Echoes of My Silence | Tulika Singh

The path you made me lead

I've never dreamt of

For what I think, you are a fragment of mine

that keeps telling me who am I

You are not a nightmare

You are not a bad news

You are just a parasite

absorbing my sunlight

You have destroyed my land

Robbed me off my spirit

My garden of orchids is

like a silent voice

No one can hear it

You are a mirror image of mine

but more vicious and fine

The tighter I hug

Softer you kill

You make me see the world

through a darker lens

You keep me away from myself

Is that what you are best at?

But you should know this

The darker you make me

brighter I glow

The weaker you make

tougher I grow

Freedom burns within me

like a fiery sea

I will make sure to breakthrough the shackles

you made me tackle

A day will come when

I will be thanking you

Cause you made me into the person

I was destined to be

Union- Ananya Dixit

Many nights passed by,

Just gazing at the sky,

The stars, the moon, the entire ambience, the entire construct,

And I, an individual, an incomplete identity searching for completeness.

Similar was this night as well,

But, with a difference.

For the very first time these shackles of identity seemed to be unlocked,

A sense of freedom, an absolute freedom from within engulfed me.

So strong was this feeling of silent infinite expansion of consciousness,

That I, an empty vessel was filled with life’s exuberance.

Dissolving it was, as every cell in my body was bursting with ecstasy.

Unable to fathom and discern, I followed my instincts to explore more.

From, at a distance, I just observed these changes

That were altering the very fabric, the very foundation of my existence.

So enthralling were the surroundings around,

That the concepts of time and distance just vanished

And my heart was filled with a deep sense of inclusiveness and completeness.

The entire experience was so intoxicating

That silence just overwhelmed me.

There was no communicative sound exchanges,

But, silently, every feeling of my heart was being nurtured and was riding over the cool gentle breeze

around,

Carrying my heart felt desire to the consciousness by my side.

With limited understanding and awestruck,

I decided to go with the flow,

And just when I reached the peak of my joy, I saw a face.

A face that has an irresistible assurance of faith,

A smile that had a blinding flash of light,

Drooping eyes that resembles a lotus radiating with full life and energy.

As I moved on to explore more,

A sudden force just sucked me in.

So strong was this magnet that the entire core, every cell just couldn’t relinquish the pull,

But, align with the geometry of the expanded consciousness.

Desperate to delve deep into this experience,

I decided to walk.

Walk a terrain unknown to me,

Just that face and me.

As the sun rose to its glory and the moon still watching it meekly,

The entire earth started witnessing the dance of creation, the dance of duality.

This union was spectacular and reverential,

And, I and the face also participants in this play of duality,

Witnessed this sacred union in absolute silence.

Inwardly we both were silent,

Outwardly the light and sound show was on,

And as the sparkling beam of sun fell on the face by my side,

I knew at once that this is the shine I wanted to have in my life,

This is the nectar which will fill my empty vessel.

The whistling of wind, the beauty of nature in bounty, the grace in the face of the face,

Transcended me to a place beyond description,

That humming of music was almost a consequence.

As I reflect back to those memorable moments,

That filled me with the abundance of happiness,

I can’t stop myself from expressing my deepest gratitude to the Almighty for his blessings.

Hoping and praying devoutly within hearts of hearts that one day,

This sacred and sacrosanct union would conclude for not once,

But, for many more lifetimes to come,

Leading to the gateway of final union and liberation for both – the face and me.

End this | Harshita Joshi

Do you ever feel tired all the time?

Do you feel like sleeping every time?

Or are you awake till 3am in the morning?

Do you end your happiest days with nights mourning?

You aren't the only one, I assure you

I want to end this, don't you?

You don't ask anyone for help,right?

You don't feel the need to talk, right?

Damn this, Damn that, Why are you being naive?

Ask for help, just like a kid aged five.

Walls caving in gradually you became a statue

I want to end this, Don't you?

Be strong, stay strong, it's all a disguise.

Rusting, your mind is rusting, nothing feels nice

Keep the façade, Aren't you sick of that bullshit?

They believe your lies, when actually you are unfit

Day by day, you are seeing the world in black and blue

I want to end this, don't you?

Humanity -Manika Markan

Humanity! Humanity!

