The Poetry Marathon

The breeze caressed my face
As I turned the page in the novel I’m reading
With a cup of coffee
Sitting on the balcony facing a garden

Roses, tulips, and jasmine
along with basil, and a few other herbs
carefully tended to for both vegetation
and aesthetic pleasure

A small bird taking a shower
in the water fountain and bird shower
A golden running around the garden
getting the freshly mown grass-green on its mane

An instrumental music playing behind
Of a post rock band I discovered recently
I turn another page in the novel
and take a sip from the cup of coffee

My office decorated with papers
my poetry and musings attached across the wall
my notice board, filled with strings and thumbtacks
and a bunch of books, waiting to be read

A guitar placed on the stand
with the amplifier close by
Recording equipment set aside
and my favorite Vinyl records lying around

Nothing says home like a place
where one feels most natural
This is where I am at home
When I am propelled to do what’s meaningful

-Surya T

Cheese puffs, cheese balls, and nachos with cheese
Cheese spread, cheese slices, and cheese blocks
Cheesy garlic bread, and pizza with cheese burst
Mac & cheese, cheesy pasta, and string cheese
Mozzarella, shredded, and cheddar
O, the many variants in which you exist.
Never have I had a scrumptious meal without you in it!

–Surya T

The end is near
just a few more hours left to go
you’ve done a lot so far
and it’s the last leg of the journey
I get the exhaustion of your body
I understand your brain wanting to rest
But within a few hours, all of this will be done
All of this will be done soon
The challenge will be completed
and you’ll become stronger
Go on, my boy, go on
You must not give up
not when you’re near the finish line
You can do this
and I believe in you

–Surya T

Oh, ye magical machine
conjuring the world within the palm
I bow down to thee

Oh, ye magical machine
that can connect me with a person beyond time
I bow down to thee

Oh, ye magical machine
that creates a memory of a time gone by
I bow down to thee

Oh, ye magical machine
that records, connects, and disconnects millions
I bow down to thee

Oh, ye magical machine
that has become one with my body
I bow down to thee

Thou hast become my constant companion
A must-have for my survival
Oh, ye magical machine, I bow down to thee

–Surya T

The street light keeps blinking
on the verge of its end
The apartment is still further away
and the lights are getting dimmer

“I need to leave soon” I told boss
“You aren’t leaving until I say so”, boss replied
What was supposed to be a journey before nightfall
became one during the darkness

Multiple complaints to the corporator
Nothing yielded any results
Only the phone’s flashlight is the source
for safety, or sanity

Darkness craves company, it seems
In the shadows lurked, from dogs to robbers
“I have to leave, my neighborhood isn’t really safe” I pleaded
“Defend yourself, you’re a man” my boss replied

I looked around, in the darkness
my earphones tucked in my pocket
money distributed across all pockets
and my laptop bag clutched safely in my hands

I held the phone tightly in one hand
Flashlight on and the other hand clutching the bag
Another 10 minutes of this adventure
I’ll be home, safe and sound

I started praying to an invisible God
to let no visible attack come near me
counting down the seconds to my place
10:00… 09:59… 09:59… 09:57

I sensed someone move beside me
I quickly shone the light to see what it was
It was a steel plate, reflecting my phone’s light
I was startled by my own reflection

I stepped on a twig and it broke under my weight
The snap was audibly loud
This is the moment when something will attack me
I thought to myself and stood still in my tracks

As long as I am not moving, I won’t be attacked
But the longer I stand here, the more I’ll be attacked
I took a step, slowly, making sure there’s no twigs
Another few minutes before I reach my apartment

After eternity, and a few more reflection startles
I reached my apartment safely
I breathed a heavy sigh
I’m safe, for today

Tomorrow’s another day
For now, I need some rest – both mind and body
I need to leave before it’s dark here
The stress in this area is not easily managed

