Inundated with filth of selfishness
in this amoral world, while I crave
for a life-giving bath of virtues and morals;
a thought creeps in my mind - am I worthy ?

Even a tear drop that swelled in my eyes, refused
to atone my sinner face, ebbed inside.

It's not prescience, but I smell the pungent smell
of imminent moral decay; makes me nauseate,
but is it only me? I pray not.
If my vocation is a testament against implored emancipation,
whom shall I seek to abrogate?

Friend – A harbor of love and affection

Who is a friend?

Every man has his own way of thinking, his own interests, likes and dislikes, definitions for pleasure, pain (besides the physical afflictions), and so on. It is not very often does such a man with such a unique set of attributes finds another of his species who has but similar or complementary attributes. When 2 such personas come in contact with each other, within the first few seconds they feel an urge inside them suggesting that the fellow in his/her company is someone who'll last. Most of the time this happens unknowingly or rather unconsciously. Face, they say is the index of mind. The man who said this really evokes awe and admiration in me. It seems to me as the perennial truth. Malcolm Gladwell in his 'Blink' has almost conclusively proved it with empirical evidence.


When we meet such a person, we tend to be bubbling with energy and positive thoughts will be on a high, and comfort level at its zenith. We try to spend as much time as possible in their company. This is because, we share either common interest so that we get a topic to discuss in depth and with passion or he/she has the capability to appreciate the other's interests that is complementary to the person. The ability to complement the other person's achievement is the single big factor that acts as a rope binding the two in the harmony of a relationship that claims to have no such obligations as other relationships. This is one single relationship, which binds two strangers by an unknown force, so strong as not to weaken a wee bit until and unless either of the entities chooses to disentangle from it consciously.
C. S. Lewis, in his The Four Loves, expresses lucidly when he writes, To the Ancients, Friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves; the crown of life and the school of virtue.

Significance

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. – Aristotle

As I have afore mentioned, it is not so often that we find a friend. But when we find one, it’s a treasure worth preserving till the end. Let us find out why.

Man, by nature is a social animal. At the same time, there are no 2 beings who think alike. Ability to think is the single most distinguishing factor between man and other species. Being a social animal, he cannot live a solitary life. Now, given these facts, consider this. A social thinking animal that cannot live alone, and doesn’t have a single soul who thinks alike has to live in a society uncontrollable by any individual; yet find happiness in these differences. How does it sound to you? It sounds ridiculous to me!

Friendship is one such vent for all of us to rid ourselves from such hard realities and the detestable social obligations.
Pleasure and pain are the basic emotions of man. Both are very weird in nature. Pleasure cannot be experienced in solitude. Pain and misery has to be compulsorily born by the sufferer. The significance of having a friend is emblematic in this case. He is there to share the joy at the same time he’ll also aide in providing a temporary relief to the sufferer by giving his time and moral support. It is not without any reason that a proverb ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’ took birth.

Commitment is like a serpent entangled to our body threatening to incapacitate at the drop of a hat. No doubt, this fear itself incapacitates us by half, thus reducing the chance of even making an attempt to emancipate from its clutches. But, friendship is a noble gift of God that doesn’t come with this commitment tag. This is yet another important aspect.

Affection and love are the only features that bind the 2 personas in this haven of friendship. Interestingly, friendship does not culminate in the carnal union; yet have the same intimacy expressed in an abstract and a more powerful means, which gives a lot of comfort when felt, but seems to be very mystic on contemplation.

Yet another merit of this special relationship is that, it happens between two equals with comparable intellects and similar interests, on mutual consent. The last is the kernel that decides the life span of this noble relationship. Because, this is the major drawback in case of blood relationships, which is why most of the blood relationships doesn’t last long unless deliberately clasped fearing censure from society.
In the company of a friend, we are assured freedom of thoughts and the freedom to express regardless of its nature. Fear of censure and rebuke is never present in the company of a true friend. It is this freedom that makes all of us crave for a good friend.

