Creativity Unplugged

sitting inside
a corked bottle,
creativity ferments
like vintage wine;
shake yourself up,
open the cork,
let it all out;
drown yourself
and the world;
celebrate the moment,
as you open
your bottle
of sweet champagne!

A Silent Procession

A silent procession
in a wild forest begins;
trees - old and young
shower their leaves -
a silent offering
of green and yellow,
gently bowing and waving,
as I pass by;
the wind whispers
an ancient hymn
of love and peace
from the hills beyond;
the distant sun
touches me softly,
warm speckles of light
on a lustrous sheen;
the flowing reeds
bow down with grace,
making way for me
to move on;
the soft, rounded pebbles
pave the way -
stepping stones
to my destiny;
tiny fish begin
their dance of joy;
the steadfast earth
brings me gifts
of a fragrant soil -
memories of sweet union;
and I flow on to touch
another forest,
in another time,
holding precious memories
of a celebration,
in the silent procession
of endless love.

In the silent space between....

like the ebb and flow
of the timeless tides,
and in the silent space
between,
a fountain of love
is birthed
in the pregnant pause
between
feeling empty and full.

Balcony Blues

nothing but blue
fills my eyes,
as I stand and look out
from a balcony high;
sea and sky
merge into one
misty blue space

of nothingness -
why do I feel
something tug
and give inside?
do I have blue eyes,
or is my heart
painted blue for a while?
or is the world feeling
what I am feeling too?
lost, empty,
desolate and blue?
you are here -
in the balcony
watching with me;
you are here
in the blue sky,
the birds, the trees;
you are here
in the blue sea,
the backwaters, the breeze;
you are here,
and yet I feel
you are not with me.

The Sacred Thread

look within
and pick up
the sacred thread
that connects you
to the web of life;
when you find it,
hold it with grace,
use it with love, and
sing a little song if you like,
as you weave it with care,
into an exquisite fabric
that adorns you
and the one
who watches you
with love.

Give and Take

Like a bee gives life
to the flower
that holds sweet nectar;
Like the clouds decorate 
an endless sky
that holds them light;
Like the sun rages on
as the frozen ice gives
on faraway peaks;
Like the rain from the heavens
is given form
by a parched earth;
Like the birds in flight
move the wind
that sets them free;
Like the lonesome trees
open their branches
to friends that sit beneath;
Let me be inspired
to find myself a tune,
and give of myself
as I hope to take from you.

Shraddha

Mindfulness.
Aware.
Being.
Oneness.
Love.
Compassion.
Giving -
to just give.
Shradhha -
is all these for me.
 

A Curry Leaf

like a curry leaf,
giving of itself
wholly,
with no desire
but to infuse
a flavour and fragrance
like no other,
untouched
by life and death,
use and misuse,
a quiet thanksgiving,
a celebration,
for just being...

Shadow play

disoriented,
misty-eyed,
lost,
distraught -
shadow plays
of a tireless ego;
in the incessant play
of light and dark
is the source
of all that is -
the only GPS
that helps me
find my way home;
when I listen
to the silent whispers
of my heart,
I can sit back and watch
the shadows
come to life
and dance
with abandon,
scripting a new story
of light and dark.



 

Sacred River of Life

I come to you

as a child to her mother -

holding on to

a far away memory

of a safe womb -

the place of sacred rest;

standing beside you,

I can now look up

at the raging sun

with moist love;

I bend down

to hold and lift you

in my cupped palms

just as you held me

with your divine grace;

and then let you go 

with moist love 

and a silent prayer -

back to the source

of all that is;

rose petals and clay lamps,

my humble offerings,

afloat in your bosom,

with gratitude and love.

 

Balloon

Come fill me,
until I have
no space within
to feel empty;
come lift me,
carry me yonder
into another
tequila sunrise,
so I can feel
the sun kissing
my gossamer skin;
I drift along
as the wind blows,
flowing, reaching out to
the Light within.

The Water's Edge

I stand on the water's edge.
My footprints are but a smudge
on the contours of the dry sand -
an invisible trail
to where I am now.
My eyes dance towards the horizon,
trying to make sense of its elusive existence.
Where does the earth meet the sky?
Where can that invisible place be?
Blue waters and white foam
lap around my sinking feet,
bringing me back
to where I am now.
Rooted, grounded,
in the wet sands
of infinite possibilities...
I see foot marks now-
soon they will be washed away
by the endless waves of time,
to leave no trace of today.
There are no footprints
to leave behind or follow,
when I soak in the presence
of endless abundance
as I stand on the water's edge.

Dream Catcher

why do you bleed dear Sky?

when your friend goes down, but for a while?

your heart does speak in many hues,

orange, purple, gold, red and blue;

do you mourn the poignant end today?

or do you hail the brilliant star that held sway?

who will you remember, when the last star is gone?

who will you wish upon, when a new one is born?

will you be the eternal mourner?

or wait in faith for the elusive dream catcher?

Moonstone Magic

The Queen of the Night

sits on her throne

of grey and silver;

moonstone magic

fills the air, as

darkness melts,

black ice turns silver.

