WINTER IS LEAVING ....

                            


                                                 Winter is about to move on,
                                                 To  the southern hemisphere,
                                                  Stuffing into a travel bag,
                                                  All its accessories,

                                                   Its frost and snow and hails,
                                                    Its piercing winds and gales,
                                                   Are all packed up for now,
                                                   To be soon carried away.

                                                   And Nature is busy once again,
                                                   In making everything  perfect,
                                                   With  music, colours and  fragrance,
                                                   To greet Spring, the royal guest.

                                                   Who arrives with the pomp of a king,
                                                   Making everyone feel  delighted,
                                                   With renewed life force and vigour,
                                                   At the end of the unkind weather.

                                                  I notice the sun shining brighter,
                                                  Emanating more light and warmth,
                                                  Helping leaves and grass grow greener,
                                                  And the tiny buds turn blossoms.


                                                   I can see birds hopping merrily,
                                                   Picking up little twigs and straw,                                                                                                                  To build  their nests and forward,
                                                  The eternal process of creation.

                                                    

THE NIGHT IS AWAKE ......

                                                                                          The night is awake

   

      It is awake to be with those,

       That are still working,

      To keep life going,
      Even after the sun is gone.

      The night is awake,
      To look after the homeless,

      Shivering in biting cold,

      On the footpaths of rich cities. 

      It is awake to give company,

     To the lone night watchman,
    Walking up and down the streets,
    Breaking the silence with his whistle.

      And the night is earnestly awake, 

     To be with  braveheart soldiers,

     Facing the most  trying conditions, 

     Guarding the country's borders.

         
         It is awake in honour of the martyrs,
         Who laid  their precious lives down,
        To ensure that the nation remains safe,
         Through the wildest of enemy attacks.

         It is awake to console the bereaved kins,
         Who were waiting for the loved ones,
        To come home safe and  sound,
        But see them brought in the coffins.

                    
                    
                         
                            
                     
                     
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I WONDER WHY ......

  

           I  wonder why, 
We, humans, tend to ignore, 
The voice of our conscience, 
And act as we ought not to. 

 Having the sense of right and wrong 
 We are supposed to follow the right
 And eschew what is wrong
 But often act otherwise. 

I wonder why our reason fails,
To make us understand,
That we're superior to animals,
Just due to our moral sense.

And once we choose to lose it
We  can no more claim to be called

 ' The noblest work of God '
Even if we conquer the whole world.

RAINBOW

'' My heart leaps up,

 when I behold,

 A rainbow in the sky ''

Said a poet long, long ago.

The verse got carved in my mind,

 So deeply as to become,

Part of my own expression,

To describe a feeling so awesome.

 I am reminded of those words, 

Whenever appears in the sky, 

That out-of-the-world image,

  With its enchanting array.

 If I am to express my feelings

 On spotting that ''VIBGYOR '' 

 I would do it in the same vein

  As did the great bard of old

    

I AM THE VOTE

                I am the vote,
               The passport you need, 
               To enter the corridors of power,
               And enjoy all their privileges.
                

              I am given to you willingly. 
              By the people in the streets.
             Trusting you and your words.
              To get their hopes fulfilled.

             It's me that helps you reach,
             The status  you  occupy,
             It's me again that can pull you down,
             If you fail to deliver your promises.

             Wonder why you ignore this  truth
             And come to realise it,
             Only when you need me again,

             Too late to make amends then.

NOT A POEM

           It is not a poem,
       If it isn't born in the heart,
      And flows down like a river,
     To bless everyone on the way.

      It's hardly worth the name,
      If it fails to go deep down, 
      Into the heart of the reader, 
       Touching its softest spot.

      It's not a living poem, 
      Unless it does breathe out,
      Noble emotions like love,
      Empathy and compassion,

         It's not worth relishing,
         If loaded with heavy words,
         Does need to be explained, 
         Before making its way to your heart. 
   

   
    

MOUNTAINS.......

                   

                                                                                                                           Mountains are,
           The unwritten lessons,
            For us to learn,                                                               
            From the book of Nature.                                                                                                                                               

           The most impressive models,
           Of steadfast forbearance, 
           Inspiring without a word, 
           Teaching in deep silence. 

       " Take a right stand," they say,
        "And resolve to stay on it,,
          Never ever compromise with,
          What you think to be unjust. 

          Let nothing upset you ever,
         Or make you vulnerable,
          Whether snow or scorching sun, 
           Thunder or fierce lightning "

          There are mountains among us too,
          Who stand upright and  fight,
          Through all kinds of weathers
          To uphold what is right.

Photo credit
  Sumit Pant