The Queen

The air was filled with anticipation,
the whole town was in an uproar,
Expectations and excitement mounted,
While there were celebrations galore.

To make the perfect crown and throne,
the best witches of the kingdom were called,
With flashes of fire and ancient power,
They were slowly and intricately wrought.

On the appointed day, the whole town assembled,
To watch the anointing of their queen,
The palace, though decked in silver and gold,
Looked intimidating for all its sheen.

The princess came dressed in black,
And a cheer rang out in the hall,
The drums rolled and the throne trembled,
but the bards’ songs overrode them all.

The crown was placed on her head,
Cold diamonds among warm rubies,
She smiled and sat gingerly on the throne,
And the crowd started chanting on their knees.

The spikes in the crown dug into her head,
Drilling deeper while she sat straight,
The throne hissed, twisted and melted,
Re-molding itself to absorb her weight.

The palace erupted in cheers,
for the princess that had once been,
Their hearts swollen and eyes filled,
As they looked at their eternal queen.

Catch

wait a minute Mr.fly!
what are you trying to imply?
don't you believe the promises i make?
do you believe I am that big a fake?

But Mr.lizard, understand me,
I'm the predated, can't you see?
my friends are killed by you everyday,
what more do i need to say?

My reputation precedes me,
I just want to play see?
a simple game of hide-n-seek,
I promise to be polite and very meek.

finally Mr.fly did agree to play,
persuaded by Mr.lizard day after day,
and they played every game under the sun,
oh, it was turning out to be so much fun!

one day they decided to try catch-catch,
Mr.fly was sure to win this match,
for who could overtake him in flying?
but Mr.lizard was all game for trying.

"start" and he spread his wings,
watching happily Mr.lizard starts to sing,
out came his sticky tongue and the fly was caught,
with a shocked oath, he valiantly fought.

"let me go, this was not the deal,
this is cheating, that's what I feel!"
"you stuck your wings in me sir,
it is not my mistake you hear?,

I just wanted to play with you,
but right now I am angry too,
for the trust not bestowed on me,
you have to pay a small fee."

With that he swallowed the fly,
and started chewing with a sad sigh.

Color me Brown!

A new poem after long - feels liberating!

After 9 months, Vishnu heaved a contented sigh,
and finally opened Laxmi's eyes,
"Behold my dear, my latest model in line,
to be released into this world on may 29".

Laxmi took a long look at me and frowned,
"her color is not right my lord.
can you create a skin anew,
with perhaps, basic colors few?"

Vishnu then huffed and began to sulk,
for it seemed, Laxmi didnt like his work.
he immediately called his resources,
and started adding colors in ample doses.

"There you see Laxmi, 5 cups of fire,
is it red enough for your heart's desire?"

"I am happy my Lord but I do wonder,
wont that make her nasty and quick to anger?"

"Rest your mind dear, and help me think,
will 3 cups of air be enough to make this pink?"

"She is pretty indeed my lord, but surely,
air will make her absent-minded and more girly?"

"true honey but now she needs more blue,
2 cups of water ought to give the right hue."

"would you never listen to what you are told?,
this will make her sweat in hot and freeze in cold"

"Alas I can't undo since the skin is already sown,
but will 5 cups of earth give it enough of a brown?"

"finally love, you think right,
for against all the elements this will fight,
for all her weaknesses, she has one true boon,
one single smile to lift her out of her gloom.

So,thats how I was made,
absent-minded and walking in a daze,
quick to anger, despite a cool skin,
and the ability to hide it all behind a grin.

So, in the attempts of Vishnu to please his well-meaning wife, I was made the way I was. But of course, the obvious advantage in this chaotic skin creation was just that - My chaos is only skin-deep.

Note: As Anupama rightly points out, Brahma is our creator and Vishnnu the preserver. So I stand corrected. I was not created by Vishnu, I was sent to him for system upgradation.

Rishita

I have waited,

for her first wail,
showing her annoyance,
and then take her first nap,
could a lullaby ever fail?

I have waited,

to see the protest in her eyes,
against her first sight,
and to snuggle against her pillow,
with a deep contented sigh.

I have waited,

for the toothless grin,
that her unfathomable dreams gave,
and that grin to turn naughty,
when she committed any little sin.

I have waited,

to watch her pink feet,
touch the floor,
and the walk to become a run,
whenever i came to meet.

I have waited,

for her small hand,
to curl around my finger,
and her hands to later hug me,
Ah! That feeling was so grand.

I have waited,

for her to play with toys,
cooing with them in baby talks.
and then for her to say my name,
in the musical lilt of her voice.

I have waited,

for 'it' to become 'she',
as she grew up so fast,
so that I can happily say
My Bommi's name is Rishi.

Writing this got me unexpectedly emotional, as it reminded me of every special moment with Rishita, my now-3-year old niece. Her first smile, her first hug, her first walk are etched in my mind. But the most precious memory is the way her face lit up whenever the doorbell rang. With a musical cry of 'Archana Chithiiiiii', she would come running and hug me.

Sigh!

Layers!

From the glass bowl of souls,
God took one string of being,
and sewed the heart pieces into one.
New life created, illuminated it with a soft glow.

The heart, energetic and awake,
felt vulnerable and exposed,
and requested God for a cover,
fearing harshness it could not take.

So He created a maze,
for the heart to hide in,
leaving only an eye-window open,
allowing it, at times, to gaze.

The eye-piece watery and bright,
from showing love,hate, anger and pain
requested God for two shoulders
to share some of its plight.

So He created shoulders broad,
for the eyes to rest once in a while.
It helped display pride and strength,
and in times of need, to gently prod.

The shoulders, despite their might
were tired of the task bestowed on them,
and requested God for two hands,
to share some of their plight.

So He created hands two,
to hug and comfort a friend.
With polite and friendly shakes,
they shared the shoulders' load too.

The hands, weary of the shakes
with every soul-maze they met,
requested God for a thick skin,
to reduce the connections they made.

He finally created a thick skin,
with a sharp tongue to go along with it,
sealing his delicate maze in this secure cage,
leaving no trace of the soul to be seen.

The multi-layered man faced the world,
confident and brisk,
while the soul lost in its maze,
tries to get its voice heard.

The process of discovering new and unexpected layers in a person motivates me to keep finding out more about them. Just when I think I have figured someone out completely, Bham! They surprise me with something new.

Layers in short, is the way I perceive my friends and acquaintances.