Fuzzy

I have a resident guest . It's a black plumed tiny little bird with a scarlet beak.Every evening,just when it's time for the sun to go home,this tiny little bird turns towards my home.She has made a home for herself in a little corner of my terrace.I feel,there is an invisible bond between us.She flies in precisely at that point of time when I step on to the terrace  to water my plants.
      The first day,make it evening, when we met,she was not too sure of me.She had held my gaze for quite a while.She must have even contemplated taking off because she had skipped away a little and even stretched her wings a bit.That had galvanised me into action and I beat a hasty retreat,just so she would not be disturbed by my presence.For some unknown reason,I desperately wished that she would not leave.I have no idea if she had stayed there that night ,for there had been no sign of any poop or stray plumes.
    Next evening,I stepped on to the terrace hoping against hope that I would find her there.But,there was no sign of her.Yes,I felt a little sad.I wondered if she had found a better shelter for herself.Just then I heard a soft flutter over my head.I looked up,there she was,her tiny wings cleaving the air !My eyes followed her descent on the terrace.She looked straight at me, as if daring me to shoo her away.When nothing of that sort happened,she hopped away to the farthest corner, out of my sight.I didn't pursue her, for obvious reasons.
    Yes,she has made herself quite comfortable in that little corner.I notice, a little nest is also in the process of being made.Maybe she is planning a little family! However,the best part is she's taken a liking to me (this bit is based on pure assumption).Now,my presence doesn't bother her anymore. Every evening,when we meet,she casts me a cursory glance and hops over to her chosen corner. She doesn't mind me standing there and watching her settle down for the night.I can't help feeling the joy of having earned the trust of a little creature that is solely dependent on its instincts for its safety.It never fails to bring a smile to  my lips.
     It's been a fortnight,since she has been gracing my terrace,but I am yet to see her tuck her head into her wings.Maybe,she waits for me to wish her good night!I always see her eyes following me even as I step away to leave the terrace.Just before switching the light off,I mouth her a good night and I believe that she too wishes me the same . It's such a warm feeling!
                                                                                                                                             Chandni 

Cursed

Now she is tired and old,
Aeons ago,so the story goes,
She was restless and  bold.

She had with life quivered, 
While roaring down the peaks,
Through the valleys, she murmured.

She twisted and turned,
Shimmering under the moon,
A calm blue,warm and sunned.

She had danced on her serpentine tracks
To the music of her gurgling waters,
Now,it's her sobs that flood her bloody tracts.

The tired Sun,having failed to enlighten,
Plunges in her,to hide his shame,
She is the sole listener to the blood moon's burden.

She has  been the  perennial River of blessed Life,
Now,bears the curse of bathing blood soaked hands,
And shining gory swords,the testament of man's strife.

She winds through barren fields of corn,
For the hands that would sow the seeds,
Are lying scattered, from their body shorn.

Her banks no longer lined with swaying palms,
Her waves no longer the muse of the boat man's songs,
Her shores are but graves,the testimony of death's vulgar dance.

Her eyes are moist,heart heavy and soul wounded,
However her's is not to halt or stand still,but move on
Having buried death, for she is with life bonded.
                                                             Chandni.

Alluring

Like a doll's house in a dream land,
Desires trenched in the murky quicksand ,
Here selfless selfishness abound,
Life whispers and wishes resound.

To a world, along with lovers who are strangers,
Many a philosopher and poet,surrenders,
Unfamiliar love wades through words familiar, 
Loneliness walks, with aloneness similar.

A play ground of eternal strangeness,
Where well meaning words play in all fairness,
Glib tongues with innuendos and puns,
Each deliverer ,the occasional gloom, suns. 

Unheard voices,some clear,some hazy thoughts,
Worth preserving , their 'quintessential quotes'.
Silence and cacophony here ,they coexist,
Once a visitor here,it's charm, you can't resist.

