PA’S PRINCESS

(Each one of us, has a special person in our lives that we hail as a father-figure. He can literally be our Dad, or an older brother or an uncle or a friend or just about anybody who has made us what we are today. A person, who has not only supported us throughout our life, but taught us it’s important lessons, gave us all the time in the world and never complained. Someone, who has loved has unconditionally, truly, with so much affection that it can never be measured. Some relationships go beyond the extent of words in their meaning and so beautifully become our very reason for living.

This poem, is dedicated, to that person in my life, who has made me what I am today….who has loved me as his own daughter, as his own kid, as his own life…..To my darling Mamoo….my Pa….)

I live in a dreamy fairytale

In a distant fantasy land

And feel the purest of pure love

Where all sorrow, is banned

He holds my hand

& guides me forward

And not for a moment

does he let me stray

He corrects my stumbles

& soothes my bruises

And stands by me day by day

Although he never taught me

how to walk

Yet he could hear the sound of my feet

And even from that great distance

He knew, one day, we would meet

He smiles softly at my chattering

And never for once, gets bored

He puts with my silly tantrums

Oh, he has always been the person I adored

Although he never heard my baby gibberish

or even my first word

But in that land far away

My life, he anchored.

He puts that sound in my laughter

He lights my face with a smile

He covers me with a blanket of happiness

And brightens me up in a while

Although he hasn’t always been a part of my joy

or a witness to all my mirth

But even in that physical distance

We got connected at birth

He wipes my tears with an instant ease

He drives my sorrow away

No worry, no tensions can touch me at all

He protects me night & day

Although he can’t shield me from all misfortune

Or see my tearful face

Far away, in his heart, he knows

All sadness in my life, can he erase

So, this person that I truly miss

who always listens to my blah blah

An image of a big hug & sweet sweet kiss

Is my darling Pa

He taught me whats right & wrong

And still teaches me  the lessons of life

How never to lose my self-respect

How to be cheerful & rife

His gifts are not material

They are the stepping stones of success

How to practice self-control

And live life with finesse

His lessons are inspiring

He taught me how a young woman should be

And though sometimes I missed the point

He explained that ‘patience’ is the key

He always made me realize

that helping people is fun

Never to think ill of others

And never from problems, to run

He made me face my fears

And stood strongly by my side

Yet he let me learn my own lessons too

And saw that I surely tried

I listen in wonder to his achievements

I am proud of all that he did

He has always been my hero

And I, that awe-struck kid

You might have such a person in your life

It may be your Dad or some other

A favorite sweet uncle or an older brother

A father figure that makes your life

And fills it with love & care

A man who carries you forward

And drives away all despair

I love you Pa for what you are

I am your number one fan

I always want to be your little kid

You are my superman

And I want to live in your great big arms

Where I know I’ll be safe forever

I’ll be showered by all sweet things in life

And feel lonely, never

Not all people become parents

Just because they have given birth

Pure affection has no boundaries

Some people are more precious than their worth

A solemn circle, this love

Connects people in mysterious ways

And forms lifetime relationships

Sprinkled with never-ending joyous days

So, I thank you for what you are for me

You are my beating heart

And even being on the opposite sides of the world

We could never be apart

I cannot touch but I can feel you

I can hear your comforting voice

I would run up to you and give you a hug

If  only I had the choice

One day, when you’ll be frail & old

I will take care of you as mine

I’ll sit by your bedside & love you so

And tell you all his fine

Then, I’ll be there for you

as you have always been

A friend, philosopher & guide all the way

Though you remained unseen

Hey Pa, stay with me forever

We have lost too many years, so to say

And though we can’t bring them back

Now, you cannot go away

Although you never witnessed my milestones

Or  figured in my childhood

Now you are a part of me

And this is just as good

So, I look at you & proudly say-

I am Pa’s princess & his girl

Who will grow up to be his constant support

And his shining pearl…..

