What Will People Think

They put you in to this little box

And tell you how things should be

They wrap the chains around you

To ensure you meet all the norms perfectly

You can't step out of the notions built

No No No, what will people think!

Stay put, stay safe, you cannot break these social binds

So what if you're unhappy, so what if you're on the brink

What matters in the end is 'what will people think'

You want to step out, you say...

You want to be free?

Don't be ridiculous,

Your future has already been planned so easily!

Your opinion, what's that? It's of no consequence at all young lady!

You try to spread your wings,

Against all the odds you've been dealt

You try to embrace your spirit

Fighting off each hurtful word you've felt

They laugh at you and sneer

They say you'll never make it

They shun you for your 'weird'

They fear it, you see.

They didn't know what to expect 

From someone so fearless and bold

Someone who managed to break out

To show the world, she refused to fit the mold

She set out to achieve her dreams

And achieve them she did

She struggled and clawed her way to the top

The view from up there was just splendid!

Truth Be Told

Do we even know what the truth is any more?

All of us too busy hiding behind misguided perceptions

Shedding numerous disguises, executing multiple deceptions

Just to make us feel like we belong, like we 'fit in'

Building so many versions of ourselves

Screen after screen of different personalities

Can our mind even distinguish between all these dualities?

Are we even able to be honest with ourselves any more?

Spinning in our own intricate 'white' lies

The stories we tell people, to ensure they remain allies

Decision after decision taking us down winding pathways 

As we slowly lose the ability to decipher our own reality

Forgetting sometimes the reasons for our actions

Being led astray by numerous distractions.

Does this reflect poorly on some sections of society?

We are unable to be ourselves for fear of harsh judgements

Working hard on shifting and morphing to make all the right adjustments 

Maybe its time to learn its ok to stand out

Bring yourself to the table, flaws and all

Be true to yourself in the face of adversity

You may be surprised by acceptance for your diversity.

 

  

A Story About Love

"Taj President, good morning and how can I help you sir"

The voice he heard over the line set his heart aflutter.

He couldn't understand it, 

How this simple greeting, 

Had caused his pulse to start racing. 

He seemed bewitched by that voice,

As if the fates had left him no choice.

There was a magnetic pull unknown,

And so each day, he reached for the phone,

To have that slight bit of conversation.

Little did he know they would last for his life's duration.

That he would wake up each day to her good mornings

And end each one with her good nights.

The first time they laid eyes on each other,

Definitely surprised her in to a stutter.

It was anything but an ideal situation,

She - all wrapped up in her blankets shivering,

He - having spent the day frantically wondering,

What happened to that voice that made his days seem brighter?

He'd dashed out of his home and made up his mind,

Today the face to that voice, he'd definitely find.

And so their story began anew,

Looking back, they felt that their time together just flew.

It was filled to the brim with trials and troubles, 

That usually came with the package of love and romantically involved couples.

But they persevered together for 14 long years,

Through the ups and the downs and all of their fears.

Married on 21st December 1991,

That is when their second story begun.

This is where the fairy tales end,

Happily ever after, but I won't pretend.

They had their fair share of road bumps and fights

But at the end of the day they always came back to make things right

And next came one more little joy (I think) - me!

And their story went forward, now including three.

Here I leave you with the end of this piece,

About the re-telling of a love that didn't cease.

Maybe it was never about the gift wrapped ending,

That all the movies and novels have had us believing.

But faith, strength, determination and understanding,

That are pillars of a relationship that can be everlasting.

Ripped jeans

Will you decide what I should be wearing?

Your pompous views stating that a woman can't be daring.

Will you decide what makes a woman 'sanskari'?

Your ideas that a woman should be all wrapped up in a nice sari.

Have you been looking around at the world changing?

Where women stand tall with their voices engaging.

Do you think the outer wear can define ones inner self?

Your backward thoughts probably need to be placed back on a dusty shelf.

A person is not defined by their clothing

Ripped jeans makes a woman indecent, you've got to be joking!

Your mind set needs quite a bit of an upgrade,

Your notions are definitely not of this decade.

Each of us will stand shoulder to shoulder for what is right and just,

Till we snuff out such perceptions and turn them to dust.

The Start of Something New

Two silent ships passing in the night,

Moving in perfect harmony,

They docked up parallel to each other,

Never meeting during their journey.

A light knock of one body to the other,

With the soft waves created their destiny,

The light touch sparked something within,

They looked to one another to find they were meant to be.

And then the skies broke apart to a bright new day,

The fates smiling down on them knowingly.

Ablaze

She saw fire in the skies,
Blazing hot, orange vastness.

She felt the heat in her bones,

As she walked that empty road,

Slowly approaching the end of the line,

Ready to run through it and prevail.

Because she knew she would fight,

Right up until the end.

No matter all the voices she heard,

Telling her she couldn't, 

Telling her she'd fail.

She banished those thoughts,

Those fearful lies,

Being fed to her by the silence inside her head,

Being fed to her by the unseen and the unnamed.

She focused instead on her beating heart,

The pieces of her that made her whole,

The sounds of encouragement of those who loved her,

The vitality and strength coursing through her blood,

Each day, every day,

And so she screamed in defiance,

At all that was holding her back,

And sprinted head on,

Straight into the flames!

 

Pockets of Time

Do you feel your moment...

Your present, your now, your current?

Do you believe in your strength...

Your values, your principles, your intent?

Do you see the world full of opportunity...

Partaking in the small joys of your life's continuity?

The hidden beat of a birds soft chirping, 

The gracious movement of a leaf's unfurling,

The innocence of a child's first giggle,

The happiness of a mother's first snuggle.

Do you pause to hold on to these pockets of time...    

Your feelings, your hopes, your dreams, your climb?  

Do you keep that piece of you intact...

Your peace, your truth, your love's impact?

Do you hold on to your purpose in life...

To keep you together through your lows and highs?

The moments you cherish and keep close to your heart,

The ones with those you never want to part,

Focus on them in your here and now,

And make your mark with what life endows.