Screams and shouts,

Everyone, everyone.

But where?

On this earth or in the hearts;

It exists nowhere.

Be polite,be humble,

And be kind,

The rude and rough don't;

Keep this in mind.

Success and humility rarely stay together

If the former comes the latter runs

The vices and differences you

gather

By being humble all those shuns

Life is short

yet beautiful ,

Let's enjoy and

Live it meaningful

No boundaries of inner joy and cheer

When you become merciful

From ego,pride make thy head clear,

Then love you get bountiful .

Being humane is the way;

to make life peaceful,

With care,sacrifice for fellow beings;

Life will become useful.

A beautiful soul beleives in

sharing and giving,

Keep your ego,ifs and buts aside

To make life worth living.

Love all help all

Without any greed,

Appreciate all

Without any creed.

Not of thyself but of others buddy

Think about the suffering and pain

Help the deprived and the needy

Enlightenment of soul you will gain.

Let not survive on this earth:

Anger,hatred,malice,

Kindle the kindness and goodness,

And for our guilts we must apologise.

Love and faith is the utmost thing

That we all need to ignite,

Sanity,Purity and Humanity

Will keep the world unite.

Sunset Walks | Shirin Sakhuja

What do you hide in your eyes?

staring at the river that never stops for anyone

staring at people who won't hold their whispers in the air

staring at empty buildings that stand tall looking at traffic in mere moving dots

But you aren't actually staring are you?

You are looking for something

sieving through facade of every living being

ignoring everything that weighs through wealth

Are you looking for a purpose?

or are you sifting through tinted layers of the world, looking for your muse?

It's the deformed vase

tangled web of fairy lights

an old music system

or maybe just some strokes of paint on a wall

You look for stories through layers of the most overlooked things

searching crevices for unlikely treasures

With the ice cubes melting

and dissipating in shot of caffeine

your hands collect drops of water dripping through the cup

while your mind dances with your eyes

looking ahead in infinity

I know I am staring

I am guilty of that,

but I am not guilty to try and understand you

I don't feel guilty in wanting to sit beside you on this sidewalk and just ask

What holds your eyes so deep

that you missed me looking through them with curious gaze?

But while I collect my courage to move,

you peddle through your wheels,

petting those white paws in front basket

hiding that smile under your mask,

as sunset marks your shadow like a painting

And I walk on same path

holding my gushing heart

like every evening

hoping tomorrow I get to sit by your side

and just say Hi

Hiraeth | Saptara Mandal

When I first heard 'Hiraeth'

My mind took me to you

For me, my 'Hiraeth' was your heart

A place that I can never return to.

A place I once called home

A place which probably was never mine

It was my delusion for a love that never was

Now I'm drowning my sorrows in wine.

All those talks about finding each other sooner,

Still echoes inside the empty walls of my heart,

Two hearts which found a place to belong, together

Couldn't be any more far apart.

You knocked on the doors of my heart,

And I let you in without a test,

And I still wonder which strings you tugged at,

That unravelled all the rest.

Now my heart's just tall brick walls

With the lingering memories of the past,

And a big empty hole where you used to live,

My 'Hiraeth' will always be you; my yearning for something that was never meant to last.

The denied Twirl- Srishti Mittal

A girl , A twirl,

Swirled into her teen zone,

Twirled into societal hurl,

A dismayed woman grown.

Question of beauty is boomed,

Each second to be groomed,

Makes her fumed.

Ah! Did that flower bloom?

For flight, Maiden to be slight,

Runs her breath to fit,

To fit with captious mind,

Contending the constant fight.

To be in the shower of power,

Carrying the appearance of blooming flower,

Existing with thorn’s pinches,

Just under the scale of inches.

What’s that woman’s worth?

Staying in the dirth !

Stealing glances from the devil,

To preserve her whole.

The hostile touches,

Touched the cleanest soul,

Heat of her blood rose,

Was it just the beating of a dead horse ?

The attack on honour,

Didn’t disturb any corner,

The bleakfull suicide tackled.

Then another girl twirled.

India: An Abode of Reality | Kamna Rijhwani Manghnani

In a world of limitless skies,

India is on my bucket list.

