Life

Life is like a river, it flows on,
Halting at precious moments, it goes on.
Meandering from beginning to end,
And here and there you see a bend.
Passing lush meadows and bountiful woods,
Which you may not notice though you should.
The beautiful trees swayed by the wind,
The azure sky above the rivers brink,
The golden sunlight making the waters gleam,
The countryside crisscrossed by numerous streams.
Yet sometimes the river gets stormy and wild,
And rocks you like a cradle rocks a child.
Now and then it changes coarse,
And takes you along with its currents force.
At times when the river is tidal and rough,
Going against the flow may be tough.
So flow with the river, wherever it takes you.
Overcome the storms, though there are few.
And when the river is smooth and mild,
Enjoy the experience till the end of the ride.

Two Sides To A Coin

Enveloped in darkness, I often wonder,
What is the use of this darkness yonder,
The hollow blackness of the night?
On reflecting further it comes to me,
When darkness goes it helps me see,
And makes me appreciate light.

When in despair I often wonder,
After making a mistake or creating a blunder,
Why does one fail in life?
Then I understand, by failing less,
We wouldn’t be able to value success,
And would fail to overcome strife.

When life is burdened with gloom and sorrow,
And I am craving for a better tomorrow,
I tell myself, shouldn’t sadness be less?
It is only after experiencing pain and tears,
When the phase is over and the good times are near,
That one truly enjoys happiness.

Huddled in a corner, forlorn, I’d agree,
Anyone would feel left out and lonely,
Then why do people be on their own?
It is because one can enjoy company,
Interacting with friends and family,
Only after experiencing being alone.

There are times when I am shivering in the cold,
My senses numbing, yet trying to be bold,
I ask, why should one tolerate chill?
It is after experiencing cold can one feel,
Comfort and warmth which soothe and heal,
Tolerance in ourselves we must instill.

Sometimes when hunger overcomes me,
I figure what hungers purpose could be,
I understand, abstinence is a feat.
Through experience I learn, it is when one craves,
That they do not waste food and learn to save,
And cherish every mouthful they eat.

When on the road the blind child stumbles,
Totters and trips, gropes and fumbles,
I wonder, why can’t he see light?
God is teaching us that if we take
Life’s gifts for granted, we make a mistake,
We should value our gift of sight.

During the times my actions are restrained,
When I’m given no freedom and told to refrain,
I ask, why can’t one be free?
After analyzing it comes to my mind,
Only after one is bound and confined,
Does he understand the worth of liberty.

When around me I see animosity and hate,
Hoping the wars and terror abate,
I ask, why doesn’t enmity cease?
It is only after hatred will people cherish love,
And join hands thanking the God above,
For granting brotherhood and peace.

God has made bad so we value what’s good,
God has made hunger so we value food,
Every coin has two sides.
God has made lies so we value what’s true,
God has made old so we value what’s new,
In the bad, the good we must find.

God has made wrong, so we value what’s right,
God has made weakness so we value might,
There’s a calm which follows a tide.
Each obstacle which we are made to face,
Moulding our life’s direction and pace,
Comes with its flipside.

Through Curtained Eyes

“Why, mother why
Do you tell me to see,
Something that is not
In front of me?
Why do you tell me
To suspect and think twice,
When the world around me
Seems faithful and nice?
Mother you explain what
Appearances are about.
Why should my mind
Wander lonely in doubt?
You tell me to be careful
Of all I behold,
For all that glitters
Is not necessarily gold.
You should not judge a book
Based on its cover.
A passionate man is
Not always a lover.
A brave soldier may not
Know how to fight.
A beautiful lantern may not
Give sufficient light.
An expensive dress may be
Uncomfortable when worn,
Though it may not seem
All tattered and torn.
The warm soothing sunlight
Which comes through your door,
Hides the burning fury
Of its burning core.
Mesmerized by the beauty
Of a rose in full form,
Don’t overlook the danger
Of getting pricked by a thorn.
The bonds of friendship
Love, trust, support, faith,
May be hollow promises
Made to cover hate.”

“Superficiality, my child,
In this world is not rare.
Take time to find those,
Who love and who care.
To be or not to be,
That is the question.
To see or not to see,
And be blinded by pretension.
Pretension – Employed
To delude and deceive,
Forcing those seeing
To trust and believe.
All that’s in front of you
Is just a façade,
Surrounded by walls
Strong opaque and hard.
Shielding reality
These walls of pretence,
Confuse your mind
Make it clouded and dense.
The world around you
Which you behold with your eyes,
Is not what it seems
Since it’s masked in disguise.
Search for the truth,
And truth you shall find.
You’ll see, lies can fool
The eyes, not the mind."