Bush n' Boots

Since everybody is talking about it, I shall too,

President Bush and his tryst with the shoe.

Oh what a sight it was to see him dodge and duck

And what saved him, you'll agree, was plain luck.

There he was standing, bleating and gloating

A quick hasty farewell, was what he was hoping.

He arrived there with his battery of security men,

Only none could save him from the shoe-sized ten.

Who would have imagined or ever dreamed,

The most powerful president would be so creamed.

But happen it did, and what a way to go

Muntazer al-Zaidi, you certainly put up a show!

For the country you destroyed, here you are,

For the human loss you caused, you are without par.

Its from the homeless and the widows you have made,

For not listening to you, its the price Iraq paid.

So you will agree a shoe in the face is not that big a deal,

At least its not a sorrow, not a wound that will not heal.

For all those of you who criticize this telling act,

Frown upon it for lack of propriety or tact.

You talk of professional ethics and standards high

But do you see the reasons behind them?- Do try

Already he is a hero across the globe, in many parts

A name in history and a respect in many hearts.

Soon another news item will come and this matter will cool

But the question remains- Was the man brave or a complete fool?

The White Tiger

" Do we loathe our masters behind a facade of love - or do we love them behind a facade of loathing? "

Yes, I have finally joined the club. Have you noticed how every time a book wins a prize or award or any sort everyone gets divided into two classes? One is the politically correct class which have either read the book or know enough about it to bluff their way through a conversation, and the other class is the unfortunate, looked down upon who have not heard about or are frankly not bothered.

This book is truly ' common - man'. One can't do any lower than this, of course meant strictly in the light of ground reality. Another word that comes to mind to describe it is - scary.

No body can deny the truth in the way the relationship between the master and the servant, or the rich and the poor is described. In fact I think Adiga has been kind in not revealing just about everything. So if this is what is really going through our 'faithful' servant's head then truly Lord help us all. The other day as my friend and I were being dropped in some one's car we could not help sit up a little straighter, be a little more alert, watch with a little more caution. I mean I wonder what the driver was thinking?

In a manner an identity has been provided to the faceless masses of India and their plight has been presented for jugdement. And one can argue on both sides. 

Condemn them for their greed and lust for money and better things or defend their plight since greater forces are keeping them down effectively. But ultimately they too are humans with dreams and failings and when pushed beyond a point, taken for granted for too long there comes along a person who hits back , there comes along an animal once in a generation, 'The White Tiger'

Goodbye.

My aunt passed away on the 5th of December. The one who goes is beyond everything now but the ones left behind have to pick up the pieces and continue. She leaves behind 3 sons. Your heart just breaks when you see how they are trying to keep themselves from drowning in pain and consoling each other at the same time.
But there are things yet to be done and there are lives yet to be lived.

Mamma,they tell me you have gone to a better place
They tell me to keep a happy face.
But tell me what I am supposed to do,
When I want to hold you for a moment or two.

Mamma, they tell me to be strong and brave
They tell me not to be sad or grave.
But tell me where I shall find,
The unflinching faith and supreme courage of your kind.

Mamma, they tell me to get on with life again
They tell me to look beyond this pain.
But tell me where I am supposed to see,
To find the love with which you saw me.

Mamma, , oh Ma, you will always be with me, won't you?
You will always look after me ,won't you?
The place is hollowed now, where you had been
Your strenght is gone now on which I could lean.

Mamma, the dreams you dreamed for us all
Your visions of us standing proud and tall.
I promise you now your efforts I shall not waste,
All your invaluable gifts I will not lose in haste.

Mamma, things will not be the same with you gone
After this dark,dark hour I don't believe in a new dawn.
Then I look within me and find a part of you,
I see that you live in me, in a manner I never knew.

Mamma, I carry you in my heart, my very core
And with that knowledge I shall stand up once more.

Held Hostage.