Catch your breath,

And peruse the pages of time,

Carpe diem fellas,

Because India is my bucket list.

Swagatam to the land of Yoga and Ayurveda,

Swagatam to the land of Bharat

A land secured by mighty Himalayas,

A land where freedom and free will go together.

A land touched by abundant rivers,

A land where divinity follows every step.

Let’s get riveted,

To an impeccable unconcealed land,

Where dreams are fulfilled,

If desires are rooted,

Destinations achieved,

When footsteps launched.

In the dawn of new light ,

And never ending sunshine,

Let’s begin our journey,

To the land named after an ocean.

Sailing through the houseboats of Alleppy,

To capturing the volcano of Barren Island.

Watching a shuttle take off from Sriharikota

To diving into the waters of Arabian sea.

From exploring the granite monoliths of Hampi,

To calculating the sun and moon dials of Konark.

India is a time travel,

And India is on my bucket list.

Glancing the stunning art of Kalaripayattu,

To observing different gharanas of Kathak.

From the Western Ghats,

To the land of Bodos and Apatanis.

Visiting the grand Banyan in Bengal,

To learning the traditional water harvesting in Uttarakhand.

A land endowed with a variety of natural fibres,

And a market rich of handlooms and handicrafts.

India – a civilization,

Full of nature believers and preservers.

Feel proud to visit the land of Sushruta,

And visit the lands of Aryabhata and Asoka.

This journey of India,

is a gravitational pull,

without accomplishment,

life is not full.

To visiting the magnificent lions of Gir,

And getting elated watching growing numbers of tigers of Bengal.

To riding the palace on wheels,

And experiencing the deserts of Thar.

To experimenting the salt marsh of Rann of Kutch,

To discovering the ancient cities of Dholavira and Lothal.

To remembering the lost city of Mohenjo-Daro,

To be grateful for the rulers of Patliputra.

India is a dharma chakra,

The glorious union of tri-colours.

Sojourning the land of Kashyaps,

To getting mesmerized by the geometrical patterns of ancient architecture.

To stopping over to see the astronomical observatory in Ladakh,

To touring my country in a caravan.

India is a land of inventions,

And a land of wisdom.

Yes, India itself is a bucket list,

And an eternal learning center.

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी - रीतिका गुप्ता

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी

सुनी थी जो अब तक,

भुला दें तू वो सब ,

एक नया इतिहास रच

अपनी ज़ुबानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी ।

नहीं आएगा अब कोई भी शहज़ादा,

पूरा करने अपना कोई भी वादा,

तू अपने से कर अपने वादे,

बुलंद कर अपने इरादे,

सपनों को अपने तू ख़ुद कर पूरा,

तुझको अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी ख़ुद है उठानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी ।

कुछ अपने रोकेंगे तेरा रास्ता,

रिश्तों का देंगे तुझे वास्ता ,

जकड़ कर बेड़ियों में तेरे पाँव

बनालेंगे तेरे सपनों को बंदी ,

तुझको मगर डरना नहीं है,

जो हित में है तेरे, करना वही है ,

तोड़ कर बंधन बेमानी,

तू बनजा एक दरिया तूफ़ानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी।

वो कोशिश करेंगे तुझको डराने की,

किससे सुनाएँगे समाज के वहशी दरिंदों की ,

कुछ पल के लिए तेरा दिल भी जाएगा काँप,

डसने लगेगा आत्मसंदेह का साँप,

हिम्मत से करना उस विष का तू सामना,

जाल में उनके तू बिलकुल मत फ़सना,

अबला नहीं है ,तू है निडर सयानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी ।

तेरे रिश्ते माँगेंगे तुझसे बलिदान,

ममता और मर्यादा लेंगे तेरा इम्तिहान,

देकर तुझको ग़लत उदाहरणों की शिक्षा,

दफ़ना देंगे धरती में लेकर तेरी अग्नि परीक्षा,

तू अनसुनी करदे ये बातें पुरानी

तुझको तो है नई गाथा रचानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी ।

जो तू आज भी अगर झुक गई,

सुनकर रिश्तों की दुहाई जो तू अगर रुक गई ,

तो चलता रहेगा पुरानी कहानियों का सिलसिला,

जहाँ पुरुष होगा बलशाली,

और नारी एक बेचारी अबला।

कोख में ही होता रहेगा तेरा खून,

कैसे ख़त्म होगा ये बेटे का जुनून,

बलात्कार,एसिड अटैक, और दहेज से होता रहेगा तेरा शिकार ,

कैसे मिट पाएँगे ये सामाजिक विकार?

