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.

UNREASONABLE

(”Unreasonable” is a poem I believe in bcoz I think sometimes when you finally get something you have been always yearning for; you become totally impractical about it. Love is something that should set you free and not something that keeps you chained. Can it still be true love if it keeps hurting you more than keeping you or the other person happy?

Have you ever loved someone so much that you feel you don’t deserve them and they are better off without you?

Yet I know, my love is true but will I get anything by fleeing away from it?

The only person who can answer this question, I dedicate this poem to him……)

Never love someone so much, that you become;

dependent on them…

Never love someone so much, that you are;

a burden for them…

Why don’t you leave me & let me be

and go out from my life

How does it hurt, the way I behave;

like a sharp & pointed knife

I can’t let you go;

can’t let you stay

I cannot follow you;

or make my own way

I am so confused,

Is this what I want?

A kind of insecurity-

my heart does flaunt

I make you do unreasonable things

and those which don’t have a point

I want to make you happy

Yet all I do is disappoint

I trouble you and irritate a lot

I hurt you so much, I swear

All of my childish behavior

Just how do you manage to bear?

Don’t you feel like killing me

and throwing me out forever?

Don’t you feel like hating me

and seeing my face never?

I am pushing you far away

but holding your hand tight

The immense love I have for you

I don’t know whether it’s right?

Is it bad to love you so much?

Is it bad to hold you close?

When I become so possessive about you-

why don’t you just oppose?

All these years I kept everyone away from me

and only allowed “you” near

Of being friends with someone

I always wanted to stay clear

However, you came & taught me to share

To open up like a flower

You taught me to how to trust

and have faith in every hour

And I fell for it and formed a relationship

of many a different name

Kept being selfish

and loving you all the same

Just too much of a good thing

can be bad too; how bad did I get?

Yet you were understanding;

How can I repay your debt?

Why does love makes us impractical?

Why does life becomes a dream?

That which will never be fulfilled

And goes beyond extreme

My unrealistic expectations

might take a toll on you some day

My illogical concerns

might just drive you away

I wish this would have never happened

and we were all alone

Content with keeping people out

and being in the world for our own

Now all you are left with is

my unreasonable affection

And a heart that is chaining you to it

‘coz it is so scared of rejection

Never love someone so much, that you become;

dependent on them…

Never love someone so much, that you are;

a burden for them…

A BEAUTIFUL DEATH

(The other day, a pretty butterfly fluttered through the window and landed on my bed. It beat its wings and tried to fly back but I noticed it was wounded. It struggled to live and soar up high but alas, I knew it was going to die. Its agony was impossible to bear and I felt sad that I could do nothing about it. Finally, I knew what to do. I gently picked it up and placed it among the flowers in my garden. I did so, because I thought, anyways it is going to die, then why not let it die among the things it loves. And, what could be more important for a butterfly than flowers?

I think all of us secretly wish that kind of death. To be able to die in the arms of the one we love…..peacefully…. )

What will be the most wanted death?

Wrapped in love and a beautiful wreath

Will you want a silent one to be;

An end to your eternity?

No pain or hurt, just calm and quiet

A death so serene may seem very right

Yet is it the death that we deserve?

All the innocence in us can it preserve?

Until the last when time comes for us to leave

We learn only how to grieve

With years of running away from the ultimate truth

And blatant grasping of the youth

We can’t let go of simple things

Constant thinking, only sorrow brings

We live knowing that one day we die

Still we sorrowfully mourn and cry

Even people who wait for their death

Are indeed scared till their last breath

Wishing to put an end to life

Is just an unwanted strife

We regret about the life we never had

And keep hoping for it so bad

Those little things we fail to see

That give a reason for us to be

We feel remorse for a life less spent

Don’t acknowledge the angel that God has sent

The one, whose love is pure as pure can be

But sometimes from it we try to flee

Our agony so great, we desire to part

And intend to kill our beating heart

But we harbor a fantasy and make a plan

How to say goodbye to the clan

How to become obsolete

And happily accept the final defeat

Do you know what kind of death we want?

The one in our dreams that does haunt

We yearn to die in the arms of the one we love

And close our eyes seeing this one above

Hold hands as if they will never go

A stream of tears from us does flow

But we know now begins a journey new

One that we have heard about but don’t have a clue

A journey that each man must take alone

To a single destination yet unknown

All I have to say is this

This is what we truly miss

A desire of the most beautiful death

Wrapped in love and a flowery wreath

We sink into oblivion with that embrace

Fill the eyes with that one single face

And thus we die with our lips curved into a smile

Defying the death that had been written erstwhile….