Darkness and light reside in equal measure,
Under gathering clouds and a sky clear,
An escape from the harsh realities,
A virtual land of imagination,blissful fantasies.

When you befriend some,and be a friend to a few,
It's a passport to a world fantastic,glittering and new.
True, like life ,it's hours are short and momentary,
It's beauty,distant and still;but far from sedentary. 

My wondering mind,once upon a time, 
Led me on a journey to this unmapped clime,
I,a captive of this illusion,ever since,
Come,explore this parallel world,my words evince.
                                                                         Chandni

Transgression

When the parched  earth heaves a sigh,
To the blue,she looks up for a few drops,
Her throat dry and rasping, her muted cry
To the clouds sent,hovering over the snowy tops...

When the dry eyed earth's silent pleas,
Scream through the gaping cracks,
From behind the mountains a cloud peeks,
Others,he gathers and rush like wolves,in packs.

The sun makes way for the tumbling skies,
He,sometimes peeps ,sometimes better off hidden.
The wistful wind howls,drowning the earth's sighs, 
The  rain clouds drop silver coins, unbidden.

The trees that were listless and drooping  
As if touched by a magic wand ,
Now,stand tall swaying,their leaves dripping,
Life infused with a fluid music,of an unseen hand.

Crows,sparrows,pigeons and parrots,
Some between the leaves,some on the branches,
Hopping,chirping,cooing,or perched  on the turrets,
While some curl up dry ,lest the rain their fur drenches!

The watery moon rides the cloud,
To listen to the tale the glistening night narrates,
The river swells,waves rise and roar aloud,
The gurgling brook ,in the air reverberates!

The  clouds, a poet's muse,
The rain ,a lover's refuge,
The crashing thunder, an earthling's tears
The jagged lightening, evokes beautiful fears.

The nature at her benign best,
 She, in varied colours dressed,
Then why her ire do we incur?
Is it for our sins that we heap on her?

Who's shredding her to pieces?
Whose anger unabated, is seething ?
There must be someone who never ceases, 
Till he's seen His canvas all red and bleeding ! 

                                                                  Chandni
   

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Irony

Among all the work-out enthusiasts on the beach,one bare-bodied skinny man practising yoga,caught her attention.His unusual,curious postures fascinated her.She walked up to him and asked him if he could teach her those asanas.With a wide grin,he replied,"I can't teach you these." "And pray,why not?" "Because this isn't yoga. All I am trying to do is beat hunger churning my empty stomach and the pangs that are threatening to consume me.I haven't eaten for the ladt two days,you see!" She choked,even as her eyes followed his receding figure.

He

He can't  be bound to paper,
By words, dwarfed and queer, 
He is freedom, in the sky written,
By him the Sun, is smitten.
He is the slayer of the dark,
His words,the song of the lark.
His thoughts,pearls,in the oysters sleep,
Fetched from the oceans deep.
His heart, a throbbing piece of steel,
Cast in grief,beaten on life's anvil.
He's a Goliath,but a David to his demons,
For,he can't help ignoring,his Angels' sermons.
He's flawed, afflicted by many an affliction,
He is the first cousin of imperfection.
By his emotions, he is often flayed,
With love and lust, his senses equally swayed.
He is humane, being human is his religion,
His humanity rescues  him from abyss stygian. 
The soul in him that he harbours,
A pristine lily, that Mother Nature nurtures.
A mystery - unravelling, he defies,
A wonder personified, treading the universe,
A poet's muse he is, a never ending verse.
                                                            Chandni.