तू आज बस उठा ले ये बीड़ा,

अंत करनी है अब बस नारी की पीड़ा,

एक नई सोच,नए दृष्टिकोण से ये दुनिया है चलानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नईकहानी,

नारी तू लिख अपनी नई कहानी ,

अपनी ज़ुबानी ॥

रीतिका गुप्ता

ಯಾರು | Divya Viswanath

ವೈಭವದ ವೈಖರಿಯ ಎಲ್ಲ ನೋಡಬಯಸುವರು

ಸರಳತೆಯ ಆದರಿಸಿ,

ಸತ್ಕರಿಸುವರು ಯಾರು?

ಇಂಪಾಗಿ ಹರಿದಾಡುವ ಧ್ವನಿಗೆ

ಹಲವಾರು ಶ್ರಾವಕರು

ಅತ್ತಾಗ ಒಡೆಯುವ ದನಿಯ

ಮನಕೊಟ್ಟು ಆಲಿಸುವರಾರು?

ಯಶಸ್ಸಿನ ಕುಲುಮೆಯ ಬಳಿ

ದುಂಬಾಲು ಬಿದ್ದು ಬರುವ ಗುಂಪುಗಳೇ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನವು

ಸೋಲಿನ ಸ್ಮಶಾನ ಮೌನದಲಿ ಕೈ ಹಿಡಿಯುವರಾರು?

ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಕೆ ಪ್ರತಿ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಯಲ್ಲೂ ಕಿಕ್ಕಿರಿಯುವ ಪ್ರಶಂಸಕರು

ಶೃಂಗಾರದ ಪರದೆ ಹಿಂದಿರುವ ವೆಕ್ತಿತ್ವವದ

ಮೌಲ್ಯವ ಅರಿತವರು ಯಾರು?

ಹಣಕಾಸಿನರಮನೆಯು ಪರಗತಿಯಾ ಸಂಕೇತ.

ಪ್ರಾಮಾಣಿಕವಾಗಿ ಶ್ರಮಿಸುವ ಆ ನಿವಾಸಿ

ಹೃದಯಗಳ ವೈಶಾಲ್ಯತೆಯ ಅಳೆದವರು ಯಾರು?

ಹಸಿರು ಹೊಲ ಗದ್ದೆಯಲಿ ವರುಣನಾ ಜಲಧಾರೆ

ಬರಡುಭೂಮಿಯತ್ತ ತಿರುಗಿ ಹನಿ ನೀರು ನೀಡಿ

ಅದರ ದಾಹವ, ನೀಗಿಸುವರಾರು?

ವ್ಯಂಗ್ಯವೆನಿಸುವ ಈ ಜೀವನದ ಒಗಟುಗಳ

ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಕ್ಮರೂಪಿಯಾಗಿ ಬಗೆಹರಿಸುವರು ಯಾರು?

The Wandering Darkness- RIZWANULLA A

The darkness was wandering inside my mind,

And he played hide and seek when I tried to find,

I was pushed to fall into the well of darkness by his wind;

And his eyes must have gone blind,

Because his motive is undetermined.

I was drowned deep in the darkness's well,

And I reached the great world of darkness's hell,

Where the darkness was the king of the throne;

And the people’s happiness was trapped in his sceptre,

There I heard the silent screams of people, seeking help from the darkness's cage.

It was the season of fall,

And the trees shed their leaves by nature's call,

And the fallen leaves dried, died from every cell;

Later, I realized that I was walking through the graveyard of leaves with rainfall,

And my heart was broken overall.

There is a great thing called the sacrifice,

Along with it, there comes the pain with no value of price,

And by experiencing the pain all the time;

It made me forget the real feeling of pain;

Because it’s like all my happiness would vaporise.

When I try to come out of my barrier,

The darkness suppresses me in such a way of scarier,

Though I can fight against him like a brave warrior;

But, I don't want to hurt the darkness either,

Because, he must also have a heart, which may feel the pain either.