Desire and Destiny

desires
are pearls
that are opened
every moment,
strung together
on a fragile thread
of surrender
to the present -
when you hold
yourself
with love and faith,
you live your destiny
as each pearl,
strung with grace.

Finding my song

A little bird
on a faraway tree,
I lived with a flock,
wild and free;
yet something was wrong
for I could not sing,
like my brothers and sisters,
who serenaded the Wind.
I had lost my voice,
while I listened to them sing,
until one day
my friend - the Wind,
called me to come
to a place he had been;
I shuddered, I quivered
to fly away with him.
So he took me and held me,
and showed me the way,
I grew new wings on my body,
as I flew away;
He roared and he whistled,
and lifted me up high,
to see the rainbow in a grey cloud,
that was passing by;
and then there was silence -
as I closed my eyes,
I heard songs from my family,
I also heard mine!
Each song was so different,
so special, so true,
like colours of the rainbow,
each had its own hue;
So have you found your own song,
to sing out to the world?
I finally found mine!
and I sing it out to you now!

Take me home...

Take me home...
carry me in your arms,
as a lover carries
his beloved;
lay me down softly
under the distant stars,
let Peace draw the covers,
as they watch us make love.

A Song to My Self

Dear Self, 

"I am what I am." is the only song of every creation - big or small, in the Universe. 

Why should you look out to see what is not there, when you can look within and see everything in you? 

Be yourself. Go within. Lock yourself up in your thoughts, in yourself. Shut out the world. Wear ear muffs to muffle the din. Listen to the song again and again, until it infuses every cell and vein in your fragile body.

.... So that when you come out, you emerge not to crawl along watchfully over the greens and browns, but to soar and catch the wind and the stars....splattering the sky with a riot of colours, as you find ways to express all of yourself, that you had locked up....and then, when you are done, you can drop down, to silently rest in your earthy home, until it is your turn again. 

Daybreak

The sky splits open,

Celebrations begin,

Sounds of prayer -

Hindu and Muslim;

The waters smile and blush,

Baring their mirth,

Trees sway to songs

Of heaven on earth;

Birds dart and hail,

Awoken from rest

To welcome a new morn,

That kisses each nest.

.

Life

Stains.

Wounds.

Scars.

Of those bygone wars.

Fragile.

Connection.

Colours.

Of old earthy vigour.

Holding.

Life and Death.

In your veins.

Soul Sisters

Looking for a rose

walking in the garden,
looking for a special rose,
blind to all the love and joy,
in the wild flowers, waiting close.

Where do you find your star?

don't look up to the
studded night sky,
don't look for that perfect star,
don't rest your dreams
upon floating clouds,
don't pin a wish
on things afar;
rip yourself open - now,
bare everything
you've tightly locked,
and in those vaults
of overwhelming darkness,
you can be sure
to find your star!

Knives and Forks

why hold it
and cut it to pieces?
why struggle with it
with 'tools'?
when I've ten fingers
and a whole being,
why relish Life
with knives and forks?

The Bridge

between
the mind
that bubbles
and frolics,
and the body
that weaves
its magic,
to create
a rich tapestry
of light and dark,
is a silent witness
that binds -
that is the bridge
we must walk on,
to know all of Life!

Filling my cup

when I hold
an empty cup,
I can choose
to fill it
with the Universe.

Wild!

If questions
were bridges
to nowhere;
if thoughts
were clouds
of raindrops, to share;
if dreams
were rainbows
without pots of gold;
if feelings
were butterflies
flitting about, to behold;
I would be
the infinite sky,
and everything
that's in it - wild!

Who holds up the sky?

who holds up the sky?

You or I?

the clouds that gather

to hold hands and smile?

or the trees that chatter

as they reach out a mile?

the mountains towering,

yet rooted in love?

or the oceans moving on

to build a fragile wall?

birds a-flutter

as they dance with the wind?

or loving hearts that yearn

looking up to the moon?

who holds up the sky?

You or I?

a ribbon of love,

binds us all to life.

Up, Up and Away!

thoughts and feelings
rise up and bob,
like colourful balloons
upon strings in the clouds;
I watch them pop,
I watch them rise,
when I snip off the strings,
every once in a while;
parts of  'me' adrift
in the infinite sky;
I let go, I watch,
as they take 'me' up high!
no desire, no control,
nowhere to go,
but to drift in a space
held with faith, love and more...

We are the Light

we are the light

that enters the prism,

we are the prism

that give it expression,

we are the colours

that stand out and blend,

we are the rainbow

stretched from end to end,

we are the point

of beginning and no return,

we are the light

that becomes one, after each turn.

Now

“maujood hain teri yaadon mein…”

a song flows in to set the mood,

two butterflies in a tango,

weaving through the tall wood;

my insides begin to grow wings,

my heart dips into sweet love,

my eyes a-wander over the green,

thoughts of you...

linger...

in the now.

Between

between

birdsong and Bollywood,

stillness and busyness,

being and doing;

between

sunrise and sunset,

dreams on wings and

a heart rooted in love,

is a beautiful place to be;
between

thoughts at war, 

but held with love,

I am here.

I am alive.