Yours Faithfully

It’s tough to see

Why you put me

In this world

Full of strife and pain

Happy, I had ben

In your land

Safe, I had felt

Within your arms

Honoured, I had been

Before your shining gaze

Loved, I had felt

Embedded in your very heart.

And now you have left me

In this world of Man

To bring a change

Whatever I can

Weary,  my heart grows

Facing the canny

Belittled, is my spirit

That once had shone brightly.

But still,  I live

To stand up to your word

The very reason you sent me here for

Because I believe in your conviction.

It is not mine

To decide your actions

But to accept and accomplish

What you ask of me.

All this and more,

For you, My Guardian.

Stay with me

In soul, if not in body.

Drop by in my dreams

To kiss me good night

To replenish my hopes

And rejuvenate my energies.

For yours is this realm

And I am your little maenad

Who follows your lead

Now and forever.

Shreya©

The Orphan’s Joy

My steps faltered

And my eyes watered

As I walked into the Station

The Big Black Engine awaited me

With its Chimney spouting smoke.

‘Hurry, you ‘tardy little boy!

Or you’ll miss the train’

Barked my Uncle as he

Yanked at my arm harshly

Pulling me away…

Away from my home town

Away from my Childhood

And every memory of my dear Mother,

Who now resided in the Heavens.

Watching me , from up above.

The flowers from our garden

Were sill clutched between my tiny fingers

As they reminded me of the

Fragrance that wafted from her hair. 

So loving she had been…

But now it was over,

And I was being sent away…

To a School where

Boys were made strong Men,

As my Grandpa had said.

They were harsh, my family

After Mother departed from us.

They taunted and teased me as…

The Motherless or Broken

And finally decided to abandon me from their sight.

And just when I was gawking

At the shining dark metallic Giant

Droplets of the rain

Began to descend from the sky

And fell upon the two of us.

The droplets felt like miniature teardrops

As though the Skies itself felt my pain.

Or maybe it was my Mother…

‘Don’t cry, Ma… I’ll be fine, I’m strong!

Though I miss you much

And yearn for your warmth

I shall do what…

I need to do.’ I called out at the skies.

And as if It responded,

The Train gave a shrill cry of excitement

And spouted huge clouds of White smoke

As though welcoming my Presence

Just as mother used to, with incense smoke

When I used to return at Prayer-time from school.

And all of a sudden

My pain was forgotten

And I revelled in joy at being Accepted after so long.

I felt as if it were a sign from up above

For me to join the Train…

And Move on, leaving behind my Pain.

Maenad of The Sun

Shreya Sudesh

As the last ray of the Sun

Dives, gracefully, below the horizon

And the chirping birds

Fly back to their cosy nest…

…The Maenad of the Sun

Walks out of her Haunt.

With eyes as dark as night itself

And skin as fair and pale

As the moon, high above

The beautiful princess

Prances about the deep woods

Aeons ago, this beauty had been

Cursed by a invidious Necromancer

That Only at Moonshine will she be Human

Whist at daylight

A petty and humble fawn

Though her beauty made

The prettiest Aphrodite sigh

The gloom in her heart

Made the Mighty Ares cry,

She wept and she sobbed

Beside the gurgling creek…

…Hoping the waters would carry away her pain.

But this night was different

It was charged with a Presence

And Maenad could feel it…

Her heart anxious with anticipation.

And then suddenly, out of the Clearing

Came a Loud and Deep Voice! She turned towards it.

With hair like silken Gold

And eyes like melting Amber

He approached the distressed damsel.

The spark in his eyes

And Glow in His aura,

He took the Maenad’s breath away

Whether to flee or to stay,

The Beauty could not say.

He knelt beside her

And beamed a warm smile

As he wiped away a tear

‘To banish your curse

And destroy your sorrows,

Have I come here.’

‘Who would you be?

Why would you see…

The pain inside my Heart?

No one shall ever conquer me

But my Apollo  ,

To whom I belong.’

‘Silly little you,

Come forth and embrace

This humble lover of yours

From celestial skies I come to your aid

… to take you back forever.’

Tears stung her eyes

As she recognized

It was Phoebus Apollo himself, in disguise!

‘Oh my dear God, I finally get to be with you!’

She cries, joy seething through

Her heart and Soul.

And the two of them

Unite again… as they had

Before the Mighty Curse.

They fly away to the Heavens

Riding in the Golden Chariot

As they light up the night sky…

And this is how the Sun God’s Love once lit up the Universe at Night…

Shreya Sudesh

 

The festive seasons brightens our lives and promises prosperity and good fortune to every soul it touches upon. When we think of ‘celebration’… the one image that pops into our mind is that of a bright and vibrantly coloured room filled with merry people… congregated together to share their love and warmth with each other. The occasion is just an excuse to bask in the richness and delight of being surrounded by our kith and kin.