Guns and bombs, bullets and blast
Once again its web, terror casts.
Bodies lie torn apart,
Come terror,let peace depart.
Bleeding bodies,broken hearts,
A fresh chapter of grief now starts.
Helpless people, innocent bystanders,
See how the facade of security flounders
The family who waits with their hearts in their hands,
Not knowing if death on their door now stands.
Waves of pain, sea of grief
Upon us in a moment so brief.
Bottomless sorrow, irreparable loss
Caution and Compassion gone for a toss.
Let's point a finger, let's put the blame,
But every one's a loser in this fatal game.
Their useless statements, their empty words
Repeated over and over by the political herds.
There's always a cause,always a reason,
For every single act of hatred or treason.
For the act of few,blacklist the community
Without doubt this is the terror entity.
Pay heed hatred begets hatred, how true it is
For sure he will avenge every brother of his.
Accusations and charges do fly about,
The guilt of this community we never doubt.
Look closer and see wounds fresh still,
Pricked by injustice, they shall never fill.
Sadly realization comes too late,
Only when it touches family or mate.
Fleeting sympathy when a neighbour's house burns,
Blistering anger when upon oneself the table turns.
The ones who really set terror loose,
Unfortunately never get the noose.
The real victims are you and I,
For their uses it's we who die.
I wonder if in the end truth shall prevail,
Or shall the system of natural justice itself fail.
They say justice is blind and fair,
Only no one's ready to wait for their share.
Its only when man acts like the Lord up there,
That we end up living in this nightmare.
-- An Indian

Poetic tide.

Back again armed with another poem. Had written it in a burst of inspiration , lost it in a hotel room and reproduced it in bits and pieces from memory.

For a city girl like me,

What a pleasure was the sea.

The roar and the splash,

The white foam and the mighty crash.

Again and again and one more time,

One by one all crashing in a line.

It licks your feet and kisses your toes,

Only one of it's many faces it now shows.

But beware of the sea for it was be friend or foe,

With nature there is always a line you can't toe.

There's beauty and power all in one,

And none to complain about how it's been done.

See what lies beneath it's calm surface,

Animals and plants in a watery haze.

The salty breeze that tosses your hair,

Comes straight from the sea God's lair.

Look at the horizon, see the band of blue,

Be washed with splendor anew.

God for some,Provider for many more,

Sunken treasures and pirates galore.

Sit for a while,absorb the sound

Or bury your feet in the sand all round.

Capture the moment, breathe in the sea

To conjure at a moments notice the enigmatic sea!

A lake tucked in the mountains..

Hey. I am back from roaming all over Tamil Nadu in an attempt to discover the flavours and sights of India. But be assured the blog was on my mind while dipping my feet in the sea at Pondicherry or shivering in the cold at Yercaud. And since I am suffering from the 'rhyme' infection my account of my trip shall not be in prose.

So here's the one which was written in the car while leaving Yercaud-

One more time , one more place
Out to see another part of Earth's face.

New things to do , new places to see
New handful of memories are now in my kitty.

The high mountains which nestled a Lil' lake,
The clouds beside us as company to take.

The 18th century room with the high bed,
Surrounded by flowers yellow and leaves red.

Upon winding roads through the mountains we go,
Beauteous tress of either side high and low.

Impressed and humbled, in wonder lost
Experiencing mesmerizing displays all free of cost.

Such an experience brings to mind a quote once said,
If you have not travelled you have only one page read.

All rise!

I have been thinking about writing on this topic for the past few days now. But for some reason I cannot find the words ,the phrases which would do justice and truly convey the awe in which I hold this man- Barrak Hussein Obama. I suppose truly this is an expression of - Dare to Dream. And what a dream it is.
America has matured. I happen to hear this man's name uttered at least once a day either on the news channel or by a person. For anyone still naive enough to believe his win does not effect us ,wake up. it has everything to do with us. Talking for myself - on an individual level this man inspires me to think big. What a spectacular rise Obama had. I can't help but be mesmerized whenever I hear him speak . To express yourself so eloquently and sway the people of a whole nation to believe in him a 'black' and a Muslim descendant. Sit up historians , take note.
We live in a time where there are laws on paper and but none are practised. The law has abolished racism and yet we find people with a mindset that if you are black then surely you must be at the very least a foul mouthed knife wielding maniac. Its the way we have been influenced to think so some other race can come up at the cost of the underprivileged.
This sentiment is not peculiar in India. We live in a land where communalism is on the rise. People are killed in the name of their faith. Minorities are at the mercy of the majority. A prejudice has been created against certain religions and the common man readily believes all the garbage being doled out by the media. Will anyone pause and question? Perhaps one day. Until then true justice will not be delivered. If you catch someone in the wrong do punish them but to give the dog a bad name and hang him only causes a negative ripple effect and then you wonder where all the violence comes from?
There is a signature attached to my mail- Happiness is Contagious; Start an epidemic today! Isn't it true? And isn't it truer that hope is even more potent? And today one can see the hope that it slowly spreading it's wings in all those people who have an unfulfilled desire, an unfinished dream, an unspoken need. Now is the time. Don't fear. Don't doubt. For as Obama said in his winning speech- YES WE CAN!