I remembered when my daughter was all of 5 years. One day my sister said she would take my daughter to her home for just one night. I remember - that night I tossed and turned on my bed not able to sleep without my daughter near me. Could it be I just wondered......
In the morning as usual, I went to water the plants and was speaking to them..... just that this day I asked them if they were missing each other. Then I brought the small plant in the bottle to the mother plant. And just waited. Lo behold, the very next day, both the plants brought forth a tender leaf from their stem. Amazing I thought.
My husband says it is just unbelievable.
I know plants do grow anywhere and everywhere....It could be just sheer coincidence that both happened to grow new leaves on that day......but deep inside I felt, they too seem to have the love as a mother plant and baby plant.

The Meeting

She woke up with an unknown fear gripping her. She tried to ignore it, but to no avail. It has been there ever since her friend called her to say - “Dear, tomorrow is the day. 6.30 pm sharp. No postponing.”
Yes she had been postponing this for quite some days now. She was to meet a world renowned person, someone who had gained the trust, belief and loyalty of lakhs of people across the world...then why does she feel so different in her views she thought. She looked at the clock beside her bed. It showed 5 O clock.

Going into the kitchen she made herself a cup of coffee. She found herself tensed. She tried to bring herself to relax by doing pranayanama and chanting OHM. But her mind just refused to listen to her. She switched on the VCD player and played some soft soothing music. She tried to divert her mind by reading newspaper, story book. All in vain, her mind had total control of her and it took her back to this renowned person and she found an uneasy feeling build up from deep insider her.

Her tension was surmounting...she realised she was literally shouting at herself and others around her for no reason at all. Each step she took she sensed herself dragging herself about. Everything that she did seemed to be a herculean task for her today. Her concentration was dripping down to zero. And to add to her agony was the stabbing pain she felt in her head as knots got twisted in her stomach. She felt hungry, but could not get herself to eat her breakfast.....and she had another 12 hours to kill before she reached the time to meet him. She went about doing her regular chores, very slow she was today.

Why this fear, she tried to assess. She had heard that this renowned person used hypnotism to bring people to his feet. She tried to argue this point with her mind. How is it possible to have lakhs of people adhere to hypnotism?...but she could not win over her mind. More so since she heard of Mr. A having succumbed to the hypnotism. - even then only one she said to herself, but her mind was bent on thinking otherwise...one might be known...but how many unknown...it said.
Mr. A had come to meet this renowned person, but due to time constraint was returning back home...but just at the entrance his eyes caught sight of this person. Looking straightly into Mr. A's eyes, he whispered...not so fast...you are supposed to be mine....never think otherwise. From then on Mr.A followed and did everything told by this renowned person. It could be rumour for all one knows. But this is what kept ringing in her ears. He had done many a good deed to the downtrodden people. But she just could not give that a priority.

The calling bell rang shaking her from her thoughts. The clock showed 5.30 pm. It was her friend who had come to pick her up to keep the 6.30 pm appointment with the renowned person. Swallowing her fear, she went along. She knew there was no escape today. Enroute to the hall, she prayed to God - let there be some traffic jam. She pleaded with rain gods to appease her with rains...but today everyone were bent on ensuring she kept up the appointment. She had to meet him today. She felt like she was a scapegoat led to the sacrificial stone.

She entered the hall and her friend led her to the front row, so that she would not miss the big appointment. The big clock on the wall struck the half hour, and still no sign of him. Just like them, she thought, no botheration about the time of other people. She could have just walked out, but her friend ensured she did not. And another painful waiting session began. After 2 hours of waiting, noise from the entrance announced his arrival. She turned towards the entrance and saw him enter the hall. She tightened her fist and waited. Tall and in robes of white...he looked around and his eyes met hers and she was dumbstruck. She found herself being locked in his gaze. She tried to move and turn her line of vision, but felt as though she was stuck up in that place. Was she already being hypnotised, she wondered. Not even for a second letting her escape his gaze, he moved forwards and towards her ignoring the people around him. She was spellbound. Just a few feet more, he would be beside her and they would be facing each other...... and suddenly the hall was plunged into darkness.
An hour later she found herself returning home – minus her friend who felt the need to stay back to attend to volunteer work.
The next morning she woke up to a beautiful day...she knew things were not going to be the same ever.

