Oh to be alive

Copyright Neena Kumar In the morning light, imbued with colors’ bright, were spangled remnants, an artist’s delight. Had Heaven descended on earth, or had little elves visited last night? Brushes in hand, swishing nymph like, hues, perhaps from paradise. Yellow, ochre, crimson red, as far as the eye could see they’d swept, in a tawny tide. Underfoot too were traces as they’d tiptoed through the darkness, nimbly moving, arranging with the tiniest detail in mind. Is this autumn when, the trees shed their leaves?  Or is this spring, replete in fluorescent magnificence? Nature’s every colour, is sheer delight! ©Copyright Suverchala Kashyap A page from an anthology of my poems each one beautifully illustrated by a very able artist Neena Kumar, USA, (A friend too). This water colour is specially done for this poem…The collection is slated for publication soon. P.S. Felt like sharing, a leaf from my collection as a preview, as the world o...

There was a palpable calm in the air. Enveloped in deep reverie, he lay flat on his stomach, hands under his chin, watching intently. His eyes were glazed, seeing, yet unseeing. The only sound that seemed to break the silence was the chirping of a flock of finches that every now and then swooped down in droves, almost invisible in the desert landscape, mingling with the sand, feverishly pecking at the innumerable diligent ants scampering around. Further ahead, a bunch of playful mice meandered in and out of their burrows, as if frantically searching for some lost treasure. He moved again, just to rest his head on one elbow and to take the weight off his stomach. He squinted, trying to focus on an object that had just caught his fancy. He continued to look at it pointedly, but refused to budge from the shade of the scraggy tree he had managed to find in the otherwise desolate place. Unblinkingly, suddenly took on a new meaning as he gazed, gaped and finally gawked, all in th...

Terror is terror no matter who is slain, when will this mindlessness be reined?   There is so much pain, my heart is unable to regain its lost faith; yet I know for a certainty it takes a lot of courage to stand together, and cowardice to attack the innocent and wreak havoc when resolves break; In this hour of crisis across the border and elsewhere too, let’s be human for a change! Stand by those who lost an innocent child, let us pray together to end this shame… ©Copyright Suverchala Kashyap      

The evening seemed to be closing in a little too fast, the Sun was about to drop away for the day, rolling off the horizon a little too soon. People scurried around, preempting an impending experience, one that would perhaps be different from the rest of the 364 days. There was an unsettling feel about the market place that day, not the unhurried or dawdling pace of most shoppers, who seemed to more often than not pass through the plaza in a state somnolence, as if sleep walking through a different time and space. Today was different though there was a palpable clamor, an underlying excitement that seemed a tad infectious, to the extent that even the street dogs that lounged around oblivious to the all-pervasive din seemed to be in a hurry to get to a safe haven. Everybody seemed to be buying goodies, things they needed and perhaps didn’t need either. Tucked away in a corner of the narrowest alleyway was a small decrepit shop that only came so alive about 10 days in a year. An ...

The beauty of our country lies in its multiplicity, in the plurality of cultures and in its intertwined and closely woven ethos. Each community and region has a distinct flavor, language, subtly different and strikingly similar to another, though sometimes just a stone’s throw from another and sometimes situated miles apart. Coexistence is the norm, synchronized existence spells harmony. There is place for everyone under the Sun. These are not just homilies or platitudes, but have been experienced by many including myself. Things go off the handle, so to speak when one becomes too closeted, too possessive and too dependent on a certain aspect or viewpoint. That is exactly what happened a few days ago in a certain town that was just stabilizing after a brush with a near flood situation in some parts and was getting back to normal after a full-fledged devastation in other parts. Damage to property and lives notwithstanding the common man was just managing to get back on his f...