Guidance, love, and support were needed the most,

But, the deadly darkness was wandering like a ghost,

To create chaos, to develop shackles, and to trap the light;

Even the peace had lost its patience and made the darkness to ignite,

Though the fire only heightened the darkness's rise.

My eyes were shedding tears in the rain,

And I wish to lock the darkness in the hell by the divine chain,

The pain I am carrying in my heart, that I couldn’t explain;

Because the little peace in my heart may drain,

And the rain continued to fall in my region.

The darkness continued to wander throughout its way,

To break people’s hearts away,

May there be an end to the darkness! I pray;

So that, the skyscraper of fear may destroy,

And people may live the rest of their lives in peace every day.

ਧੀ ਜਦ ਜੰਮੀ | Kamaljeet Kaur

ਧੀ ਜਦ ਜੰਮੀ ਘਰ ਤੇਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਂਏ,

ਤੇਰੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਕਿਉਂ ਨਮ ਹੋਈਆਂ ਸੀ,

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਵਾਰੀ ਤੱਕਣ ਲਈ ਕੋਈ ਕਾਹਲਾ ਕਿਉਂ ਨਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਸੀ,

ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਨਾਲੋਂ ਹੋਲੀ ਧੀ ਦਾ ਕਿਉਂ ਭਾਰ ਪੱਥਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਭਾਰੀ ਸੀ

ਚੁੱਪ -ਚਾਪ ਜਹੇ ਹੋ ਗਏ ਸੀ ਸਾਰੇ, ਹਾਸੇ ਤਾਂ ਜਾਣੋ ਭੁੱਲ ਗਏ ਸੀ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇੰਜ ਲੱਗਿਆ ਜਿਵੇੰ ਮੇਰੇ ਆਉਣ ਤੇ, ਪੁੱਤ ਲਈ ਸਜਾਏ ਜੋ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਸਾਰੇ, ਕੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਰੁਲ ਗਏ ਸੀ,

ਤਾਈਓਂ ਮੇਰੇ ਆਉਣ ਤੇ ਮਾਂਏ, ਤੇਰੀ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋ ਅੱਥਰੂ, ਆਪ ਮੁਹਾਰੇ ਡੁੱਲ ਗਏ ਸੀ, ਹਾਏ ਆਪ ਮੁਹਾਰੇ ਡੁੱਲ ਗਏ ਸੀ.

Out of the Blues- Khadeejath Farhana

Rolling and roaring

Over the verdant velvety algae blooms,

And fiercely Kissing

The shore with its salty mist,

Sea of serenity, spreads over horizon,

By the eternal curls of tides.

For it was a beach day

A family enjoying creationism,

Over the vastness of solace and tranquility.

We stride and stroll upon the sandy shore

Imprinting tiny footsteps,

Building a castle of hope.

Then we tread on rugged reef

Ascending onto slippery slope.

Sensation of blue waves

Lapping and crashing to the rocks,

Precipitating the breeze with coastal haze.

On a sudden,

A giant wave upraised above clouds.

A seismic sea wave,

With a tempest power hauling upon the sky

Unleashing chaos with a wildly dance,

Screams of perils smogged in air.

Out of terrors hold, I cradled my precious one close.

Squeezing my eyes shut.

A strong wave crashes into life's serene shore

Washing away the perspiration of fears.

Slowly extending my eyes gaze,

A trace of easing zephyr,

Rejuvenating the soul.

I can see pride blooming in all eyes.

To a sudden stroke of suffocation to my breath

My soul took flight, fom a slumber of repose.

When reality awakened by ethereal

To a world of tranquil, silent dream.

All's nothing,

But an ephemerality of disorder.

An Ode To A Mother | Dr Priyanka Mishra

I peeped open my eyes, Oh! The world had changed..

The soft hum I enjoyed for last few months, was nowhere around, nowhere in range…

I saw you mum, carrying me in your arms,

With a tear in dad’s eye, was it grief, O no! u both smiled with joy…

As times flew by, I often asked why, Were you ever so cautious,

Bold for me, for yourself shy..