Lovely Rains

Lovely is the weather today -

across the sky is the lightning
looks like streak of diamond
and beautiful grey clouds I see

forming a blanket around the sky
slightly heavier than drizzle
is the shower of rains,
gently blowing is the breeze
directing the rain water
as sprinkles on my face
nice, cool and happy I do feel.

savouring coffee

With a cup of steaming hot coffee

To admire nature I sit in my balcony

I look yonder and savour the sight

of the lake under a dim light.

The smooth flowing breeze

causing ripples on the water

and the reflection of lights swaying.

I close my eyes and feel the zephyr.

The row of hutments opposite my home

buzzes with activity at the crack of dawn

trying to outdo each other are these people

with rangolis adorning their entrance.

And far off I hear the birds chirp

here and there the roosters crowing.

Behold the sun showering its beautiful ray

welcoming the dawn of a beautiful day

I enjoy my morning cup of coffee

DEEPAK
This one is from my sweet little son Deepak.

I had asked him to do his handwriting.

He felt bored to do the same from his lessons or story book.
Saying he would write something different he came up with this

मेरा नाम हैं दीपक
दीपक का मतलब हैं दिया
दिया में होता हैं ज्योति
ज्योति से हैं रौशानी

रौशनी मैं हैं ज्योति

ज्योति होता हैं दिया में

दिया का मतलब हैं दीपक

दीपक हैं मेरा नाम.

I am with you dear

All along I wanted to say
I am with you all the way
Inhibition I felt in expressing
Deep in my heart I kept the feeling

Pent up, my feelings I did
behind an invisible veil I hid
I knew not what I was waiting for
I have to find words to tell you for sure


Irrecoverable loss I had to face
Holding me close, my tears you did erase
And you said, “I am with you all the way dear
Let your emotions out, do not fear.”

Words of my heart you easily brought out
then I realized why I had the doubt
It was not what I wanted to say
But hear from you each passing day.

Not sure if I had been wrong
But I know your words make me strong
Now I know I need no veil
I would express truly how I really feel.

Here is a situation wherein many lives are lost due to the dreaded swine flu. And here are many people exhibiting the extent of their greed for money. A mask is suggested to prevent and use as precautionary measure against swine flu. The demand for the same is just shooting upwards. People not wanting to lose the opportunity to mint money are selling them at exhorbitantly high rates. Rates which are just not reachable by common man.

Greed for money -------> losing values and basic ethics of life.

With my nephew

I had to go to Tambaram from Adambakkam to meet my Cousin sister's son. Never been there alone and so asked my sister to accompany me. She too wanted to meet him and so agreed to give me company. Neither of us have traveled by the local train in that direction and so it was a new experience. Asking my mama the directions, we embarked upon our journey. Having bought the tickets, we went ahead to board the train. As I looked at the tickets I realised we had tickets for the wrong station........and that too a day old ticket. Yet we went on. Great it felt to be on ourselves.

Walking for a 10 minutes brought us to the destination. My mama and his son in law were waiting in the entrance. We were very eager to meet my nephew but my mama asked us to wait for few minutes. And the moment we were given the green signal we rushed into the room. And there lying beside his mom all wrapped in a towel just his sweet pink little face seen was my nephew.

Washing my hands and before anyone could stop I gathered him in my arms. Oh a bundle of joy he is. And then I looked up to see the curious stares from all in that room. I was told the baby was not to be touched. I am glad I did that, because seeing me hold the baby, my brother in law could build the confidence to hold the baby and he too did the same. And yes he could not say how he felt, but his face and eyes specially told everything. The sparisam in touching this new born baby, the softness when slowly moving the finger along his hands and face, and seeing his reactions was just so very beautiful.