THE LONGING

(The worst gift that you can give to the person you love the most is that of “waiting”. Because an eternity passes away yet you do not know when “the wait” will end. You do not know for how long it will stay. You do not know whether it will let you come back or force you to go away forever. Never to return. Never to look back. Never to rekindle the hopes of the ones waiting for you. The longing of being united..the longing of coming back…the longing for memories shared only in dreams….the longing of relationships that could have been……)

I wait for the time to pass

And come to that particular day

A day I had lived in the past

A day that took you away

Now it will repeat itself

Now it will live again

A day as insignificant as any other

A day that even time could not contain

I set my eyes on memories so old

An emotion so complex that words can’t hold

A separation that tears apart the very existence

A ballad of sentiments that remained untold

A touch of hope and that of despair

A joy unlimited yet bonded by care

A love so strong that it consumed all

Of protected instincts that were laid bare

A voice of sadness that trickles from the lips

A scarlet river like the blood that drips

A pain so profound that it perishes all

Like an unknown destination of many a ships

I still stand by the window

and count the stars

A lost memory

that we proclaimed ours

Left behind are

the broken threads

Left behind

a handful of scars

I am wiping out the proof

of pleasure and pain

The insolent dance

of sunshine and the rain

And withhold all happiness

till I reach that day

Till I gather the smiles

yet again

I thought waiting forever

had made me strong

Had took me beyond

what’s right & wrong

Still, as moments

come to close once & for all

I feel as if

I’ve forgotten the song

Years so many

were easy to pass

But months so few

I can’t outlast

And when the countdown

reaches to days

I will be left picking up

fragments of broken glass

I am here physically

but my mind’s elsewhere

I hear voices but pretend

not to care

It isn’t necessary that I indulge in

common things

Of everyday happenings

I don’t seem aware

I live in a world

fueled by imagination

That seeks out paths

to lost destinations

No language to express

just kingdom of silence

Yet I hold

perfectly sane conversations

I know nothing now

except the very end

A longing of

a distant & dear friend

An affection that surpassed

great understandings

So there’s nothing left now

to comprehend……

HEROES ARE PEOPLE TOO

(Michael Jackson’s death on June 25th, 2009 came as a shock to people all over the world. Never had I thought, that the person whose tunes I grew up on, can die someday, so suddenly, so unexpectedly. I thought him as timeless, as eternal, as interminable….. So did his millions of fans all over the world.

His death, makes us think…..that in reality, death is not partial even to one so famous. All people those we worship in life, be them ordinary ones or even great celebrities, all; all of them are mere mortals. And one day, like us, they will die too.

Yet what will be different about their death is that, they will still continue to live; in our hearts, in our soul, in their talents, their work and in all those people whose lives they have touched.

And this will inspire us that we can be like them too…..

To, Michael Jackson, a person who was our idol, our hero; I dedicate this poem, straight from the heart……….)

We look up to them & are in awe

For they are something different & nice

We love them with all our heart & soul

And follow their all advice

Yet sometimes we are confused

as to what is false & what is really true

How easily do we forget that-

Heroes are people too!

Their successes are our own

Their wins fill us with joy

They are revered as they are

Whether aggressive, sweet or coy

Their downfall is a wound

That never heals in us

Their failures a bad dream

That makes us badly cuss

Its as if our life is attached

To their very existence

No reason justifies our love for them

Be it logic or great distance

Yet sometimes we hate them

Why; we don’t have a clue

How easily do we forget that-

Heroes are people too!

For us, they are an open book

We expect they have nothing to hide

For us, we want them to move ahead

Leaving their personal life aside

When they give us happiness

We lift them up & worship them so

And their mistakes give us sorrow

Its like being struck by a blow

We pry in to what they are

We discuss their all affairs

But we still love their mannerisms

Those high-fi graces and airs

Yet sometimes, they seem so plastic

Like some entity new

How easily do we forget that-

Heroes are people too!

Their illnesses is a cause of concern

They begin residing in our prayer

One so talented should have a long life

Eternal should be the person so rare

And when they die, their death is a shock

Ordinary, what their life seems

For we thought them to be invincible

The rulers of our dreams

But they are mere mortals

Who live like us & die

But between their life & death

Give such a good try

That their ordinary life

Is much more than what ours is

Talents they learn to put to use

Thats what makes them a whiz

And so even when death takes them away

They still live within our heart

They house a particular corner in our mind

And never do they depart

So what they inspire us to do is that

We can be immortal too

They live their life with just a little difference

Otherwise, Heroes are people too!