Choked

Words,why don't you come rushing,
Like waves,roaring and crashing?
An ocean of thoughts careless,
Rolling in the bottomless pit,restless.
To the bards,you,the exotic prompter,
Kiss the thoughts awake,from their deathly slumber.
When soft and tender,you're beautiful,
When blunt and bold ,you're all powerful. 
A grovelling weakness seeking your strength,
To break the barriers of silence ,at length.
A crumbling heart,faintly beating,
Gather it in your grace, benignly soothing.
Extreme is the night,far from breaking light,
Lend your enlightened vision to the veiled sight. 
This pain,rising,absorbing,unabating,
Consumed, the soul quietly withering.
The spirit maimed,in snow lain,
Melt it, your warmth, on it generously rain. 
In a wordless hell the lungs gasp,
All that they whisper, is the wheezing rasp. 
Let the morning sky reverberate,
A voice,waiting for Words to celebrate. 
Before the dark swallows the scream silent,
Be kind,the frozen Wonders,rush,
Like a swollen river,in a storm violent.
Let their fantasies talk of their dreams, 
Fluent, like the unobstructed chattering streams.
                                                Chandni.

Be Blessed

May you find there, a haven
Your home,a paradise,unmistaken. 
The Sun be your partner in time
There, winter, a stranger to the clime.
Where the church bells ring
Tuned to what the May rains sing.
Where moon on the sea glides
Teasing the waves to heaving tides.
No parting there can ever be
Here your being breathes life in me.
The thousand moments of our love
Here's eternal, a decree from Above.
In this land, the night's at rest,
Here, we doves build our nest.
Your sighs here turn into raptures
The sky, the abundant rendition captures.
Here truth is taken by surprise
With each plan the Heavens devise.
My heart with these wishes swell
My soul's desire, they be your Life's oracle. 
                                                      Chandni.

The Triumphant Night

An impostor...this bulb,
Crafted by man,
In my world stygian.
The filament,a yellow light strutting,
And a dim brightness feigning, 
To erase my darkness,threatening. 
But it's The Maker's will
It clings to me still,
You can't my brightness kill.
I live and hold mysteries, 
To my bosom, fast,
Made more mysterious,
With the shadows you cast.
I am the treasurer of the Sun,
You can't render me undone.
But your efforts won't  go in vain,
You'll be man's aphotic illusion, 
Their might manifested,
When the bulb's turned off and on, 
At will, again and again!
                                       Chandni.

Homed

She stretched her mind and laughed with the sun and the wind, there on the houseboat.At night, she wrote letters to the moon and poems for the stars.She even shared secrets with the dark waters. But she knew that the sun wouldn't let her stay there and she couldn't live away from home.
He read the note.It read,"I am home".His tears made him wonder if he was sad that he couldn't build her a home or if he was happy that she'd finally found her home in the calm waters.
                                                                                                                           Chandni.   

