The Old Lady

There came a knock on the door
As I had sat down for a quiet smoke
The butler found an old lady on the doorstep
She had knocked like someone in need
"And what does the old lady want?"

"Does she want shelter?
For we have to none to offer.
One room is for me and my wife,
The other is for my children,
Third is for our honored guests
while Fourth is for the ever-present Decadence."

"What does the old lady want?
Does she want some food?
We surely cannot spare our nice meats
Nor can we share our precious loaves of bread.
Do we have some broth in the larder? No?
There is no food for the old lady here."

"What is she still waiting for?
We don't have clothes for the old lady.
What does she know of our silks?
What does she know of the leather we wear?
Don't we have some old rags? No?
Well then.. please ask her to pass along."

"Is the old lady looking for answers?
On her way down the road?
Have not she lived life enough to know
why and how things are run?
Tell her we don't know of her plight
Tell her we don't care about the world's misery
We live and we earn for ourselves here..
We're not angels in here.. to guide her along.
She has lived enough to know where she's going.
What does the old lady want?
Why does she keep shaking her head?"

I walked through the living room,
past the priceless paintings and vases,
past the Persian rugs and suits of armor,
I stood at the door and looked down at the old lady.
And I stood there for some time.

She was elegant and she looked rich,
Her eyes, deep and blue, saw well past me.
I wondered what she lacked, why was she here,
Her face, it seemed, lacked only a smile.

The old lady wanted a smile.
She had lost hers on the way.
I gave her one.
And she was back on the road..
:)

Can I Sell You the Road?

Can I sell you the blue sky?
Can I sell you the rainbow?
Now that I'm indoors all day,
I don't really seem to need them any more.

What with all the walls around me,
Can I sell you the birds that fly?
Pigeons, whom I loathe? Sparrows, whom I love?
Can I sell you the green trees
Which hide the world from me?
Can I sell you their heights?
What with the continuous ascent
of my Dreams, Hopes and Aspirations..
their heights don't seem anything to me anymore.
Can I sell you my arrogance?

Will you buy the gloom that visits me?
On those dark evenings?
Will you hold the Blue Joy which stays here, always?
Don't buy it. I need it.
I'll buy Smiles from you. I need them all.

The words bring life to my thoughts.
The music brings life to these words.
And I think of selling off
the unwanted part of my world to you.
I have no use for broken ambitions,
Wasted dreams and Slow paths.
I need the Fire and I need Wind.
I don't need You.
I'll buy all that I need from you.
And I'll sell off my unwanted world to you.

I won't sell Myself off.
There's so much more to me than that.
I'm full of Laughter and Love.
I'm full of Sunshine and Hope.
I'm full of Vigor and Clarity.
But still I'll sell off those chinks in my armor.

I'll sell off the Smiles
which don't make me happy any more.
I'll sell off the Hugs
which don't make me warm.
I'll keep the frowns of those I love.
I'll keep the blows of those I love.

Easy to wave off the Blue Sky
Not easy to light a candle in the dark..
Can I sell you my worthless poetry?
Can I sell you my incompetence?
Incompetence, only if there is any.
Can I sell you my arrogance again?

I'll sell off the Sunshine.
Because I need to light my room..
It has been dark for long.
I'll sell off the unimportant Moon.
I need my Room to stay awake at night.
Can I sell you my musings?
Ones which make me stumble?

Can I sell you my wasted time?
Can I sell you those wasted conversations?
I'll buy your mind, I'll buy your travels.
I need my mind, I need my travels.
Can I sell you my Myopia?
I need to build my Future.

Leaving on a Sail Boat,
I'll buy the wind, I'll buy the Sails,
My Will is the Rudder.
Can I sell you my past?
I don't need it.
I have the bits I need.
Rest, buy it off me.