It is for this reason that I feel friendship is above any other relationship between personas.
But the bitter irony is that we tend to ignore such a valuable asset amidst the mundane activities of our life. It is heartening to see people willingly disconnect their friendship at the cost of their pursuit of artificial and materialistic pleasure. We may not feel the value of friendship in their presence, but the void created by their absence is lamentable.


Despite my conscious attempt, I could not find any unfavorable aspects about friendship. Prejudice cannot be ruled out, but it is my gut feeling that there cannot be contrary points that overweighs the positive ones I have discussed above.
In this light, I sincerely appeal to the denizens of Mother Earth ‘Do not let the materialistic pursuits obliterate the pleasure of friendship’.

Feelings, if rightly and beautifully expressed in the form of words, become a song. And this song has the mystic ability to retain the intensity of the feelings filled by the poet for aeons to come. Fortunate are we, such poets existed and such works are still alive carrying with it, the same zeal and depth, as it had at the time of its creation.

One such exemplary evidence is Walter Rinder’s poem ‘A Friend…’ . This probably reflects my viewpoint in a way that can be no better.
A Friend…

Strengthens the heart;
Repairs the hurt;
Encourages the discovery;
Enlightens the mind;
Dissolves the pain;
Banishes the loneliness;
Understands the anxieties;
Increases the joy;
Deepens the spirit;

Frees the soul.

My Pen

You scribe whatever I mumble,
never showing any sign of grumble.
Like a good artisan, you build a fortress,
giving shape to my fuzzy thoughts.

You are the vehicle, transporting ideas
from the realm of fantasy to that of existence.
It is but for you, the sublime thoughts of one
acquires eternal life, serving mankind forever.

Like a brave soldier who serves his nation,
you serve me, till the last drop of your blood;
Yet, not an iota of gratitude have I ever shown;
while you bestow upon me, the same selfless service.

An embodiment of altruism, you are the model
I'd love the entire mankind to emulate.
But I promise,my comrade, I shall bequeath
unto you, a worthy man of letters, as my humble tribute.

Poem

Phrase that resonates with emotions,
that which arouses a feeling so warm,
that which vivifies our insipid life;
Isn't this the lyric we love to hum?

Words of rhythm, plucked as strands
of different colors, arranged
as a beautiful bridal pleat;
adding to the grace of divine countenance.
Isn't this a sight we love to fix upon ?

An intrepid spirit singing
from his heart, aught but the visage
seen through his eyes of innocence;
Isn't this an elixir of joy we long to pursue?

Metre, length and form,
often imposed to conform,
is naught but a shackle
to the spirit that sees beyond.

Rainbow

Thick and dark clouds
on this desolate earth, as a shroud;
broke open with splashes
of light and bolts of thunder!

Pitter-patter rain drops
drenched the arid land,
elixir of life now impregnated
in the fertile womb of all life.

The musk of wet earth,
dews on petals of different hues;
sky looked blue and limpid,
milieu apt to reminisce about Cupid

Red, blue, green and yellow
orange, violet and indigo;
a bridge emerged of these colors
extending from one horizon to the other.

A little bunch of angels and fairies
were crossing the bridge in blithesome mood,
It gave them joy, the sight of this bountiful garden
which was vivified for them, just then.

'Wherefore was the earth bedecked?'
tried to construe till my mind was wrecked;
Was it a forlorn attempt to remind,
paradise it is, despite our attempt to shear.

Toy Cartwheel

Strength, if light hearts of like minds
coalesce by emotional binds,
like thin slices of pine wood
piled one over other and glued

Burden, if shared with others
becomes light as a chick's feathers,
This governs the concept of wheel
a shape that doesn't let the load feel.

A companion in this life's sojourn
enhance joy and avoid uncalled adjourn
But to win such a heart, sacrifice seems a must,
like our wheel that dug its c

rux as a sign of trust.

To A Friend

As you embark on your voyage,
on a winged plane, soaring to the skies,
we soon shall become a speck for you
and this land, canvas smeared with different hue.