Two hours with the baby, time just flew by and all I did was to hold him in my arms or just keep looking at him which also is banned my sister said. But well I just could not take my eyes of him. How could one? So peacefully he lay sleeping, delicate tender and he had totally surrendered to his parents and others around him.

Visiting hours over, my sister had to drag me out of the room. I just could not keep the feelings to myself and so during our return journey my sister had to listen to my feelings and expression. I stepped into my home and rushed to my daughter and poured the entire thing to her. Oh god I still had to share and I called up my husband and shared this beautiful evening with him. Human I am so the more I seem to be seeking to share the feeling and so I decided it would be posted in my blog........

Happiness and Charity

There is this orphanange near my residence wherein we contribute either by way of cash or kind. Immense happiness fills our hearts in doing this deed. I have been to a few orphanages and I felt whenever I was contributing, I was doing an amazing deed. Oh how foolish I was.

This March my husband suggested that we hand over my 3 year old two wheeler to the orphanage for their regular use. Oh a wonderful deed indeed I thought The volunteers there thanked us a lot for this contribution.

Each time I call them, I am thanked profusely saying how useful the bike is for them in carrying out many of the orphanage activities. And a smile spreads across my face to hear the same. But then suddenly I was faced with this question. Am I the one who is doing something. I just gave them something, when I had a replacement for the old one. But is it not they who filled me with happiness beyond measure by giving me an opportunity of being able to do some good deed in my life. I am forever filled with gratitude to them.

Sacrifice

I noticed her in a wedding reception
beautiful she looked but filled with tension.
Yet a helping hand she offered to many
I felt, if only her, my brother could marry.

Approaching her with this proposal
saddened I felt by her refusal
Her better half she had already found
and to him only her life was bound.

A feel of gloominess engulfed me
I turned to leave but for an ailing lady
Smiling sadly she bade me to sit beside her
Saying “That girl is the sole bread winner.”

“An ailing mother and a wastrel father
education to take care for her sister and brother
So whenever the topic of marriage arise
she makes an escape with these lies.”

“Do you know her or her family?” I inquired
Seeing tears trickling, my question I regretted.
“It is not just knowing her,” came the reply
“I happen to be her mother,” so saying she bid goodbye.

Let go

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush
So goes the saying that all of us have heard
But also true is the fact that trying to possess it
Leads to disappointment and unhappiness.

Wriggling for freedom when held tightly
bearing the scar of its fight for freedom
or it gets choked and suffocated
all we are left with is its lifeless body.

So also is relationship in one's life
Assuming we are showering love
We try to possess and hold too tightly
Unaware that it creates unbearable pain.

An act of strangulation is what one feels
When being held in other's grip
So much so that they flee and seek freedom
Or the relationship undergoes painful death.

I was trying to hold steadfast to her
sort of insecure she might slip away.
I realized I was only stifling her.
I need to give her the breathing space.

Waiting for my daughter in a college campus
I had in hand three hours to kill
With a novel in my hand I proceeded
To find a comfortable place to sit.

Far away I saw few people waiting.
One particular lady is what my eye did catch
Nothing special yet intermittently I kept watching her
While reading the novel in my hand

Shifting places to avoid the sun's rays
I found one to seat myself comfortably
Within few minutes she came near me
And left her bags in my possession

Mumbling something she went away
And soon I saw her strolling around.
Wondering what it was she did
I drove my attention to the book again.

A little later she came to sit beside me
And soon opened a conversation
But what surprised me was the act
Of the security directing two puppies to her

She opened a packet of biscuit
And offered them to the puppies
She does it frequently she said
When she saw an amazed look in my face

She was here waiting for her daughter
And decided to put the time to best use
Feeding stray animals and helping them
Is what she does during her free time

Pathetic she said were the lives of stray animals
All they receive are physical abuse from human kind.
Her selfless act impressed me a lot
And instantly I was drawn to her.