THE DREAM I SEE

(Each one of us dreams of beautiful things…of people, of places, of incidents…of small happiness, of big achievements, of all the joys in the world. We long for a contented life. Where we don’t have to regret our mistakes, never have to break relationships, never have to compromise our belief. Yet we move ahead with compromises, breaking those childhood promises we made for ourselves. With time, we achieve, money, position, stability, security yet we reach the deathbed with no innocence, compassion, no purity. And we wish, life was more of a dream than reality and then we could achieve all and everything with no regrets, only love…Having said that, it is also true that we have to live practically. Not all is achievable or not all impossible, but we do learn to actualize a balance of things and still live a contented life )

I live my life in the dream I see

‘coz it is so different from reality

And what I seek is a life like that

The one which is happy & pretty

Where I am carried away from this chaos

to a beautiful kingdom afar

And surrounded by love and trust and care

Beyond that little twinkling star……

In dream, I can do whatever I want

I can fill colors in others life

I can run & jump & glide & fly

I can erase out any strife

In dream, I can help the poor & needy

I can shelter them all from bad

I can easily kiss their problems goodbye

And make them content & glad

In dream, I can heal the weak & the sick

I can soothe their wounds & hurt

I can wipe their tears & lend them support

I can blow away their dirt

In dream, I can make peace with all around

And there won’t be any war

All can live a life of utmost happiness

If its well within my power

In dream, I can never let anyone go

And wouldn’t be afraid of death

All will go on living forever & ever

So there won’t be anymore last breaths

In dream, I can be forgiven for whatever I did

There won’t be any grudges of the past

I can be protected from great misfortunes

And make all relationships last

In dream, I can stay happy with my life

And make all regrets disappear

I can stop crying for the mistakes I did

And do nothing but cheer

In dream, I can be with the person I love

And there won’t be any boundaries or less time

For him, I can cross valleys so vast

For him, great mountains I can climb

In dream, I can also be a little child

With purity and innocence to hold

So that I can trust others blindly

And do as I have been told

And I can turn back time & bring it to a point

Where I can start this life anew

Connect myself with the paths desired

A memory of past so true

Never will I be alone

‘coz my heart will always cherish;

the one who is so very dear

And it will keep beating hard & forever so

For the life that I could live here!

I live my life in the dream I see

‘coz it is so different from reality

And what I seek is a life like that

The one which is happy & pretty

Where I am carried away from this chaos

to a beautiful kingdom afar

And surrounded by love and trust and care

Beyond that little twinkling star……

A KIND OF SELF-LOVE

( Sometimes, I guess, the love that we hold in our heart for ourselves encompasses all boundaries. It is really difficult to truly love someone unless we love ourselves completely. A self-love that teaches us to trust and to hope, of affection and care; teaches us all about joys and sorrows, about life and death and finally guides us to the final journey keeping the soul as our care-taker so that all that we know in end is a calm and tranquil peace! )

Do we need someone to love us so?

And share with us many a woe

Or we ourselves are the best solution?

Or a kind of retribution?

Our ears are our own

& will listen to everything

Echos of happiness

& sorrow they’ll bring

Our eyes will watch,

the life in stages

A beauty of  love,

that continues through ages

Our nose will smell,

the lover’s fragrance

Of  a certain time-

of lost remembrance

Our lips speak of a voice,

of better commitment

And a smile rests on them,

of some accomplishment

Our hands reach out,

to all the pain

Not letting the sacrifices,

to go in vain

Our feet tread,

new destinations

For a moment of solitude,

in long vacations

Our skin keeps feeling,

a mysterious touch

A deep affection,

without any boundaries as such

And lastly, a heart each of us does hold

That is filled with memories so ancient & old

That it continues to beat till the very end

And with the universe does it blend

Finally, we grieve and are left all alone,

To begin a journey of the unknown

What remains with us-

is this immortal soul

That even in incompleteness;

makes the life so whole….

