Skip to main content

Crying Out Loud



The intoxicating scent of mangoes,
The summer songs of cuckoos,
The sweet fragrance of first showers,
Remind me of a distant past.

Parched land and shriveled cattle scream for water.
I cannot look them in the eye: my family.
Braving hunger, poverty and injustice.
I question myself: Did I fail them?


I look for answers; find none.
Suicide seems a lucrative option.
A new career avenue, almost.
Soon, this too shall pass.

We continue to live:silent and resilient.
In God we trust.Everything goes up:
Prices,debts,corruption, deceit,
Not a word of solace; not an iota of shame.

Can somebody hear me?
I'm sure you do.
Your tender heart trembles in pain.
But I know it's all in vain.

I know it's a losing battle where no one gains.

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 2, 2013 at 10:17 AM

    Touching poem! Dedicated to the memory of your late. grandfather, I believe?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Be My Valentine!

He stole a glance at his watch. It was 7 already. Even if were to start from office now, he would make it to the restaurant by 8:30. His wife would be upset. She hated waiting. The Manager was certainly crazy to come up with an urgent meeting in the evening. It was the fag end of the day and everyone had plans. The meeting went on for a few hours. He knew his boss was certainly headed for a divorce! Who keeps meetings on Valentine’s Day? She knew he would be late, again. After all, it was Friday. Valentine’s Day was particularly insignificant for them. They never celebrated it when they were courting so now after marriage it seemed ludicrous to celebrate. She thought of all the previous Valentines she had dated on this day: men with smoldering looks and generous wallets; with swanky cars and sexy jackets; She often compared them with her husband and counted her blessings. He was her man: rich and sexy he was not. He was not a gallant;no knight in  shinning armor. But, he ensure...
6 comments
Read more

Paus

किती वाट पाहिली तुझी? वाटले, येतोस की नाही.आकाशात ढग दाटले की चाहूल लागते तुझी.मंद गार वारा आणि त्यावर स्वार होऊन येतात त्या धारा. कधी शांत ,अबोध रिमझिम तर कधी दमदार बरसात, तर कधी गंभीर संततधार अशी अनेक रुपं तुझी! कधी थोडा विसावा धेतलास, तर आसमंतात शांतता पसरते. लहानपणी छप्परावर नाचणारा तू, आजही साद घालतोस.छोट्या छोट्या कागदी होड्या बनवून त्या साचलेल्या डबक्यात सोडायच्या. बुडणार त्या हे माहिती असायचे , पण त्यांच्या क्षणभर तरंगण्याचा केवढा आनंद वाटत असे. तुझे स्वागत आईनं केलेल्या भजीने व्हायचे. त्या अल्लड वयात तुझ्या तुषारांचा रोमांच! उफाळून आलेला समुद्र आणि मेघांनी मोहरलेले डोंगर ! कधी अचानक दिसलेले इंद्रधनुष.सगळे अद्भुत. प्रणयाच्या क्षणांना तुझ्या संगीताची साथ! तुझ्या धास्तीने लोकलचा केलेला प्रवास आणि कितीही पैसे मोजून घराकडे घेतलेली धाव,मग  आलं घालून चहा आणि सगळ्यांची विचारपूस. तुझ्या बरोबरीचे अस्थानी पराक्रम आणि तद्नंतर मिळालेला  औषधांचा खुराक,हे कधी चुकले नाही . घरी एकटेच असताना ,तू सोबत करतोस की कुठल्या अनामिक भीतीला निमंत्रण देतोस, हे कळलेच नाही . जितका अल्लहाददाय...
11 comments
Read more

First rains!

As the bell went off, she picked up her pre-packed satchel and raced to the gate. She wanted to be the first one to step out. It was the first drizzle of the season. Thrilled by the chill, she merrily opened her blue umbrella with bright pink flowers (mocked by her all-grownup - sister as a "childish and too girlie" choice !). She did not care. She loved the rains. The puzzling puddles and funny faces that one can see in them! The ripples set off by cars as they whoosh past her and the joy of taking the umbrella off one's head, staring at the sky while still keeping your eyes open was incomparable. At times, clutching your umbrella tightly, lest it would fly away with the wind. She loved to watch drops trickle down from the umbrella, to stick hand out from umbrella and splash the water on puppies and kittens and steal a quick glance to look out for any discipline-conscious adults around you. All this was fun! As she head home she thought of all these joys and also of the...
5 comments
Read more