Pushing me to ride the wind, to sail in skies,

To wear the smile, even carrying piles..

To face the storm, to see the best, To tend to all and ace life quest…

Oh, in your shoes, now I see,

The world as it was and what you made it for me..

An irony should I say, Or a unique miracle,

You were the baton for my strength, The sun for my sight..

The ground I could stand on, The wings for my flight…

Behind The Silence- Surbhi Singh

I am stuck in a quandary of death,

People say that I have to be on the fence,

But I think it either takes the form of truth, lie or myth,

I think death is a truth as it is happening all around us across the world,

Denial of death emanating from grief makes it a lie,

But underneath it's the biggest fear of our lives,

And I wonder it could also be a myth (somebody's truth),

As existence of ghost and unknown author of Voynich Manuscript are still up in the air,

Sometimes this cobweb of death eats me up,

And then, it vanishes into thin air,

Oh! it's a silent trap where I got trapped...

The Mountain Trail | Saloni Shah

An experience, describing which words will fail.

Oh! what breathtaking it was with every passing second on the trail.

The cold zephyr and rustling leaves accompanying our silent walks.

Footsteps over footsteps, we rejoiced our calming thoughts.

Tall Oaks with glittering crowns in green,

No wonder each of them telling a story, concocting a notional scene.

The strong trunk, the connected roots, or a withered leaf,

All of it teaching us LIFE, elucidating unaccepted belief.

We sat by their side, soaked in their energy, and hugged them tight.

Amazed by how everything just felt right!

you still A to my T on a complementary base pair, thats how I remember it for the first time (A-T), now (it) stay with me for lifetime, pathetic I know-Tarana Khan

1. smashing those keys of harmonium in rhythm and your nails always painted differently

humid morning,

sweaty bodies 6inches away each other,

sweat smell mixed with gummy sap of oleanders,

mismash of vibrato,

yet i still manage to steal a glance of your concentrated eyes and a crease between your brows, i swear it suits with your small glasses like a top-notch-perfect-celebrity knows how to pull their strings of attraction. and the next thing I found myself copying you like a stupid kid i was. will i ever manage to look flawless too in someone eyes (maybe yours) like you are in mine?

we are two different pendulums, swinging on two different oscillation. our frequencies never matches.

our frequencies somewhat like in a discrete series not too far, not too unpredictable. unfortunately the absence of homogeneity, a whole gap, an irregularty.

2.blues in air,

reds on ground,

love (written) with yellows on grass,

purple over their cheeks.

colors brutality and enthusiasm visibility dancing on their lips, on their hips, holding onto their tight grips.

80s songs,

Kaleidoscopic tunes causing elastic bodies vibrating non-chalantaly yet fiercely.

every move communicating to other soul, then there is stereo vibration between us and the next moment you were running to approach me in attempt to smear me like all those colorful animals were humming under your beat.

a smile so frail, words so soft "how you've not gotten any point of colors? i shouldn't let you go clean. i will put my colors on you. its a festival of colors don't be shy on this day"

you should have seen your face in my eyes. was i not a clear mirror to reflect you or was i just transparent ?

oh! darling i wish and i wonder if only you knew about my sins.

3.i will store your rough diaries,

i will store your paintings,

i will store your remnants,

i will create your mementos.

this way no one could ever pull you away from my memories.

it will always remind me of your flat accent, your big-doe-eyes, your thin lips, your round chin, your thick smooth hairs, your almond skin, your commisure smile and I shall reminisce all those somethings that were never between us.

and maybe when time will arrive, i will say my bon voyage too.

you touch my cheeks:

electric shocks,

drum beats,

static palms,

so what could I do when God gave me

only one chance?

should I suppose to trip or make a grip? for when

he gives and he takes and I fear upon your lips on mine, your hands on mine, your body on mine

your breath arousing mine and the expiry of your existence into mine.

I had seen people:

loving and leaving,

growing and falling,

laughing & weeping.

I had seen parasites killing their hosts too rarely

and we are rare.

4.all this is. what? what it is?

its havoc,

natural disaster,

wildfire the blaze is still active from inferno.

its like arctic melting three times faster than ever.

i am tired describing you in metaphors.

i am tired relating you to flowers.

i am tired in between similes.

i am tired thinking you in analytics in biostatistics.

i am tired of our relationship.

i am tired of me and you and us.

believe me i am only tired not giving up even if it will cost loosing something so–

to hell with my reality,

and to hell with my sanity- insanity is the fruit of adam and eve's tounge buds.