How many of us would do I pondered
One man can start anything she said
You don’t need to find an NGO to start
You start then the NGO gets formed.

It is not just feeding or helping animals
Any act of kindness makes a difference to all
Her words deep in my heart now
I intend to feed at least one per day.

Litter Free Zone

Walking along the roads of our city

What greets us is the garbage strewn

It is not the garbage that strikes our mind

But the attitude of the people around.

We accuse the government of its failure

When they are unable to create a beautiful city

Who is to blame, if we really wonder?

It is we, devoid of basic cleanliness.

We have garbage bins at all nooks and corners

But we use it better to play, aim and throw

Miserably we lose in the game we play

Thereby spilling the garbage around.

Neatly written on wooden boards we find

Words that say "Litter Free Zone"

What we seem to understand by the phrase

"Here's a place where litter can freely be thrown."

Travelling on his two wheeler

He happened to come across a temple

But too hasty was he to reach his destination

To stop and pray he failed to find time.

A hand on the accelerator,

And a leg on the brake

Head turning 180 degrees

He offered a salute to the almighty.

While performing this hasty task

oblivious was he of the traffic ahead

For fast approaching towards him

Was the tanker he failed to see.

End result we are left with nothing

Life presents us to such beautiful things
In form of love, care, concern and kind too.
But greedy and craving, we often are
We leave these and search for something new.

So desperate are we in this search
Life’s gift to us, we tend to ignore
Off we proceed to obtain those things
Aware not, it is the mirage we adore.

Best things in life remain lost to us
Realization strikes us way too late
For what we left behind has vanished
Making it impossible to even locate .

End result we are left with nothing.

rat's feast - my son's shoes

Could you please ma, pleaded my son
Buy a new pair of shoes for me
The ones I have are tattered and torn
Of no use now can they be.

I looked at his pleading eyes
And knew I just could not refuse
But still asked him what had happened
To the special ones bought for his use.

Yes ma, my son replied innocently
A new pair that no longer does exist
For what could I do if the rats felt hungry
And in my shoes they were treated to a feast.

Few minutes at the window sill

Savoring each second as I stand still

The window acts as my reposeful space

When my heart some sadness doth face.

All I need is something to soothe
What better than idyllic nature so smooth
Helping me regain my composure
To greet the lovely day with pleasure.

And so I stand by my kitchen window
And feel the fresh breeze blow
My eyes treated to lush greenery
Oh Mother Nature, I truly love thee.

Biased justice

Human beings always act in haze
Biased are they in many a ways
Every act of theirs does amuse
To extremes range their views.

A mistake that causes dejection
The wrongdoer, immediately they chasten
Not listening to the excuse, penalty given is severe
Making the wrongdoer feel pierced with a spear.

The same committed by someone dear
Their thoughts becomes so unclear
And so forgiveness is what they feel
Is the very best way to heal.

Heal from what I often wonder
Their thoughts filling me with anger
We are left with no other option
But be deeply hurt by their actions.

A smile for me

There are hundred of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all.

Her face and heart did not seem to have seen much of laughter. Her lips hardly seemed to curve to give a smile. Neighbors said it is very rare to see her smile. She did not pose the figure of being friendly to her neighbors. She stays all alone in her flat.

I saw her when I went to pay my electricity bill. She was standing ahead of me in the long queue. Standing for long under the heat made her sit down. As her turn came, she handed over the EB card and some cash to the counter lady. When her card, receipt and balance were returned to her, we saw our lady standing without any response as if in a trance. All efforts to call her seemed to fall into deaf ears. An elderly lady sought my help in making her sit down. The EB employee offered a bottle of water, which, I gave to this lady. She just took a sip and handed it back to me. I collected her card, receipt and the balance and helped her keep them in her bag. I offered to take her home which she refused. A few minutes after sitting down, she picked herself up and started to walk. I came to know then from my friend that this lady stayed in the apartments where we stayed.

I still neither know her name nor do I have any other information about her. I had not done much for her that day and I wish I could have done more. But I was rewarded beautifully for this simple gesture of mine.

