Empty, Empty World

It really is an empty, empty world

Now that I come to think of it—

We might be swimming in a sea of faces,

But how many of them do we actually know?

‘Friends’, ‘Good Friends’, ‘Best Friends’

You have them all… but for how long?

There will always come a time

When you’ll finally have to say ‘So Long!’

When you hold a hand

and feel the warmth, the affection,

hold on tight!

For it may not be eternal.

Live the moment till it lasts,

After all, it really is ephemeral!

‘Forever’ is such an overused word,

With its usage bordering on abuse,

People say ‘forever’ so easily, so profusely,

I wonder what they muse!

We never know which turn life might take next,

The left or the right,

Read on the following text,

This is where you just might

Learn to cherish a friend you have for now,

Realize how he is so very important.

What if he forgot your birthday?

There are so many more to come by!

Forget the past

And don’t worry about the future,

Don’t promise a ‘forever’…

Make this very moment last forever!

This moment will remain with you,

Tucked away deep in your heart,

Even if you two do have to drift apart.

When you look back on the days that were,

He will still shine on as the brightest star.

Withering Greenery

Love, it seemed, was in the air,

All was lovely when she was near.

Those splendid afternoons, out in the sun,

On the green grass, like velvet to the skin!

There never seemed need for a park’s bench—

Most were always occupied—

We always found shelter under a tree,

I had her and she had me!

Afternoons turned into evenings,

Evenings turned into night—

It rained, I remember,

As if gods revolted with all their might.

There are afternoons now too,

But, it’s only me and my loneliness.

The tree, which was green, is dead,

It didn’t even wait for the autumn!

The grass is withered away,

And she’s lost somewhere…

The park benches are empty,

No one to occupy them.

The sun is hid behind the clouds,

Helplessly peeking but not winning.

Nature, it seems, is celebrating my sadness,

Crying out loud with me;

The rains have me drenched,

Soaked till my very soul…

Stirring it to the core,

And my tears are lost in this mad rush.

When will this rain stop?

When will the sun shine again?

When will those flowers smile at me again?

When will this park be full again?

I wonder, I hope, I pray

And long for those afternoons.

A voice inside me says, “Have patience”

Was it her? I wonder…

A Prayer

I failed so much; I forgot how to win;

Now, only this aching lies deep within—

That you get hold of my outstretched hands

And lead me on towards leveled lands.

Darkness is all that abounds around me,

Not even a solitary candle to light the way.

Hence I turn to thee and pray—

“Help me! Please help me!” — is all I can say.

While I hang from this cliff of my accumulated failures,

With only your fingers to support my weight,

I implore you to not let go,

And heave me up before it’s too late.

I need you to be there to hold my hand,

To whisper in my ear each time I stumble,

“Don’t worry, it’ll be alright…

Can’t you see I’m always there?”

I need you to be my guiding light—

The tower of patience—

Standing tall on the shore of this restless sea;

While the tumultuous waves hit back hard at you and me!

I know I have to be strong,

Though most of it is drained out of me—

I need you to help me stand each time I fall—

Help me win this relentless race…

How I wish you were here with me!

To hold my hand, to be with me,

To help me, to love me,

To care for me, to pray for me…

I look for you in every corner,

But you are nowhere to be found,

I cry out your name in this lonely darkness

But my echoes are all that still abound…

The Wait!

The restlessness, the nerves, the shaky fingers,

Your neck not used to that very tight tie—

You may look good – it is only a façade –

To the fact that there’s a storm brewing inside!

You sit, looking helplessly at the hordes of people around,

Many come over to you –

“Congrats!”, “All the Best!”,“Good Luck!”

Are all that sound!

Finally your name is called,

You go in – considering it the opportunity of a lifetime;

The person at the other end of the table smiles at you –

You might seem at ease, but, again, it’s only an appearance.

Fingers cold, mind numb, heart racing,

You answer a bagful of questions.

Dodging the difficult ones –

Blowing to smithereens the ones you’re sure of!

The Interviewer – or the Executioner?

Finally decides it’s enough –

You get up hoping it had lasted longer,

Wondering if you had done your best.

A firm handshake does act as a cherry on the cake,

But, it can’t undo the mistakes you might have made.

You rejoin the crowd outside—

And, the seemingly endless wait begins… again!

That First Sight!

Two pairs of eyes meet –

And there’s an instant connection.

Sparks fly wild – two dry stones struck together –

Dried leaves and twigs catch fire.

The Fire thus instantly kindled,

Burns on in the two attracted hearts;

Yet a Chill runs down each spine,

Never realizing its neighbor’s presence!

Shaky, lingering glances ensue,

Lips arched in an inverted rainbow—

The separation though negligible,

Seems like a thousand miles.

Neither pair of eyelids bat,

A transfixed expression contains each face,

The legs— were they ever so heavy?

They had never walked so many miles!

The lips and the eyes do the famed trick,

A jugglery of sorts—

In tandem they reassure the other,

And the distances diminish!

They inch closer, two bodies – one soul,

The union blessed by its Maker.

Still smiles are all that fly,

Words lose all importance!

Each gazing into the other’s eyes,

The same famous question—

It needn’t be asked—

The answer is ‘Yes!’

Hand in hand, they walk on,

To be together all their lives—

Into the distant horizon—

The journey – it lasts a million miles!