Every Dead Thing | Akshaya Pawaskar

Every dead thing is in need

of more mourning,

a dream, a lover, your old self, the past,

all defunct, yet alive in numerous ways.

The Animate, the inanimate

still haunting us, still warm in our thoughts

and cold in the earth and time.

A non-existence, a void that needs

to be filled with wreaths,

memories, regrets, silences

words left unsaid, love left unprofessed

chances not taken,

afraid to begin with or

merely once failed.

Every death a reminder

of our own,

grief for a lost part of

our life, almost

one with our body.

Mourn them, lest too

quickly forgotten.

like I have,

the walls of my old house

the paints, the smells

I don’t remember them.

Slowly, slowly,

it fades into white anosmia,

once my home

now a dead body

that I didn’t take

time to mourn.

My Gaslit Chamber | Vasudha Padmanabhan

Ensnared by three knots

Abused and what not

Paraded as a slave

In submission I lay

Self-respect you flayed

Doubt corrodes my flesh

Mad, I should be deemed

Great it all seemed

Longed for a kind embrace

Only an iron hand remains

Demanding implicit obedience

Fuelled by subservience

Wreathed with

Lies, nuanced and decorated

Broken promises boundless

At a loss of words to say

I should walk out some day

When I tried leaving

You threatened to kill yourself

You used our child as a pawn

You fell to the ground

Hands on your chest

Was I too naïve to realise

I am part of this sick game?

Why do I do this again?

Because I have so much at stake

Knitting layers

of treacherous nightmare

Spinning cobwebs

of psychological warfare

Your meticulous art beats a matryoshka doll

Deceiving strokes converge like a kaleidoscope

No one believes me

The world thinks you are a saint

Every time you fight

You dupe me with sleight

Yet again I succumb

And let you entrap me

Loser I am

For believing you will change

This shameful person I have become

Makes me feel loathsome

I have lost my identity, rendered mute

Hoping one day I would be understood

You did make my life colourful

With bruises, beatings, black and blue

My daily constant being crimson hue

It adorns me generously

Paints me with disgust

For I too, was once loved

As you brew whirlpools of despair,

I plunge deeper into this hellish affair

I am trapped in a cage

To which I hold the key

I beg my malfunctional mind

To set me free

Too Much With Her - Shahina Begum

The moment it is born ,

You make sure - it is he or she,

And if it's she ,

You already start disliking ....

You have always asked her-

Her father's, brother's or husband's identity ,

This time ask her own ,

For she is tired of the same question.

And when you're about to marry her ,

You dig her past,

You forget your own ,

You prove to be the best detective !

If she lacks motherhood ,

You consider her to be a "failed woman" ,

If she gives birth to " daughters" ,

She has no honour at all !

When it comes to decision - making,

You forget her existence,

You overlook her ,

For you think she is just a homemaker!

You blame her -

Blame for the divorce,for the failed marriage ,

You think she is a devil ,

Oh ,she has never been the marrying kind !

If her husband dies,

You treat her as a "monster"

You think she is a witch,

For she has eaten him up!

In office ,when she gets promotion,

Or when her salary is increased,

You long to be a "hot bitch",

Because you consider her to be one!

In street, when she walks -

Walks alone- to office,to workplace,

You look at her like you have never seen one,

You become a voracious animal!

You don't consider her to be your " priority",

Coz it might hurt your superiority,

You don't offer her a helping hand ,

Shame,shame ,are you a henpecked husband?

She becomes your mere possession,

She becomes a mere product,

And when you're done,

She's just a slut!

You measure her,

Somewhere between love and lust,

At the end of the day,

You only quench your thirst!

You take her as an opportunity,

And never as your responsibility,

Uncle, cousin, stranger,

Or whoever you are!

You criticise her ,

For her shorts,for her nudity,

Hey,how about the two year old,

Or the grandma at seventy?

Will you do a favour?

Will you be her saviour?

Will you be her light?

Forget,forget,just clear your sight!