The Thing

The Thing

The Thing is very big -
Bigger than a man's head.
It is so big, in fact, it is
Bigger than Sky's spread.

The Thing is very small -
Smaller than a tear unshed.
It is so small, in fact, it is
Smaller than the color Voilet.

The Thing is very sharp -
As sharp as blades that behead.
It is so sharp, in fact, it is
Sharper than words unsaid.

It doesn't fit, it doesn't yield -
The Thing that lives in my head.
It cannot stay, it wouldn't leave -
The Thing I can't get out of my head.

Armor

I feel compelled to explain the use of 'wards' in this poem. 'Wards' has multiple meanings and I mean to use two of them simultaneously: 1, something (or someone) given in care of one's charge and 2, something (or someone) who guards or at least warns it case of an attack. 


Armor

When I was a child
Once, I got a burn;

My father blowed on it,
And blowed on it,
With such concern -

That though I kept
Hurting sure,

I said I don't,
So Father won't
Be hurting more.

Now I am grown,
And when I burn,

None and No
Tries to blow
With concern.

All other wards
I miss almost.

But, of my armor,
I miss my Father
The most. 

Winter

Winter

Others mistake for chapped skin -
All the cracks that appear in me.
They think my eyes water of cold -
When all the ache shows clear in me.
While I learn to hide the cracks,
Bear the ache, and act stronger -
Winter! Winter! won't you stay
A bit longer?

Choice Things to Say

Choice things to say

I spoke to a random stranger
And I tried but failed to find
A single nice thing to say;
I was in such a bind.


Silence was an option
I could not attempt.
Out of Kindness and the other,
Easier was Contempt.


So I had to settle and I did
For choice things to say.
I snubbed and got snubbed,
Quibbling took our day.


It isn't that I really care
Or that I like to fight ,
Or spreading aimless grief
Causes me any delight. 


Rather, I got no love to share,
Yet I want to be a Christian -
All I got is bitterness - 
I only spread my little fortune. 


[Related poem: Nice things to say]

The Great Con

The Great Con

They took the winter sky
And effortlessly laid
A Sun on its edges;
So, the Cold was unmade.

They breathed a few flowers,
Pardoned innocent errors; 
They bribed the fog away,
And answered easy prayers.

In such brilliant fashion
Gods conned clueless Men
(For the sake of their game)
Into Hoping Again.

Afterthought

Afterthought


Such curious choices
This day had brought -
To love was to hurt,
To not was to not;
I chose to grieve
As an afterthought.

My heaven's share

My heaven's share

I rehearsed my words,
I drilled my flair,
I worked my courage -
I did prepare.
I did not leave
No pain to spare -
In order to earn
My heaven's share.


Lo and behold!
She was there!
I held my breath,
And said a prayer.
I wanted so -
I did not stare.
I walked as far
As I could dare;


But then she smiled - 
It was so unfair !!
How can she spend
Without a care!
What is to me
My heaven's share!
And if she must, can't she give
In sizes that I can bear?

[Related piece: Heaven's Display]

Life and Death

Life and Death

However loyally I incline
Towards relying on a sign -
Heart, blood, pulse, breath;
I know I am waiting for Death. 

DruNk (Eldorado X)

DruNk (Eldorado X)


All the gold in the world
Grains of dust - so few!
Eldorado, my love
There is no one like you.


The only Sun, the many stars,
The season spring, the color blue -
Eldorado, my love
There is no one like you.


I just need to close my eyes
To verify it is true.
Eldorado, my love
There is no one like you.

The Child

The Child

A child asked me today
"Why aren't you gay?,
Why aren't you smiling?"
Such prying, I say.

I told him about my pain,
And told him of it again,
While he kept asking why,
Well after I made it plain.

I told him I hurt bad,
I even said, "BAD, BAD"
But he kept asking why,
"Yes. But, why are you sad?"

I lied - that I am ill -
He kept pestering me still;
I thought I'll scare him -
He wouldn't leave until!

So, I spun him a ghost story -
Grotesque and very gory;
It ended and he asked, "Mister,
It is just a tale, why be sorry?"

I thought to run or hide behind -
Far from such a prying mind.
Then he said, "I hope I ain't prying",
And just like that, I resigned.

He was a child, I aligned my tale -
Nothing but truth, but, no detail.
He still persisted with his "Why?" -
I hid so much to no avail.

So, I was forced to confess
Adult details of my distress -
Love, loss, heartbreak, grief -
Yet all of it without success.

Even though it was now plain,
And I had said enough to explain,
The innocent child with a smile
Kept inquiring again and again.

Finally, I decided to stay mum,
To refuse such questions dumb.
But how long could I not relent,
Or not recognize my tantrum.

I had to laugh at this comedy -
I was a child, wise was he.
Hadn't I heard? "We're players in a play" -
Why be sad, it is just a story?

And so, let it be known to be true
That I tried but could not rescue -
What a child all alone and armed
With one prying question could do.