Extension

He sat on the bed hunched, staring  listlessly out into the night.His wheezing was the only sound that broke it's silence .Dawn was about to break but for him, the darkness would persist, he knew it.It hasn't been otherwise, not for quite a while.
          Once upon a time, winter used to be his favourite season.Now he dreaded winter.All the chill in the world seemed to find their home in his lungs.His asthmatic attacks would be all the more severe and sleep would seem like an illusion.As usual, he hadn't slept a wink, last night and now his eyes were drooping.Just then, a fresh bout of cough rocked his skeletal frame.The pain threatened to knock out , what seemed to be the last few breaths that he barely managed to gasp. He could take it no more.He flopped back on the bed.He shut his eyes.He lay there wondering how long this torturous affliction would continue to have him in it's constricting grip.He wished he could pray for death.But he couldn't afford to, lest he be blessed! What would happen to her when he was gone? He was the centre of her world, in spite of living in a world full of other people.He had only her, yet she was the one who needed him more than he needed her.She was more than happy to let him know that.At times her unwavering, unflinching devotion to him made him resent her.Why couldn't she see that she was wasting her life on a wasted life? Life was waiting to live her, someone as vibrant and warm as she.On numerous occasions he tried to make her see reason....with cajole, pleas, threats and even emotionally blackmailed her, as the last resort.But reason didn't seem to exist in her dictionary.She clung to him like warmth clings to the winter sun.She seemed to draw life out of him even as life was getting tired of holding on to him.
               But enough was enough.He made up his mind to do what he should have done long back.His body protested as he tried to sit up.Even that was not going to stop him him today.He was determined to be firm with her and if need be, outright rude."Let her come," he almost spoke aloud.He glanced at the wall clock.It indicated that she would be there any moment now.He dragged himself to the wash room.When he emerged, he was mildly surprised that she hadn't yet turned up.He walked up to the window and looked up at the sky.It looked gloomy and sombre, as if  upset at the thoughts running through his mind.He turned away and once again checked the time.Now, she was late.In fact it was way past her time of arrival.He was dying to have his  morning cup of tea.But considering the hell she would raise if he had it without her, he dropped the idea of making the tea.She  insisted on making his tea."Mother hen!"...he murmured .He tried to keep his mind off the clock. He failed.His discomfort grew with each passing moment.In the past three years, she has never been late.Gradually, his restlessness increased."But then, why?."...he asked himself. Wasn't he planning to ask her to leave him alone? Wasn't he going to ask her to get a life away from him? Wouldn't it be a blessing in disguise if she never happened to turn up again? At the last thought, he felt a shiver run down his spine.He had been pacing up and down the room.He stopped in his track.But he steeled himself against it.He desperately needed a smoke now.An expletive escaped his lips when he found the pack empty.She had emptied it in the bin.A curse died in his throat.He could wait no longer.He must have that cup of tea.
                  Just as he was about to enter the kitchen, the front door opened and she sashayed into the room.Her perfume, so typical of her, assailed his senses.She stood at the doorway with a new twinkle in her eyes and a never- before -seen smile on her lips.He stood there , rooted , unable to take his eyes off the vision, as if he had set his eyes on her for the first time.Then something in him crumbled.He took an involuntary step towards her and then another.He stopped only when he had her in his arms, holding her as tight as possible.Through his tears , all he could manage to say was,"Stay".He felt her arms tighten around him.At that moment all other sounds faded, except for the sound of their hearts pounding against each other.But the music of her "Forever" resonated  clear and loud.He felt her smile but couldn't see the relief in her eyes.She had come prepared with all the arguments to convince him to let her live with him.Now, she wouldn't have to.She hugged him tighter!

Anchor(ed)

Lost in the boat of dreams,
Sails,falling apart at the seams,
Threatened by the roaring waves of yesterday, 
Rocked by the high tides of today,
Surging ahead into the realm of storm,
Being swept away from home.
The gathered clouds crying gloom,
The howling winds screaming doom.
Through parched,trembling lips,
A prayer,fervent slips.
A gleam peeks far in the horizon,
A lighthouse,a hope,beacons.
Leading the adrift in safe waters,
Guiding the homeless in anchored shelters.
A safe passage illuminated,
To the one,by His light,graced.
                                        Chandni

Emancipated

He was a captive.He died trying to taste freedom.But now he lives, in souls free.They unfurl the banner of the freedom he had died for.They have painted it in the colours of his selfless, honest and faithful endeavour. It flutters freely, atop monuments and structure, standing tall,their heads held high, under a clear blue sky . It's roots are dug deep in an earth soaked in innocent blood.But the land flourishes, undeterred, unrestrained and unfettered.
                                                                                                Chandni

High

Let's leave the unmade bed unmade,
Let's let it reveal what the night said.
Let the day search for the story woven on it,
Let it be read,the poem on the sheet.
Let a handful of light stream in through the panes,
Let a cup of shadow not hide the blushing stains.
Let the night's flowers in the vase sway in a rare dance,
Let the perfume drugged breeze blow in a trance.
Let the air in the room choke on last night's heavy breaths,
Let's listen to the whispers hanging on the layers of drapes.
Let the walls testify the sighs of the sleep deprived dreams,
Let them bounce off the walls,warmer than the sun's beams.
Let the nightly music of silence play for a while,
Let's listen to our lips,curved in a secret smile.
Let our skin be the colour splashed canvas of passion,
Let our hearts beat to the rhythm of an unnamed emotion.
Let them step in to bear witness to our souls' mating,
Let them see time stopping,without a moment's intensity abating.
Let the darkness take pride in the night for letting Love itself bare,
Let the sky, the moon and the stars,themselves with Love share.
Let a new dawn reflect a new love born in the mountains,
Let lovers drink from streams of love and it's gushing fountains.
Let us be the lesser mortals,with instincts base,and a baser desire,
Let love be, if not Divine, but neither beastly, just a little Higher.                                                                                                                                                         Chandni

Inexplicable

For you,
I've saved a song.

