THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

Wait, my friend! Slow down, don’t run so fast;
Can’t you see that the quickest ones are coming in last?
Sit down awhile, keep your worries aside,
And come with me on this merry ride.

Watch them, moving about as though in a trance,
Treading the same circular path again and again,
What comes their way by design or chance,
Is more often than not treated with disdain.

A businessman just kicked away a diamond that lay
In his way, he was too busy screaming on his phone;
An angry boy picked it up and flung it miles away,
Thinking it to be just another ordinary stone.

A scholar passed this way sometime back,
Looking for something he’d already found,
“If only I could remember where”, he said,
As he frantically searched the ground.

See that young woman, sitting there dejected,
In the middle of that little river of tears?
A young man is standing nearby with a lifeboat,
If only she would open her eyes and ears.

That man, must catch a bus to get on a train to board a plane;
No wonder then that he seems to be going a little insane.
A thief has just managed to nick a pretty looking purse,
But the cops have seen him at it; his day’s only going to get worse.

For this is the circle of life, my friend,
A bittersweet journey with no start or end;
It cannot be explained by the mind’s logic or the intuition of the heart,
For the faster you move, the faster you’ll come back to the start.

But this mystery has to be lived to be understood,
So get back on your saddle and put on your hood,
And I’m sure you’ll enjoy this novel ride;
Just, once in awhile, leave the circle and step outside.

THE FECUND FIELDS OF FARLOW

There is a land, don’t ask me where,
Filled with nothing; yet, everything’s there.

There is no sun or shining star,
Yet light and warmth are spread afar.

There are no oceans, no rivers or seas,
Yet waves do dance, with mirth, as they please.

There are no birds, but there is lilting song,
Sweet, fulfilling, yet for more you long.

There are no trees that may flowers bring,
Still it feels like the midst of a blossoming spring.

There is no work, yet no dearth of things to do,
Everything’s always the same, still every moment is new.

And if you go there you will hear the subtle, supple sound,
Of perpetual gaiety and merriment, and laughter all around.

Alas! They say I must give it a name,
‘For how else will it retain its fame?’
And so, with an upward glance and a little bow,
I tell them, ‘these are the Fecund Fields of Farlow’.

– Written in 2005

THE ONLY CONSTANT

The ocean tides now so high,
Once, lost and low they did lie.
The winds blowing so fiercely today,
Were meek and timid just yesterday.

The Sun, so imperious in the skies,
Undisputed ruler, till he dies,
But even he, at the end of every day he lives,
His throne, for a while, to the night he gives.

The trees, once so dull and bare,
When their winter whites they did wear,
Now under spring’s splendid spell,
Are prettier than words can tell.

The bazaars, now teeming with people,
Are full of chatter, laughter and light;
But soon, they will be quiet and empty,
As they slowly embrace the night.

Many things, great today, will be forgotten tomorrow,
And seasons of laughter will follow those of sorrow;
The great cities of the past are now in decline,
While those in shambles, shall one day be fine.

In this world so very strange,
The only constant is change.

THE WORLD BEYOND

Under the moon’s seductive spell,
I watch the stars tremble in the sky;
I wonder if she can make them tell,
Of the mysteries that in their midst do lie.

What splendid secrets do they hold?
What thrilling tales lie untold?
What tantalizing treasures do they conceal?
What eclectic emotions do they feel?

What succulent songs do they sing?
To what cosmic music do they dance?
Do they know the answers to everything?
Can they separate fate and chance?

They make beautiful patterns in the sky,
To which much meaning we give;
Are they joking or do they lie
Or can they really help us better live?

Shielded by space and cloaked by time,
They puzzle, baffle and beguile,
Someday, in kindness, I hope they give me the key,
That vanquishes their veil of mystery.

-Written in Dec 2010