A SOUL-MATE

“Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you.”

(Everyone in this world longs for a friend. Lucky are those who have someone to call their own. You don’t need tons of people as your mates. Only a few ones, those whom you trust with all your life, are enough to battle any sorrow and enough to share any amount of joy. A friend can be anyone who is dear with absolutely no restriction of age, status, caste, relation. That is the beauty of such a person. A BEST FRIEND! The best thing about friendship is that it can co-exist with any given relationship in the world as well as survive alone….

To my best friend, with love and gratitude, here’s something that has been written with you in mind……….)

You seek a shoulder in pain

Pray that your call does not go in vain

You wait for that lovely smile

That makes you happy in a while

A hand to guide, a hug to say

That you are loved in more than one way

Someone who will not judge you ever

But stand by your side forever & ever

Someone who will care for you even when you are lame

Someone who will cheer you in every game

Someone who won’t get bored whatever you say

And with some silly joke can make your day

Someone who will bring you in, when others kick you out

With whom, even for a moment, you are never in self-doubt

A BEST FRIEND is what each one wants

To shield from misfortunes & protect from taunts

Yet, is that friend  some person totally new?

Or someone old, with whom you grew?

Do you choose him from one so many?

Or do you meet him suddenly on any day sunny?

Is that friend a familiar face?

A person so known that you can’t replace…

Or is he stranger who seems so dear?

Its as if he has been always near…

Who exactly is a BEST FRIEND?

Someone to support & someone to depend

A mirror image of our own self

A helping hand as well as a plea for help

He is an answer to our every question

A pill to combat any depression

A ray of light, a chunk of hope

A bunch of roses, a tool to cope

An innocence that sparkles, in the eyes

A relation even stronger than the blood ties

A FRIEND is “trust” in oneself and all

A soothing ointment after a great fall

Of love and care he constitutes a shrine

A soul-mate, with powers divine!!!

I, AN OUTSIDER

(Why is it that despite trying hard to fit “in”, you are always left “out”? Why is that for no reason at all you are shunned and rejected all your life? Why is it that you are a scapegoat for all mishaps? Why is it that you are not given a chance to show what you really are? Why everything you do is labeled as “fake”? Why despite of years of relationships, you are still considered an outsider? An outsider, among the own…… )

All I need is one more chance

To prove my loyalty to you

Not to be misjudged as I always was

Just not to be loved by few

To tell you I am not that bad

I have so much of good in me

To make an effort to be connected

What is it that you can’t see?

Why am I isolated like this?

Why am I not worth your trust?

Why do you always betray me?

Why ignoring me is a must?

I try to keep my patience

And keep all relations intact

I am unconditional

and ask nothing in return

Yet you call all this an “act”?

I need love in return

And not dislike

I need you to stand by my side

Support is what I ask for

And not something material

Yet I am pushed aside!

Why are the rules different for me?

Why am I rejected?

You keep me out where others are let in

Just what from me is expected?

Stop it ‘coz it is enough

Just how much more do you think I can take?

One day I may not tolerate it

And cause all relations to break

But, I keep hanging in

‘coz I still think

Someday all will be fine

You will love me for real

and keep me near

And say that you are mine

What a day it will be

What happiness

For that I waited all my life

To be hugged and kissed

by calling me your own

And keeping this affection rife

But nothing happens

and I am an still outsider

I am left, all alone

I see from far

and not allowed to enter

I am an entity unknown

All I need is one more chance

To prove my loyalty to you

Not to be misjudged as I always was

Just not to be loved by few

I need people around me

lots of them

Those who can read my heart

And believe in me

for what I am

And never keep me apart

Will my dream be fulfilled?

Will I be accepted?

I can do anything you ask me to

For all I want is inner peace

It’s about time I got my due

So, tell me–

Just what can I do to be loved by you?

Just how do I behave?

Will be shunned like this and hated the most;

Until I reach my grave?

“The WRONG kind of people DISLIKE you for the GOOD in you & the RIGHT kind of people like you knowing the bad in you!”

