The Poetry Marathon

In this trip down the memory lane
I closed my eyes for just a second
And there I was, in that park
Sitting on our special bench

Waiting as usual, for you to come
So that we could talk about our dreams
Dreams, in which you would be a great artist
Dreams, for me, which changed, every day

Was it our age difference that made you mature?
Was it the beauty of your art, that made us friends?
Friends, who were each other’s backbone
Friends, who shared everything under the sun

Today, that bench, stands alone, in that park
At the dot of six, it doesn’t feel our touch
With both of us, in different countries now
Has it been two decades already, in this very life?

A decade of friendship on that bench, two decades apart
Time surely flies, and we race, to keep in pace

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar

Poetic form: Cascade

As the peacock spreads his feathers in joy
By dancing to the tune of the light drizzle
Encompassing the air around, with his twirl

The peahens watch, impressed by the beauty
The spectators learn how to celebrate life
As the peacock spreads his feathers in joy

When the Earth is ready to quench its thirst
The grass, trees, and birds welcome the change
By dancing to the tune of the light drizzle

Forget the gloom that threatens to choke
Embrace each opportunity like the peacock
Encompassing the air around, with his twirl

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar

Hey Angel, what do you see?
Is it a world filled with only pain?
How lucky you are to escape the negative vibes?

The Angel looked longingly at something
I asked her to share what she saw
And she said, “Oh I wish, I was on Earth”

The tides so tempting, as they come and go
A dash of blue-green, with the lace of white
It teaches how to unwind and enjoy life

The sand so golden and wet, near the shore
Happy to feel the cool touch of the waves
Maintaining their identity amidst each change

The people who are out, to bask in the sun
Beneath the shade, they watch the horizon
The adventurous ones surf on the tides

The Angel’s words reminded me of small joys
That get lost in routine and hurdles of life

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar

When you chose your path and I chose to stand with you
We knew the day would come, when we would part
You are leaving, to protect our country
And I am here, waiting for your return

I cannot talk to you, when I wish
You cannot touch me, when you wish
The parting was sweet, a hug so tight
The air around us, understood our plight

It has been ages, since I last heard your voice
The network was weak, and words were so feeble
My feelings are on the surface, ready to burst
The music, my solace till date, no longer suffices

The notebook and pen you gave me, are now my best friends
I fill the blank pages, replacing my emotions with words
I no longer wander lost, seeking comfort in the air
I always carry my notebook, knowing I can express at will

We are soul mates, tested by time, as we are apart
Living the journey, that life has carved for us
My words may not reach you and I know not of your struggles
Yet, this notebook captures each moment that is significant

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar

Every time I fall, I receive a hug
Every time I am lost, I notice the soft tug
My soul will drift away, my body burnt at death
The Earth will nurture me till my last breath

Every time I am alone, I feel your touch
You embrace me, when hurdles hurt too much
You soothe me, at all times, with your presence
Oh Wind! you balance joy and sorrow, teach life’s essence

How easy it was to give up, to lose my identity
Yet, you infused into my life, taught me serenity
You kept the light of Hope burning, pushed me to succeed
Dear Fire, you taught me “A small spark is all I need”

You tickled me, when I was small, and enjoyed my giggles
As a teen, I reached out to you, to understand life’s riddle
You drenched me with your tides, as both a friend and guide
Water, you’ve taught me to value life, in this unique ride

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar

Looking forward to this Marathon, for exciting prompts, poetry, and growing together.

A major portion of people’s life is spent in communting
if the distance between their home and workplace is considerable

What they do during this time depends on their mode of travel
In local trains, the aim is to manage to reach your destination
In metro trains, people tend to listen to music or be on whatsapp
In cars, people take their calls or browse the social forums
In auto, the essence is to maintain your balance between jerks
In the free time, at work, people generally tend to talk and connect
At all times when I don’t need to give my hundred percent
Either at home or at work or where I need to lead the conversation
I tend to take a backseat and do what I do best – I think

Think about what? Are you wondering?
I think about the next poem to create and breathe life into

I am the most happening spot at any workplace
My chairs are beautifully set before office hours

People visit me for their routine tea or coffee
They sit together and discuss things as they sip
They may leave a stain on my table or keep the chair askew
Immediately, I am readied to look the best, for my next visitor

During lunch, I hear the pull of chairs and chaos of voices
The decibels of sound tests the strength of my ears and walls
The aroma of different flavours spread across the room
To subside the pangs of hunger is what every being works for

I have limited chairs and tables, so people wait in a queue
I hear their sigh of relief as they grab a table and chair
You can bring your own food or get some snacks off the counter
I hear personal, local, and world news from the endless chatter

Like the wet seashore after the ebb of high tides die down
I relax and get cleaned after the lunch crowd gets back to work

Every mother says “My baby is awake for most
of the night”. The cries begin just as I get
ready to go to bed. Slowly, the baby is trained
by the rule ‘The Night is for Sleeping’

When children ask ‘Why is there a distinction
between day and night?’ The most common response
is ‘The day is for packed action and the night
is for sleeping’. Is that always true?

Why are there animals who stay awake at night?
Why are the stealth activities conducted at night?
Why do some people study better at night?
Why are some cities known for their night-life?

The night brings in solitude, silence instead
of bustle. The dreams find their voice when
the minds are at rest. All secrets travel
the distance under the cloak of darkness

The night is for sleeping only to rejuvenate
It is not to turn a blind eye and escape shadows

Dear Corporation,
The rains have outperformed themselves this year.
They showered their blessings on us and the roads with
their torrential downpour and incessant affection.
As a consequence, they washed away the fragile tar
on the roads, that you had carefully prepared just
for this season.

The muddy rainwater fills these broken patches.
Walking on these roads is like learning to walk again,
with careful steps. The vehicles have a gala time,
sloshing the water onto themselves and the passers-by.
The passengers inside the vehicles experience what
the farmers using bullock-carts do, in their fields.

What a lovely way to unite people living in cities
with those in villages. Now, both experience the same
speed, the same jerks and the same movements.
Though miles apart, your intent to connect the diverse
lifestyles, with this common approach is commendable.

Yours sincerely,
The street users