I dream with my eyes open

I dream with my eyes open
I fly to places I’ve never seen before
There’s a paradise somewhere
Waiting for me to reach

But then I curb my wishes
Pretend like they don’t matter
And lo, I’ve made an impression
I don’t yearn at all

For how long do I wait
To shed all my worries and woe
Is it right to abandon and let go
I’m yearning to know

Then, I cover for you
While you choose to go
I hold fort, truly so
You are happy that’s all I know

Although I do the best I can
Somehow, it still falls short, you see
My flaws, like shadows, cling to me
That’s my best, it seems to be

I am a little sad you know
I heard what you had to say
It’s not easy to pretend
I feel like I am in sorrow’s shell

Once again I look to the sky
Wish I had wings that I could fly
Away from this world so weary
Where there’s no sorrow or no worry

My dear Ma'

My dear Ma'

When I reflect on my past as a difficult child, a troublesome teenager, and an ambitious young adult, you are the one person who has consistently endured my antics.

It is because of you that I have become who I am today.

The tough love you gave me, which I didn't understand then, shaped me into a better person. It made me more determined than ever. Your strict discipline often made me wish to run away, but today I appreciate the value of that strictness and the lessons of honor, dignity, and self-respect it instilled in me.

I have learned from your mistakes and I strive to be more understanding, patient, and forgiving towards others.

Your fiery nature and determination have driven and inspired all of us to achieve what we have. You fought and sacrificed to give us the best education, and without your efforts, we would be nowhere.

Most of your life was dedicated to securing our future. You took care of not only me and my siblings but also supported your own family in every possible way. Every neighbor, from the numerous places we lived, remembers you fondly for your help and kindness.

You taught me to share, ensuring every meal was divided among us all. You created delicious dishes from the meager ingredients available at home. Though times were tough, our home was always filled with laughter and singing. The only fairy tales I remember are the ones you told us. The designer clothes you painstakingly hand-stitched for every birthday and Christmas were outstanding, though I never appreciated them then.

Today, if I am a jack of all trades—a decent cook, seamstress, and homemaker—it is because of you. Whenever anyone praises me for being a wonderful hostess, especially when my mother-in-law compliments me, my pride knows no bounds because I know it was your upbringing that earned me her appreciation.

You never received gifts or went to movies or parties, but you always kept our family together, no matter how tough the situation. You were so selfless, always putting us before yourself.

I am grateful to you, Ma. I can never thank you enough.

Reason to love life

To find some reason to love life

In spite of

Being part of a mundane routine

As duty and responsibility call

Each day slips away,

A life unlived.

Living in the moment,

A lesson yet to grasped

 

Small joys come and go,
Unnoticed,

Lost in the busyness

Of other tasks.

 

Joy, love, responsibility, life...

What are these

But threads of living

Cling to one, overlook another.

 

Choosing to embrace one,

Making do,

How much can you live

To find true satisfaction?

 

It’s a choice you make,

At some point or another:

Live like there's no future,

What do you miss in this endeavor?

 

Before you realize,

A good part is gone.

So pause,

Take a deep breath.

 

Feel the freshness seep in,

Come alive once again.

You have but one life,

Your choices shape it.

 

Will you remain knocked out,

Or spring up and flip over?

 

It’s a regular morning

The smell of freshly brewing coffee,

Tea boiling somewhere,

Crispy dosa’s roasting on a pan.

The neighbor’s dog barks,

A TV rumbling with regional news.

Out of this loud silence,

A baby screams.

A grouchy maid grumbles downstairs,

Dishes clank,

A plane flies overhead—

The sound is deafening,

Then another, overpowering,

And another.

The air-strip is around the corner.

It’s past 9 AM,

breakfasts are done,

The apartment block roars with life.

A car below refuses to start,

A bike suddenly zooms to life.

Oh…
It’s a just a regular morning.

My apartment block springs to life.

Each moment is comforting

In this silence of noise.

My cell phone rings.

It’s mother calling.

I have to answer.

The day moves on!

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Yet one lives!

Hurting every moment,

Blindly believing

Pretending to be well

The pretense is hurting,

When will this go?

Trusting and not finding

Uncertainty hurts,

Until clarity comes by

How long to hold?

Look around, the world is infidel

But fidelity is my forte

Two hands does it take for a clap

How the other one goes

One can never tell

How truthful is truth

Was it true at all?

Was it meant to be told?

Or be left alone

Each day is a struggle

Pain sorrow or woe

Nobody’s there to listen

Where does one go

Stress they say is a disease

Manifest in varied ways

For each one it’s different

For some

It eats within

Cope one must

There’s no other way

Reasons manifold

Life, in a palace or street

No escape to this

Faces with expressions

Blank, happy or sad

There is no difference

Yet one lives

My mind is a drifter

My mind is a drifter

Cannot tie itself down

How I wish so much that I could

Bring order into my form

I am a wild thinker

My thoughts have no bounds

Like a wild horse with wings

I fly through varied thoughts

There is laughter resounding

Streams of joy and tears

Flipping through the pages

Of a forerun tale

The little voice in my head

The little voice in my head

Is always a chattering

Words rumbling at every pondering

Like beans in a can

They scream, yell and whisper

Words that only I can hear

Urging me to take a stance

A view point if I have

How often do I ignore it

For guts I somehow can’t find

Fickle is my mind dear

How much do I close my eyes?

I can see it coming

Aware I always am

The want somewhere has weakened

The will somewhere is gone

Build me up I pray

The will to do strengthen

To follow the voice inside me

To do what is to be done

I know I am a seeker

One who wants to take a stand

Without so many answers

Some questions I don’t understand

Procrastination is my sickness

It seems to pull me down

Losing out on the moment

Eventually it is gone

Wish I could control them

At will, or click, or go

But the voices in my head don’t listen

They only speak some more

How do I learn to channel

The words this voice does speak

Act well in good judgment

A kind deed seek

I must somehow admit though

They’ve never let me down

The voice in my head

Are words from far above

One that we all ignore

Telling us what to do

To act right at the right time

I am very sure and so are you!