Can I sell you the Road?
Not the one I'm standing on.
The one I built yesterday, for us.
Now we have our own destinies.
As she had rightly said-
"Everyone is going to take
their different paths some day.."
Can I sell you the Road?
Can I sell you the finer feelings?
I don't need them any more..

Of Mists and Yells

It has been a rummy morning. ABBA kinda helped raise my spirits at dawn and then the rummy-ness seemed to ooze off. I did what I had to and here I am. Shitting alone.

Converting thoughts into words is helpful. Last night I sent a stream of texts to a close pal which helped me realize what the fuss is all about. Soliloquizing in this form makes it easier when all the matter which has been surging through the brain for ages gets converted into a few texts.
Packets of words.
Packets of sense.

The uneasiness is probably the result of stagnancy. The shortcoming mainly being that I fail to understand the essence of every relationship with every individual at the moment. Sometimes I fail to see what they expect and end up behaving like a chump. Sometimes they don't do things I expect from them and that makes me angry. And trust me- I'll give anything to get rid of the air between us if it's thick enough to cut with a knife/cutlass.

I feel myself bursting at seams, this morning, when I'm supposed to leave for college in an hour. When was the last time I felt this way? 4-5 months ago for sure. This is a hopeless feeling. A desperate feeling. I want to yell out loud.. bang the table with my fists.. punch holes through the walls.. just do something to let this cramped emotions go. AArrgghhh!!

Clarity on all fronts is desirable. One of the most sensitive frontiers being the one with personal ties and fog on this land is the last thing we all want. It's the only foggy area on my map. Yet Mongols didn't ride till Persia in a day. So Time is going to take me into confidence and slip me a few secrets of the rummy times today. Cause and Effect will be clear tomorrow. However, it must not mislead me at any point of time. If it shows me Poland, I should not end up in Portugal.

I know what the parental units will say on reading this post. They will think these are the signs of depression. Ha! But they won't know it comes and goes like the morning mist.. like infatuations.. and the feeling disappears into nothing soon after. Result of the Morning Sun or Repulsion.

Greatest of the things must come to an end and the crummiest too. So I announce the lack of time and I should not endeavor to go on writing about the whirl of thoughts still going on and on. Maybe I should get back to the morning tasks. Maybe I should step out into the world. Maybe I should get back to my cuppa which I've avoided for last 48 hours. The Passing of the Mist.

A Solemn Day

Interesting day it has been today and this being highly above expectations. The morning dawned gloomy and moreover it being 26/11… one year since Mumbai was attacked by a Pak-based terrorist group.

Interesting in what sense?
I saw dear Parliamentarians creating a ruckus in the House. Honorable Speaker had to stand and make sure that all was peaceful again. She had to interfere when two veteran politicians failed to get each other’s point across. Whatever be their intentions… all those bunch of politicians love behaving like sulking teenagers for minor reasons.

The Leader of Opposition raised the issue of compensation in the House. He raised this issue on the First Anniversary of the horrifying terror attack. As Honorable Speaker said- today, 26/11, is a solemn day. As respect for martyrs’ souls, we should come together, cross political divides and show the nation that we all are Indians and United.

L.K. Advani had his own reasons for choosing this very day to open up the debate. BJP MPs had their own reasons to throw their opinions at Pranab Mukherjee. But is their no shame left in the government regarding this very issue? Out of 403 victims of the attack (Yes, Mr. Advani was kind enough to share the statistics), only 118 were given compensation by the Government! What has been the Home Ministry doing?!

Alright, let us say today IS a wrong day to argue in the Parliament. But this issue had to be raised some or the other day. No one questions the right of the Opposition to raise issues. Yes, maybe they were wrong to do this on 26/11. Maybe they were politicizing the issue or maybe they were not. But the Government, instead of deflecting these accusations, should make sure who is at fault. And undo the shameless lapse of duty.