–Surya T

Cacophonous sound of the alarm
rings still in my ear, an hour after it sounds
I drag myself out of bed, beginning the day
Start the day happy – I feel immediately guilty
Alas, there’s no hope of gaining lost time
Nor any chance of dripping spilt milk
I fill the bucket with water, the day must begin
with a hot shower and a clean shave
A man must keep his face clean shaven – told repeatedly
It has become a habit, one that I cannot miss
Think of the lessons that can be learnt early in the day
Do your work before most people even are awake
Study well before the sun creeps through the horizon
Lighting up the sky and heating up the world
I open my mail for a morning motivation email
I need my dose of mantras to begin the day
I pour myself a hot cup of coffee
and listen to the daily dose of mental caffeine
I must be vigilant to protect my focus
I must be constantly guarding my attention
I must ensure I do not fall prey to marketing scams
I must protect my attention and direct towards my goals
Each day, a routine similar to that of Sisyphus
Each night, a routine similar to that of Sisyphus
I will reach the goal one day for sure
I will reach that goal very soon
Until then, it is rolling the boulder up the hill
only to have it fall down from the summit

–Surya T

Is it too much to ask from you?
When I say just listen?
I have something to say
and it’s important for you to listen

Is it too much to ask from you?
When I say just listen?
Your sarcastic replies to a simple request
is too annoying to hear as an answer

I get you’re witty and sarcastic
I get you’re smart and have varied opinions
But you’re not the only one, dude
We also do have opinions

Before you interrupt a statement
to pitch in your answer
Think for a moment as to what is being said
and if the response is accurate

Many opinions are not black and white
but myriad shades of gray
You always misunderstand me, your idiocy
and one day, you will go too far

I may not be interested in confrontation
but there might be one who is
and when you interrupt them like an idiot that you are
you shall put yourself in an early grave

So, when I say just shut the frick up
and listen to what is being said
it is in your best interest
to listen and implement what’s just been said

-Surya T

I remember those stares through me
people forgetting I am there
even though I am right beside them
felt like a ghost

I often wondered if I existed
or am I just a ghost whispering things
Ignored by people I called friends
when I am sitting right there

I can’t count the number of times
I was left alone in a restaurant
because I spent one too many moments
in the bathroom and my friends forgot me

I listen a lot, while talk really less
After a while, my own existence doesn’t make a difference
Yet I felt comfort in listening
when other people talked around me

“I’m here” I want to yell
but I’m scared to make a scene
“Notice me” I want to ask
without sounding like an attention whore

Grant me a wish, God
If you exist and are merciful
I can deal with loneliness
but being invisible, I don’t think I can

–Surya T

A piece of toast, a biscuit
and a cup of coffee
could there be a better snack?

Woke up too late to make breakfast
running to the office before it’s late
rats running through my stomach

Immediate meetings as I enter the office
No time to even get a bite
Have to be hungry for longer

My focus is diluted and I couldn’t listen
I’ll check the minutes later, I tell myself
Counting down to when the meeting will be done

“Thank you” my ears are alerted to the word
the meeting has come to an end
and it’s time to get something to eat

A piece of toast, a biscuit
and a cup of coffee
could there be a better snack?

My stomach is now full
my task list is too
Gotta get to work now and finish it soon!

-Surya T

I remember the time, still fresh in my memory
After all, how can one forget regrets?
A senior asking me – wanna learn the guitar?
A waste of time, I replied to him
and declined his invitation

Fast forward 3 years, I found myself in a music store
Looking for a guitar for my guitar class
Hoping that I’ll learn it quick enough
and regretting saying no when my senior offered

As I watch Joe Satriani effortlessly jam on the guitar
I stand in the audience
wondering why I didn’t say yes then

As I watch my teacher talk about shredding
I sit with my guitar strapped to me
wondering why I thought it was a waste of time

As I decide to make compositions
I keep exploring on my guitar
wondering the 3 years would’ve helped me a lot

As I decide to play more songs
I wonder what the hell I was thinking back then
What was so important that I abandoned music

–Surya T