But as time has passed…things have taken a rather awry twist and this togetherness has sort of dissolved into a strange nothingness as people find themselves so exhausted by the end of the day … so much so that they’d rather take rest at home than mixing with the family.  Gone are the days when one could just lay back and enjoy the holiday scene… grandparents pampering the young ones and mothers rushing out of the kitchen carrying heavy thalis of mouth-watering delicacies dripping with ‘ghee’… the men busy decorating and lighting the place up whilst the carefree children got to run about the place and make merry.

I wonder, if those priceless gifts of affection and cordiality amongst family members would ever crawl out of the bottomless well we have abandoned the feelings into.

The ugly truth is that we have been blind-folded by the materialistic cares of the world…screened enough to ignore the innocence and beauty… deaf to the music of the Minstrels Of honesty…dumb to speak-out our true emotions and appreciate the other or tell them how truly they matter to us.

Where are we heading towards? Clearly not the doom they picture in Nostradamus’ prophecies or the much anticipated Mayans’ ‘End in 2012’. We are actually going towards the Apocalypse of ‘humanity’ and not live beings.

Human bonds…sensitivity…love…benevolence…honesty…nobility…fraternity are one-by-one being blown away by the hunger for Power and the unquenchable thirst for fame and undue recognition. And the ever-diabolic  Ego in our heart grows stronger with every passing hour…guffawing at our insanity.

Is this what we really want? At the end of the day, would you rather be kissed goodnight by your dear one or your lifeless i-Phone or a wad of RS.1000 notes.

Do not wait for the opportunity to make amends, to come knocking to your doorstep, because it never will…unless you decide to take things in your hand, immediately. Once gone, it shall remain so.

So get back to where you belong…as a Human. Don’t rush into your  room as soon as you reach home. Give your Granny a few minutes of your day, appreciate your mother’s cooking… for once, forgive your naughty sibling instead of  hauling over the coals .Go ahead and spend that quality time with your father…lessen the distance between you and those who care for you.

We are not dying with every second, my dear reader, we are Growing. Make sure you grow to be someone who is more content than established…more loved than envied and despised.

When you leave behind your carcass and depart this planet, the world should feel the loss and hope that your soul rests in peace.

You were born on this planet as a Gift to your parents…fulfil every errand that you were meant to complete. Don’t disappoint the people around you…Spread the inner joy and the colour of Creativity and Life force! Whatever you do, should come from within. Enjoy every moment…life is like that. We are not here to become multi-billionaires or Nobel Prize awardees…it’s a much Higher purpose. Make use of your time and take pleasure in the littlest of chores that you perform. Life is so beautiful when you really want to Live it. Take this season as an opportunity to get closer to your loved ones and make them feel special.

That is all. Know that you are loved… you are free to dream and to be what you want to be… but with the ulterior motive that you change others’ lives in a positive way. God bless you

©Shreya Sudesh

The Topaz Beast

Shreya Sudesh

The Prince Of Beasts inspires with awe,

As it prances about the terrain…

And bathes its chivalric-self

Under the gleaming sunshine.

It rules the roost of the Jungle

Its aura engulfing every strand of the Woods.

As its tears apart its prey

With dagger-like teeth.

And yet its hard to believe,

That this undeniably exotic gem

Is hunted by the Human race

To quench its insatiable greed.

Hopelessness tombs over the Topaz Beast

As It tries to flee away from

The diabolic tentacles of fire-power and toxins

That the Humans pursue it along with fearsome pace

It groans with unfathomable pain

As spears stab deep gashes in its coat

Its dark stripes made unholy

By the warm beads of Blood.

Fear crushes its will…pain seethes its body

As Death draws closer…

Against the odds, it tries

To limp away from the pursuing danger.

We Humans , we don’t give up

We chase and ‘track down our National Pride’

One last, unbelievable leap

As it tries to launch itself across.

Luck seeps away from its grasp

As it gravitates deep into the trench

A helpless growl , a soundless moan

Escapes its now feeble throat….

And yet another Tiger meets its

Unfortunate End….

As Dusk begins to Fall.

Stolen By Your Love

I wonder why

I keep searching

For your face

Amongst those in the crowd.

I ponder why

I catch a hint

Of your fragrance

Amidst the throng of people

Maybe its because of the

Times we spent

Together… separated from the

Hustle and bustle of life.

Or maybe its just

The love I still safeguard

Within the deepest chamber

Of my heart… for you.

Your essence still

Enfolds me within

Its warm and invigorating aura

Never to let go…

I only wish

I could steal you away

From God’s Isle, Heaven.

And keep you with me forever.

Shreya©