It is funny how stuff goes on and it is funny how people think. Our State Home Minister, R. R. Patil, resigned from his chair after the terror attack, owing to his failure in taking necessary security precautions. Within a year, he is back in that very chair. It is laughable. How gargantuan can one be in being shameless? Yes, that IS the only word I’ve got for him at the moment.

Today is a solemn day, yes. Today is a day where we should show the world we are united. And today is a day where we should start making Change happen if that’s not happening already.

India is united. The controversies regarding regionalism and communal divide are paid but limited attention. It is painful that only terrorist attacks, condemning politicians and cricket matches are real proofs of our unity.

Leaving aside the manner in which the issue was raised, leaving aside the thoughts whether 26/11 was politicized again or not; I am with the fact that the issue of this seriousness was raised in the Parliament today. This is only because I hope that some steps will be taken by the Home Ministry in this direction.

So what if the day has to be 26/11? Let us pay homage to those souls by doing something instead of just debating, staying silent or praying.

That Black Cloud Smiles

Note: The post is neutral. No sides taken. Morality has to be mixed with everything so the issue. Please find the sarcasm. A smiley accompanies it. Thank you, :)

"Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.."

That's Dylan singing away from that squeaky little speaker. Rainy night, cold night, bright light inside me, wonderful people around me, nice strong tea in the red cup and those weird ideas which come and go like the rain. :)

Politics and Analogy:
MNS Lawmakers turned Lawbreakers in the LA yesterday. They took the case of a SP MLA who loves making provocative statements against everyone and everything. This time the scuffle was over language and our elected representatives, in front of live television, came to blows and kicks. Impressive. :)
"Some Create Trouble, Some Invite It - Times NOW Quote"
Hooliganism is targeted. It is targeted very well by all the people. People who are good citizens and people who are not. Just because it is very easy to identify who is a hooligan and who is not. If a certain Ram Kadam (MNS MLA) is trying his best to beat the crap out of a certain Abu Azmi (SP MLA), a third person wont find difficulty in recognizing the source of all the commotion. Since it's that easy, we all enjoy making clear our opinions about the incident.
We find it easy to see wolves around the farm but the wolves in sheep's clothing? Well, they join the population in pointing out the wolves. The people who keep themselves 'clean' and 'immune' are the most dangerous. Because those are the ones who rub shoulders with us, live among us and then stab us all in the back.
Sweet. :)

AND the citizens who take pride in VOTING and their so-called OPINION (for the betterment of our sovereign secular socialist republic of India) should bear in mind that they have NO right to criticize ANY representative of the government if they are low on moral values. This includes attitude towards taxes, electricity, water and public property. I personally know people who say with pride that they 'have no moral issues' in cheating certain institutes of money for personal gains. 'No Moral Issue' at all? Students say this? What is the world coming to? And the same people have strong opinions on what is RIGHT and what is WRONG?
Disgusting. And Revolting. :)

Wolves have no place in our society.
Wolves in sheep's clothing should be kicked out too.
And citizens should better know what's right and what's not.

About Politics:
I wont say I'm well placed to know much on this but then, as a responsible 19 year old, I have my opinions which I'm not really afraid to voice. As I have seen till now, voicing my opinions helps me learn a lot. The thing called 'Rational Choice', which I understood today. Thank you, Mohsin. :) I had no idea that thing had a name and is actually studied by students across the world.
Every damn issue raked up by Political parties just CANT be because they believe in it. And I had really believed that people understand this. How freaking wrong I was! Be it the cause of Marathi people or the Dalits or the OBCs (what the hell is that anyway?!) or the Minorities. Politicians bring it up to gain mileage, to bring themselves into the limelight. And we play their game when we pay them attention. Not that we shouldn't, but there's a way to do certain things.

I'll speak about Raj Thackrey and in the process, play his game.
The guy felt sidelined in the Sena and he quit. He quit while making sure he has his supporters. Then he was out in the cold and joining another Party would NOT have given him that kind of power he wanted. So he floated his own party. MNS is born. Now what?