The song,I roll  around my tongue,
Like the beads of my rosary,
Through my fingers,I roll,
Like the mirth ridden stars,
Rolling on the sky,
A floor,stained and inky.

For you,
I've saved, ... a song,
Beautifully crafted ,
Simple and staid,
Unheard and unsung,
 A timeless, virgin song.....
Chandni.

Burden of the Wait

If only you would come,
To string the broken chords
Of a heart,dripping blood!

If only you would come,
Like the homeward bound birds
Singing to the dusky sky,their even song!

If only you would come,
Sailing across the shimmering waters, 
Gleaming, like  gold of the retreating sun.

If only you'd come
Riding the waves and tides, 
To melt the frozen moments,
Caressed by your touch warm!

You'll come,
Whisper the budding flowers,
They flower before the winter's done!

You're coming,,
Your footsteps resonate,
In the blood ,in my veins pulsating,
Throbbing, rushing and screaming.

(My dreams keep me awake,  
My wishes, not mere desires,
I long for them to be carved ,
Intricately, in all my prayers!)
                                    Chandni.

Bubble Wrap

"See that bubble there? I made that." I said proudly, turning  in his arms.He kissed my nose and taking my hand he guided my finger to it.I shrieked,"No, don't make me burst it!" "Just feel the surface . Isn't it smooth and silky? This is the kind of life I've planned for us!"I looked into his eyes, kissed him deep before resting my head on his throbbing chest.I could feel bubbles of laughter rising in me.My joy was bubbling over.He had no intention of bursting my bubble!

Touch of Love

She heard the thunder and her unseeing eyes lit up.She ran out under the open sky.She breathed deep, the fragrance of the moist air.Her lips quivered in anticipation, curving into a beatific smile.She threw her arms wide open, as if inviting the rain to tumble into her waiting arms and to kiss her upturned face.How could the rain god resist such an angelic demeanour? He poured and the rain fell....for her, drenching her, to her soul.She shivered but her heart danced, at the passionate touch of the fingers of her beloved. 
                                                                                                                                                      Chandni

Lost

Where is God?
He's not in His abode.

Is He hiding His face,
For making the human race?

He gave them the freedom to reason, 
They bound Him in religion. 

He gave them strength to protect, 
They emulate Him,each one a prophet. 

He created hatred,His love,they by passed,
He preached Faith,that didn't believe in trust. 

He draws blood from the well of intolerance, 
A stroke of pen or pencil,his cause of violence.

He dares to boast of being the saviour, 
Of the One who is his unseen Protector.

What was the blunder He had committed? 
He hadn't created hearts so constricted!

It was His home,unwalled and unclosed,
Where mercy rained and grace poured. 

But now walls have been built,
And for Him,doors sealed.

He wanders,weary and tired, 
Rendered homeless,by children He'd sired.

We look for light where all glooms reside,
And seek Angels,where our demons hide.
                                                   Chandni
             

The Perfect Murder

Her husband was plotting her murder and she needed help to escape the house.His chivalry made him help her escape to safety.Next day he was arrested for the murder of her husband.His finger prints were all over the place and the murder weapon was found on him.He remembered how he had taken the revolver from her gloved hands and reassured her that it'd never be used against her!
  "She was beautiful and had feline grace and as is known of a cat,she'd covered her tracks well!",muses he,now in his prison cell.
                                                Chandni