VOTE EARTH

How many of us really care about our beloved earth?

How many of us want to see it flourishing?

How many of us wish not to see it dying?

How many of us want it to be a better place to live in for the future generations?

This is not a blog post. It is an appeal.

An appeal for the “Earth Hour”; a global initiative by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in the year 2007 when 2.2 million people and businesses switched off the electricity for one hour.

In 2008, it achieved a more global platform where, all major monuments of the world got consumed in darkness, just to save the earth.

And now, in 2009, Earth hour wants to achieve a more active support and aims at involving 1 billion people in this unique campaign. Over 74 countries have pledged their support for voting for the earth. You can provide your own individual share.

This data is then going to be presented at the Global Climate Change conference at Copenhagen in December 2009.

Why Earth Hour?

We are in a delicate environmental situation. Its about time that countries all over the world understand the problem of climate change and do something to tackle it. We have to take the pressure off global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emmissions and this can only be done via an internattional event that is here to stay for better.

Date and Timing:

Earth Hour begins at 8:30pm on March 28, 2009.

It is just like New Year’s eve with New Zealand going in darkness at 8:30pm local time and likewise, will move from one country to another.

This is why Earth hour is held around spring equinox so that countries both in the northern and sourthern hemisphere have equal sunset times.

For more information, you can visit the Earth Hour website

http://www.earthhour.org

From there you can choose a location and move to your country’s earth hour page.

Sign up and spread awareness among your family and friends.

It is my humble request to all. Please join the Earth Hour campaign. It will make a lot of difference. Whether your country is a part of it or not; that does not matter. What matters is your responsibility as a global citizen to save this earth…..to vote for this earth.

You vote for leaders to rule your country but just once stop and think what do you want the leaders to rule? Barren lands, dying nature, sick people OR green pastures, flourishing nature, healthy and aware people???

Don’t vote earth just because someone tells you to; neither do I want you to force others. Don’t just understand but realize the consequences. There will be many appeals from world leaders, film personalities, other celebrities and even from common people like me. But, ultimately, it will be your individual fight. When each person realizes what he/she has to do, only then there will be a meaning to the “Earth hour” and a giant leap towards a welcome change.

VOTE A BETTER LIFE! VOTE AWARENESS! VOTE EARTH!

BIRD IN CAGE

(“Freedom could sometimes be terrible”. All of us has someone in our lives to guide us and support us all the time. These people prepare us to face the world. Most of us live a protected existence for a long time and then are slowly and steadily seasoned to fly freely into this big world. However, sometimes, fate could compel us to be thrown in to the world long before our time. That is when we see the world in its true colors, with its sufferings, hate and sorrow and we feel lost ‘coz we still have a lot to learn. And learn we will. Everybody does…. But lets hope that we have been set free in this world properly seasoned and finally one day when its time for us to let someone go, we have performed our duty well & giving our gift of a freedom to someone better….)

I am a bird in cage

I know not how to fly

Is it my destiny to be imprisoned

and in the same way wither & die?

They love me those who keep me

They shower me with things

They never let me weep

Only caress my lovely wings

I get all the care I want

I seek not anything new

I am taught all about life

and the world covered in morning dew

Sometimes I cry for the sky

To be independent & free

To lead my life & make my way

To build a home on a beautiful tree

Yet I know what they do for me

Is helping me become something

So that when I finally fly into the world

I would be strong from within

I learned to live my life this way

and become dependent on those who cared

I liked to live by the rules set for me

O’ this is how I was reared

I became different from the likes of my own

I became loyal to my master

I wanted to go ahead slow & steady

Not rush or run away faster

But I know not what happened

They wanted to let go of my life

They wanted me to learn my own lessons

To experience my own sorrow & strife

And they opened the cage & set me free

Into the daunting blue skies

Had their love for me dwindled over the years?

There were no emotions in their eyes

My tears had a story to tell

I knew someday I was going to be on my own

But I thought it was still time

O’ when were these seeds of separation sown?