He takes up Sena issues and solves them his own way. He uses goons. Why? It's easy for media to target goons and their ways. Same applies to us responsible citizens. Using goons has spice in it. Raj targets students for recruitment and his Fiery speeches, excellent oratory skills, aggressive stance on many issues bring him a vast number of student supporters. He has the support of a young, desperate, brain-washed, Marathi Mumbai. Now what?

He tells everyone who would listen (All Of Us) that his MLAs would solve the issues in the LA by holding others by the scruff of their neck. An outspoken Abu Azmi sees his chance and takes pot-shots at the MNS. Awesome-ness. So the best way to get MNS in the news is to manhandle this SP-MLA the goon-way, in the LA, and not compromise on his stance at all. Raj does just that.
Raj Thackrey does everything which shows MNS as a strong, aggressive party. He does everything to keep him in the news. He does everything to keep the focus off the ShivSena. Well, that's the only thing he wants, right?
He does what he NEEDS to do to keep his party alive. To keep his mass following alive. The term, it is his 'Rational Choice'.

And we talk about him, talk about the flaws in his Marathi-Is-Great stance, talk about how he scared the sleep out of migrant workers, talk about how he is wrong, talk about how he is right and stuff. We talk about him. We don't ignore him. We can't ignore him because he IS NOT entertainment.
That's it. He achieves what he wants. We give him what he wants.
Let us understand how this shit works.
And undo it.

Black Cloud
"Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.."

Well yeah.. the rains, the music, the dreams, the thoughts, the experiences all fogging down the line of vision.. all fogging down the sense of thought.. all fogging down the Feel of Reality. I feel nostalgic, I feel romantic, I feel lazy and I feel energetic.
I feel awake when I sit in the dark room, sipping a cuppa and feel the guitar strums just flowing through me and my thoughts.. aligning and re-aligning my thoughts. Or rather- Me.

And I get a well-defined high. I'm drunk on Life. And a glance outside, the rain feels damp, cold yet so alive and rejuvenating. It speaks. And the Black Cloud smiles.
:)

Spurts of Red

In the mist of the Obvious
A blink of an Eye.
A spasm of Energy.
Spurts of Red, wings sprout,
Huge. Spine on Flames
Fire of Glee
Light of Mirth
the Soul, the Body
on a Flight of Ecstasy.

The Words flow through the wind
The mist smiled upon
They flow like Streams
of Chocolate, of Wine,
Captivating.

Height of plain fascination
for the Sky is High,
The mist is Low.
The World thrives on its Mist
I thrive on the Sunshine above.
Spurts of Red, from Me, around Me,
Wings take me to the heights unknown.

Alone.
In the raw emptiness
In the orgasmic freedom
Alone and Thankful
to be Alone.

New passion in the veins
I wake up in the mist
Mist speaks, I ignore,
But I Smile.

Spurts of Red on the pages
Speak of the World above
Speak of Me.
:)

Eclipse

Shadows play games on the walls
I look upon the Light in the air
Slow treble, Soft notes,
Yet I see Black and I see White

I stand, unmoving and See
I See what I want to See
I see the Yin and I see the Yang
The thread that holds them together
Does but Exist.
Grey?
But I see Black and I see White

Eclipse
Of the Moon, Of the Sun,
One hides behind other
Or the other triumphs?
Of the Heart,
Somewhere the Smile
Stays but a Smile.

Hues of colors, Vibrant monotones
Splashes, Streaks of Red and Blue
But I see Black and I see White

White is mostly loved
Black may be avoided
But the Grey dust lives on..
Mute spectator of tired Eyes,
Of the Rainbow in the sky.
World speaks of Colors.
World understands Shades.
It sees All and Black and White

Take a glance again.
Tilt your head,
Smile.

Behold the Symphony!
From you! Around you!
Myriad Shades!
Colors of Life!
They eclipse your former self.
:)