THE EARTH AND THE SKY

                At the beginning of  creation,
                When the earth and the sky, 
                Had just been made to exist 
               And  saw each other in the dead of night
                

                 Enchanted by the scene above,
                The Earth exclaimed in awe,

               ''Oh, how handsome  you are, 

                With your  vast  kingdom,

 
                   Adorned from end to end 

                   With dazzling diamonds 

                   You must be the greatest king,

                   Ever ruling any kingdom.

  

                The sky  equally mesmerized,
               At the Earth's brilliant panorama,
              Was graceful  and royal in  response,
              Complimenting the Earth's emotions.

 

            '' I may appear charming to you, 
              But hey pretty maiden!
              You are far more alluring, 

             With your own living spectrum. 
  

              While I'm far from being perfect,
               Given only some shades of blue,

               And these some  tiny stars, 
                 With a faded silvery hue.  

              Thus went the dialogue for long,
             Each trying to sound  modest,
            Glorifying  each other's merits, 
              By adding ever new epithets.

            Till the night began to recede, 
            Giving way to golden morning,
            That made the stars go hiding,
            In their own secret chambers. 

            So the duo as well agreed,
           To postpone their fond meeting,
           And wait for the night to return,
           To resume the sweet-talking.

           It seems that even to this day, 
           The rendezvous continues,                    
           with no concluding agreement,
           On who is the better of the two. 

           But if I were asked to decide,
            I would call both as equals,

      Who love  and adore each other,

           Forever, be it day or night.  

    

   

FALLEN LEAVES

If you love the lush green leaves,

Forming canopies on the tall trees, 

Don't ignore the rust-brown ones,

The glory of the departing season. 

  Painful though, it is to watch them fall,

 And strewn all over in windy weather, 

  Look! how they lie scattered around,

  Like soldiers wounded on a battlefield. 

 But are they not, like all of us, 

 Actors playing their set role,,

 On this vast stage of the world, 

 Stepping down when it is done.   

 

 

     Hence, as you walk on this road,

     Step cautiously my dear friends, 

     Lest you stamp on them unawares,

      By carelessness or ignorance.

      All their life they benefit us, 

      Serving with no selfish  intents,

     Being grateful for their priceless gifts

      Let's pay them a humble tribute!

   Picture courtesy-

  Vinesh Poswal

 Been There, Doon That?

ONCE A SWEET HOME

                   Up in the  foothills of the Himalayas,  
          Nestled in the lap of a woodland,
        Stands out a lone, abandoned  house, 
        Once the home of a happy household.

        Though now deserted, its elegance  says,
         It was built with the utmost care,
         Sure proof of it standing  straight,
         Braving decades of callous neglect.

           Wearing out each passing season,
           It still holds the sweet memories, 
           Of the halcyon days of  happiness,
          Enjoyed in the good old days

          All through the years of its close bond,  
          It must have witnessed  many an event,
          Joyous moments of births and weddings,
           As also the gloom of painful partings.

          This spacious courtyard must have held,
          Family gatherings on many occasions,
          Celebrating festivals with traditional zeal,
          And bringing the place alive with cheer. 

          It must have watched the family kids, 
          Growing into ambitious young men,
           Bidding goodbye to it for good,
          And make their way to greener pastures. 

          Though seemingly mute and insensate,
          This rickety house is keen to narrate,
         The long and short of the whole story,
         Preserved in it through varied seasons.

        If you have leisure and a little patience,
          Stop here, please,  and  lend your ears,
          To the story, it is waiting to share,
            Before you leave it to its fate again. 






PHOTO CREDIT --
eUttaranchal.com.
   Neha Bora




 

THE ABONDONED HERITAGE

GLIMPSES OF BEAUTY ---- FROM UTTARAKHAND

आकाश गंगा

                                    

                             आकाश गंगा

दिनभर  की अनथक यात्रा के बाद

जब चला जाता है सूर्य का आलोक रथ

क्षितिज के उस पार

और उतर आती है धरती पर नीरव निशा

अपनी रहस्यमयी श्यामल छवि के साथ 

एक एक कर टिमटिमाने लगते हैं यत्र-तत्र

उज्ज्वल हीरक कणों जैसे तारक गण 

देखते ही देखते जगमगा उठता है गगन

   रत्नजटित विशाल दर्पण के सदृश्य 

और तब , गहन अन्धकार को भेदती 

प्रकट होती है उस अनंत विस्तार में -

एक छोर से दूसरे छोर तक प्रवहमान 

स्वनामधन्या--आकाशगंगा 

समाविष्ट किये अपने आँचल में

लक्ष -लक्ष प्रकाशपुंजों का वैभव

अगणित सूर्य ,चन्द्र और नक्षत्रों के विपुल संसार को

 अपने दुर्निवार आकर्षण  की  परिधि में बांध 

बह रही है  अनवरत, कालदेव की सहगामिनी बन

नीले आकाश के हृदयस्थल को सींचती

स्वर्गिक  सौंदर्य की अप्रतिम  ज्योतिरेखा 

 वह स्वयंप्रभा--  आकाशगंगा  !!

THE NIGHT SKY

                                                 
            The day goes gliding down,   
             On the western  horizon, 

            Carrying  its glorious lamp, 

             And all its warm sunshine. 

           The Earth looks down wearied,
           With the onset of dark shadows,

            And the world retires to bed,

            Putting stop to day's labour. 

      
   

              But those who keep awake, 
             Shall watch a sublime tableau,
             Of celestial bodies above,
              In the star-spangled stage. 

               Where those tiny diamonds, - 
               Scattered from end to end 
              Play hide-and-seek all night, 
              Twinkling in that vast playground.

               Ever watched in the night sky - 
              That unique pageant of beauty?
               Ever waited for a shooting star -                 
               For the grant of a wish, secretly?       

                 As often as time permits,
                I gaze at this endless treasure,
                Feeling blissful and mesmerized,
               Spell-bound by a divine glamour!