And the reward is this:

Whenever she sees me, her lips curve to give me a beautiful smile.

Each Morning

As I try to wake up each morning
My mind is all set for a fighting
It splits itself into two
Both trying, the other to outdo.

One insists on sending me out of bed
To freshen and start the day ahead
The other is ready to claim its right
And says lazing also does excite.

Between the two, raging a war so ferocious
In their views they have lot of clearness
Active one says, have time for yourself and so arise
Doing nothing, is time for self, the lazy replies.

Enough of their stupid fight I decide
No more can I let them be vied
The active one is welcome on weekdays
While the lazy one gets the holidays.

Oblivious is he of the pomp and show
His life clock now ticked down to zero
Lying down on this specially made bed
To the other world he seemed to have fled.

Crackers burst and flowers strewn
What use is of this love not shown
When alive we seemed to ignore
Now dead, we seem to adore.

In a few minutes all that would remain
Are the ashes, which we may retain
Later to immerse in some river
And may be forget him forever.

Doctor's negligence

Hurt me deep to see this lovely new born baby
Instead of cradle, on the floor lying awfully
Both legs bandaged, and held up high,
Doctor’s negligence with fractures does he lie.

What oh what are the doctors up to?
Mistakes they commit are far from few.
Patients’ life either in jeopardy or put to risk
If money not given, some just whisk.

It is not an issue of just one-day
World over people have this to say
A dedicated and noble profession, they stain
Parents and patients put to unbearable pain.

crowded bus

Tired were we after a long shopping
At the bus stop impatiently waiting.
When the bus glided beside us we did feel
A sense of happiness none of the face could conceal.

The entrance was entirely choked
And the seats by some bags were blocked
Amidst this lucky enough were we
Finding seats to sit through the journey

Most of the youngsters of today
Found it thrilling to travel all way
Either hanging on the windowpane or entrance
Not bothering to give their life a glance.

Suddenly we heard an order from behind
A lady commanding if others would not mind
To move forward and create space in the center
So as to let the youngsters enter.

Turning towards the direction of the sound
What I saw did make me astound.
The orders were coming from the lady
What is next to her she could never see.

A good samaritan

Never have I seen him before
But in my heart the memory I would store
A little thought and bringing to my notice
Helping me avert an accident, his act so selfless.

Riding on the main road, my son as pillion rider
The happiness increasing as we rode faster
So much so that everything else felt unreal
It was only the lovely breeze we could feel.

Little did I realize in the fun joining
Was my dupatta fluttering and flying.
And soon it was beckoning the tyres along
The two together trying to make a song.

Honking his horn was this gentleman
Irritated was I by this action.

Pointing out my dupatta’s enjoyment
He brought me from reverie to present.

The theme provided to me by a friend I just tried to put words and make it a poem. And here it is:

If I don’t start and reach there early I know
Winding like serpentine, the line would grow
I cannot stand in this endless queue
My legs are weak, and I cannot pursue.

Though advanced by years, I too desire
To cover my shame and so I require
This long piece of cloth that would erase
Many a disgrace I very often face.


Outside my hut in this pitiable plight
I stand waiting to see if there’s some light
Came this gentleman, sent by the divine
With his help I was first in the line.

Oh....Absentminded me.....