New horizon, ye shall rise to morrow,
marking an onset of a new tryst with destiny.
In every predicament thou may ought to face,
Remember the gospel 'Life is no mere horse race'.

Thy footprint has crossed the great Atlantic,
thrive till the end, for ye shall leave the print for long.
Let your charm and coy nature serve
as a frontage for your innate vigor and verve.

Question of Life ?

Why do I feel the urge to know
What is around,
Why are they
Where they are ?

From the cradle to the grave
we're taught to be suave.
But life, the most abstruse;
is the cause of my mind's disabuse.

Metaphors on life,
never quenched my thirst;
only left me wanting for more.
Life, my ami, is just incondensible!

Like a rising tide in an ocean,
when my heart swells in emotion;
I endeavour to desolate my self,
to witness the nature of elve.


Contemplation on the grand question,
ended up creating internal commotion.
I sometimes fear, if it is nature's ruse
or a sure shot way for self-amuse.

Sister's wedding

Wheel of time has rolled,
memories have begun to unfold.
Those events are frozen in my mind,
Huh! Lucky to have a sister of her kind!

It is a moment of joy and sorrow,
She won't be at home in the morrow.
Her absence will create a huge void,
still I wouldn't for god sake avoid.

My lovely sister is entering a new phase,
May God shower her with all his grace.
Wish the angels and fairies will together flock,
When she enters into a divine wedlock.

Poetic heresy ?

How shall thou let my knowledge kingdom,
know I am bestowed with poetic wisdom?

Seldom do I feel the verve before composition,
Neither do I feel my act, as that of imposition.

Words that are spliced, with no visible connection;
becomes a phrase, with astonishing perfection.

How shall I explain, the genesis of such a thought,
in a brain of my kind, which is otherwise drought

Spasms of thoughts occur, beyond my hold;
cannot say when, it shall for me unfold.

An ability which I cannot demonstrate,
causes my heart to often agitate

When shall thou come and say,
I have not committed a poetic heresy.

An Evening on a Sea Shore

Gush! Roared the waves,
twilight had colored the waters;
sparks from a glowing coal
flashed in air like a firefly.

Bare feet digging in the soft sand,
holding a fried corn in my hand;
saw a little girl dancing to the beats
of a crude drum, to earn a morsel or two.

The setting sun was changing its hue
from molten iron to pinkish orange.
How many relationships were made or marred,
Can only be guessed by the nature's own bard

Vastness of the ocean, rhythm in its waves,
A distant horizon where sky kissed the land;
an orange ball to lit this sight.
I kneeled and sprinkled water on my head.

Filched Flowers

An old sluggard perambulating at dawn;
peeping at the flowers in every garden
For those which had bloomed near the compound wall.
Using all his guile and left-over might,
he leaped and jumped to pluck those flowers
Often did he succeed in his early morning venture.

With those filched flowers in his basket,
making a tak, tak sound with his walking stick;
continued his saunter with a merrier face and greater pace.
As he meandered along the path, a temple was seen at a distance.
With a visible devotion in his face, he made a deep obeisance
and offered those flowers of blissful fragrance.

The scene had frozen in my mind and I stood staring internally -
"Will the God accept his obeisance?" lingered in my mind,
and every time, the whole chain of events use to rewind.
The procurement of flowers looked illicit, but the tenacity
involved seemed a virtue. Which outweighs the other?
Will Ignorance don the cause of his redemption?

Why Should I bother ?

My tea

In summer, winter, autumn and spring
I hate to miss this lovely thing.
Aroma of leaves boiling in water,
mmmm!! Nothing else does matter.

Hunching on the railing
I stand, at the top of my building,
a place I love to be;
holding a cup of hot aromatic tea.

Past doesn't hurt, future doesn't exist;
the most desired way for man to subsist.
Savouring every sip, leaving nothing to drip
I start for my home, a daily evening trip.

Reminiscent pursuits!!!: The Banyan Tree

Reminiscent pursuits!!!: The Banyan Tree