Having being dependent so long

I felt helpless, afraid & meek

From the chirpy fluttery bird that I was;

I went to be downtrodden & weak

To each his own and all alone

we are in this beautiful world, you know

But since childhood, with loved ones

is how we learn to exist & grow

And one day suddenly we have to fly away

& search out for our reasons to live

This wisdom that we accumulate over years

Later to someone else we give

So when its time for you; to set someone else free-

See that he or she has got their voice

‘coz if you let go of someone unprepared in this world

Remember, freedom could be a terrible choice!!!

WAKE UP CALL

(Pakistani chopper air-lifting all Sri Lankan cricket players to Dubai)

It is the first time in my life, that I saw a terrorist attack scoop on a sports news segment. I pray to God, this is the last time.

The recent attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan can’t help but raise some questioning points—

1. With 3 similar buses present, how is it that the terrorists knew which bus to target i.e which bus contained the S.L players?

2. Security concerns demand that both the teams leave the hotel at the same time to reach the ground. Yet, why did the Pakistani captain asked his team to leave later? (Was it just a coincidence?)

3. The Sri lankan team bus route was changed at the nth hour just because of an anonymous phone-call to the police. Are the Pakistani policeman really so stupid or gullible?

4. 12 terrorists! Yet, they couldn’t catch or at least injure a single one. Hows that?

5. S.L team was supposed to have Z security (One that is given to the president); yet why were the security measures so lax?

6. According to recent CCTV footage; not even one security personnel was seen pursuing the terrorists and they calmly escaped on motorcycles or walked away. Match referee Chris Broad and others said that it was as if the entire security for us had vanished and we were left vulnerable to the attack.

Now, was this deliberate?

PAKISTAN HAS NO ANSWERS, ONLY EXCUSES!

[Keep watching the news to get shocking revelations by S.L players, umpires and match referee. And also, the childish replies of Pakistani officials.]

The S.L team was lucky. Had the hand grenade blasted under their bus, not one player would have escaped alive!

I shudder to think, that if India was touring Pakistan and a similar incident might have occurred; that would have been a devastating day for us. Thank God, the Indian government refused to let the players go. We were openly criticized that we have been mixing cricket with politics. But, in the wake of what happened on March 3rd 2009, I think, that it was a right decision.

This attack cannot be compared with India’s 26/11 because, no country goes on giving Z security to common people and the attack on Mumbai was totally unexpected; while in this case in spite of  Z security to the players, the terrorists managed to injure almost all the top international S.L players. How?

Samaraweera, the hero of the tests in Pakistan was grievously injured. Was he specifically targeted?

Do we have any answers?

Now, terror even rules cricket!

There could be more such questions raised along with more broad ones like—

“When will Pakistan stand up against terrorism?”

But then, its not just Pakistan…its the entire South-east Asia that is being brutally wounded in these terror wars.

And, Why hasn’t America reacted?

However, Pakistan should keep in mind that there is no smoke without fire. Why would the entire world be targeting them? They should reflect upon this. If Pakistan doesn’t want to end up as a quarantine state, this is the final wake up call to them. Its time, they fight against their own personal demons.

Not only Pakistan, I think, each of us, should get together and fight. Love is not the solution! The time has gone to conduct peace talks with terrorists. We have to retaliate.

Why is it that the terrorists kept in prison and not shot dead when it is clear that they have performed such heinous crimes?

Why is Ajmal Kasab still in custody? Why is Abu Salem still in custody? Hell with those guys!

I think, the law in every country should be changed and altered to address terrorism. The terror groups should know that even we mean business now! I know, every criminal has the right to appeal. A right to get a lawyer.

BUT, terrorists should be denied this right. Can you call this person a human being when he doesn’t even value the life of his own countrymen???

They should be shot dead. Hung up before public. They should be fed alive to hungry man-eaters. And this event should be shown live all across the globe, so that others will be dissuaded.

If we have to fight; Enough of being “Gandhi”, its time to be “Bhagat Singh”!

I dedicate this post to the never-dying spirit of cricket and humanity. To all people who have suffered from the hands of this cruel beasts. Bcoz we will rise again as ONE.