Along with my husband, I visited a good friend. When taking leave of them, they gifted me with a lovely handbag. I had the wonderful opportunity to use it that very day. All set in the evening for shopping and to have dinner outside, I kept some cash in a purse and asked my daughter to place it in the handbag I had received from my friend. Shopping luckily was done with credit card that my husband had with him.
As we were entering the restaurant, some intuition prompted me to check my new handbag. And my intuition proved right….there was just Rs.10/- and my keys in the bag. No amount of checking helped. I kept asking my daughter why she did not take the purse that I had given her and she insisted that I had not asked her to take. Well my husband’s wallet did hold some cash and the restaurant did accept credit card. So without being embarrassed we walked out of the restaurant.
As we were walking to our two-wheeler, I was remembered of another incident that took place 18 years before.
Newly married, my husband took me to Guruvayoor temple. The temple rules insist on men not to wear pants or shirt. Only dhoti and mundu allowed. So my husband gave me his wallet and asked me to keep the same in my handbag. So sweet of me, I did so and followed another instruction that my husband did not give me. I placed my handbag in the car and free hand had a wonderful dharshan of Lord Guruvayoor. My husband asked me for cash to put in the hundial………oh god I said……..it is in the car.
While returning to our car, we met one of our relations who insisted that we have some lunch. This relative was well known for his miserliness. Try much my husband could not avoid. Anyway he said…we have your watch and my watch, if need be. We restricted to eating bare minimum while our host went in full swing. Time to pay…..not having a penny, my husband volunteered to pay the bill. Being newly married has its own benefits. So our host said it does not deem fit for us newly weds to pay and he would only make the payment. Not a person to leave it at that usually, my husband immediately agreed and heaved a sigh of relief.
Two incidents are more than enough for me to ensure I have my wallet filled with cash when I take you out, so said my husband as we returned home.

A beggar and his friend

Read in a tamil magazine about a dog howling beside a dead beggar,

thought why not put in words to make a poem. And so here it is.

Seated along the roadside corner
Adorned in clothes tattered all over
Begging for alms to see him through
And what he gets he shares it too.

Today he was not seated but sprawled
A scene so different as he was walled
By the many who did throng
Letting him die they moved along.

Sitting beside was his four-legged friend
Someone who with him did append
Gratitude was what it did show
By staying beside when others did go.

When whole human kind was against him
Finding not a morsel to eat and life was dim
Here was a heart showering & sharing love and meal
With the beggar’s demise, life now has lost the zeal

As his howling seemed to deepen
People considered it an evil omen
They threw stones to shoo him away
But he stood transfixed filled with dismay.

Mom's home

Trying yet to come to terms
And overcome the sadness engulfing us
Due to our dear mother’s demise
A question in our minds did arise.

Who would now adorn the role?
Played by mom, our loving soul
A character so significant in life, that bind
Us into a relationship of unique kind.

My sister felt to suit the role, I am tailored
Till at least from abroad, my brother returned
My husband expressed a different view
Saying I was younger, and might not fit into the shoe

Each pointing our hand to others around
Yet the solution remained unfound
In between something my sister told
Took me high which as a treasure I would hold.

Mom’s demise, dear Lakshmi, is a big blow,
And now we need a mom’s house to go
It is in your home that we do find
Exactly what we have in our mind.

school friend

Some are remembered for being good in academics. Some are remembered for being champions in sports. Some are known for being notorious. Yet some for their good nature. But being a student who remains silent and way too reticent by nature and yet remembered is something I did not expect at all.
As I walked out of the Nilgiris Departmental Stores, I saw my husband in conversation with another young man whose face seemed very familiar. As I neared them, he asked me if I remembered him. I shook my head in the negative. I knew him well enough, but I just could not place him. He did not give me too much time and said - I am Sundar from Vanavani School. Oh god, I thought, yes indeed… Sundarram it is.
He said he had seen my daughter Anu waiting outside the departmental store and immediately recognized her as someone very closely related to Lakshmi, a girl who had been in the same school he too had studied. And so he had gone directly to my husband and asked if the girl waiting happens to be Lakshmi’s daughter.
And thus they entered into a conversation. After chatting for few minutes, Sundar gave me his email id to keep in touch. He also said he would put me in touch with other schoolmates of mine.
A pleasant surprise indeed it was for me. Being an introvert by nature, I hardly ever mingled with my classmates, leave alone other section students. One could say my presence in the class was probably known by the silence I maintained in the class. (I remember one of my teachers paying me credit in this regard) And now after 23 years a person from the science group recognizes me.
I felt extremely happy in meeting Sundar. And I hope through Sundar I would be able to reach out to my other schoolmates.