Made in Heaven

Hearts, two in number,
Are connected together.
Priceless are the tearful smiles on your parents' faces.
Prepare yourself for the lifelong journey
You have embarked on through this eternal bond.

"Man came first, woman came next"
And other old wives' tales chauvinists spread.
Read not such stories, read not such text.
Refrain from the fallacies those bigots said.
In joy and sorrow hold hands tight.
Even doubts must doubt whether to enter your minds.
Drink from the ocean of love to see how beautifully life unwinds.

Let truth and honesty always be on your side.
Intimacy unparalleled must exist between you.
Fall in love continuously with
Each other every day, each and every day.


Note: Something I wrote for Surekha akka's (Suresh Padmaraj's sister) wedding. Wish you a happy married life, akka! :)

Vinayam

My mind beams with pride,
my heart leaps with joy.
I'm becoming the man
I was predicted to be.

I'm a trusted friend,
I'm a lovable mate.
I know I'm valued
for the good qualities in me.

I've been given many a gift
by the Lord Almighty.
I still count my blessings
for giving me both hardships and strength.

I'm bound to achieve more.
I'm bound to fly higher.
I'm bound to dream more and more.
I'm bound to make them real.

No matter what goals I achieve,
no matter what heights I reach,
no matter how famous I become,
no matter how much greatness I obtain

I want not vanity
but loads of Humility.
For I must do justice to my name,
and not be a tragic irony.

Without Any Regrets

The day was good;
I had a wonderful time.
Concerts, plays, movies -
spending a lot of time with my friends.

I don't miss home;
I don't feel lonely.
There is not an instance of sorrow.
There is no fear, but only hope for morrow.

I'm ecstatic almost always.
For unending joy, I've found all ways.
My life is full of laughter and smiles.
But I do realize there are many more miles.

I can't kill hope,
I can't kill love
though pain and grief
are their close friends.

I want to remember you
like the air I breathed yesterday -
transient, vital,
yet painless when it left me.

Don't become one with the air anymore.
I don't want to let you in again.
Fly away,
fly away to an unknown place.

I don't want you to appear
in the montage of my sub-conscious thoughts -
my dreams -
when I want to enjoy every second of my wakeful sleep.

I don't want to be moved to tears
when I read Tagore's love poems.
I don't want to remember you
when I encounter anything even remotely related to love.

All I want is
to be able to look into
the eyes of 'the one'
without any regrets.

Sparks and Springs

With a spark in the eyes
and a spring in the step,
I begin the day
with cheer and glee.

The numerous glances in the mirror,
the fresh deo paintings on the body,
the wrinkle-free shirt and the well-trimmed beard
reflect my will to seize the day.

The tender touch of the morning breeze,
the warm blanket of the glowing sun,
the resonating laughter of the jolly good roommate
prolong the cheer and newborn glee.

You're always a part of my conversations.
In fact, you're the heart of my conversations.
Yours is a recurring role in my TT* dreams.
Your thoughts accompany the many cones of ice creams.

What is life
sans crushes and soft corners?
Though some men are content
with just wet dreams and boners.

Still, the magic of love works overtime
when the very thought of you
makes me begin the day
with a spark in the eyes
and a spring in the step.

* - Table Tennis

Hope

Despite being greeted "Good day" by
an unbearable load of agony,

Despite knowing some dreams are out of reach
like the greedy fox that wanted grapes,

Despite seeing so many efforts shatter into pieces
like ceramic caressing concrete,

Despite enduring unexpected acts of betrayal
with a slight smile and stoic silence,

Despite wetting the pillow
with tears as sacred as blood,

Man goes to sleep
when his mind tells his heart
"Tomorrow is another day."

True strength - strong truth.

To Kill an Undying Love

Trying to kill an undying love.
All my efforts go in vain
and I end up feeling much more pain.

It is after all the love
that made me write
poems of love,
poems of hope,
poems of perseverance
and poems of depression.

I love this love:
it brought the best out of me.
I love this love:
it showed my self to me.

But it hurts to see it drown unrescued.
It hurts to see it go down unrequited.

I valued the person
who didn't value my heart.
Ironically, it's the same person
who beautified my art.

I saw my dreams turn beautiful
with her inclusion.
I saw those dreams turn into nightmares
with her exclusion.

My sanity asks to hope no more,
while my insanity wants to hope more and more.

Seventeen months
and three heartbreaks later,
I'm still
trying to kill that undying love.

One Man's Duet

Do you sense
the presence of my love
as often as
I sense
the absence of yours?

Do you think of me
as much as
I think of you?

Well, do you even think of me?

I'm sure you care for me.
Yes, you do care for me
like you care for a roadside puppy.
"Awww.. So cute!" - when you encounter it.
"Which puppy?" - when you are away.

And why on earth
am I running behind you,
wagging my tail?

Is it because
I'm capable of great love
or is it because
I want your love?

I don't mind running.
But I'm running on a one-way track
that has no destination.

I still want to hope,
I still want to love,
But I keep discovering
it's still a one man's duet.

I keep saying, "Good bye."
I keep asking myself, "What's the point?"
But then, do I really know
why I fell in love with you?