The Old Man Down The Road

He was an old man
He must have been young
Just like yesterday
When I wrote a song
But I'd like to think of him
As the old man down the road
But not too old

He used to think
A lot
And pen down
His thoughts
On paper of course
He called them Physics
No wonder, I find them
So cryptic

He wrote, he read,
He thought some more
Unlikely for a student
Deemed so mediocre

Soon the word spread
That he was nothing less
Than an extraordinaire
With a love for numbers
Quite obviously a flair
I wish I had

But, not really

"You're the best!"
"The ultimate!", they cheered on
The old man with a brain
Everyone craved to have  

A downpour it was
Of awards and prizes so fine
Enough to put him on cloud nine

But, not really

The lonely old man
From day one
Said,"Bye friends, wives and sons!"
They left, all forlorn

And he lived and died on his own

I remember him wondering (aloud),
"How would it be,
To be that plain old man
Who lives down the road?"

My take on the therapist's point of view during one of his sessions
with Einstein

V Day Poem by Anju

"I'm not one for roses or chocolate hearts
Heart-shaped balloons, teddies
Or greeting cards
Nor endless words suited for the occasion
Or a fancy date at a fantastic location
All I need
Is one look of that stupid grin
Etched on your face,
Or hear the random stuff
You usually say,
And that my dear,
Will make my day!"

I wrote this randomly to this one friend, and I was amazed by my sudden burst of creativity!

Really.

I apologise for the miniscule illustration.

And urm..yeah, Happy Valentine's Day.

Bye 2012

Hadn't you just begun?
But it's already the end
And soon, you will be gone
In a flash

They said we would die
Around the time you would
No worries, hassles,
And those little people
Who say "We're big."

All lies, as usual
Everything comes to
A full circle
Maybe,
But not now

So, what were you all about?
Happy farewells?
Or sad beginnings?
A series of synchronized melodies?
Or just sounds of mere cacophony?

By the time I decide
You would have already become
The last year
Guess I'll  just say bye

Bye twenty twelve.

Coffee shop

Polished mahogany

Untouched coffee

Lingering aromas

Diffusing slowly

As I wait

Calmly palpitating

At the table by the door

I ponder

Till my temples hurt

A sip of cappuccino

to sooth my nerves

Ripples on the surface

Deep brown and creamy

I stir them violently

Mini storm

In the coffee cup

Hot caffeine on my tongue

Bittersweet memories

Flood my brain

Bittersweet is what I taste

One second

One minute

An hour

Tick tock

Collected thoughts

Dissipate like the aroma

That lingers no more

Mahogany, once warm

Has gone cold

And I still wait

At the table by the door

Smile

It is as quiet and as empty as I wanted it to be.

No more questions,

No more impatience,

No more frowning,

Or incoherence,

At last.

"Now then, get up, you are alright," I said,

When you refused to budge.

Crease lines etched across your forehead, deepening,

No smile, no twinkle,
Drooping cheeks and anxious eyes,

Yet, I tried.

"It's your favourite movie!",

"Look at his face, crinkled up comically!",

 Smile!

 But you didn't.

"Look at these pictures,"

"That's me in your arms, gurgling with laughter."

And then I could see,

A hint of a smile, maybe.

Worry shouldn't be your best friend,

Medicines won't cheer you up.
Look at me, and look at her, and him,
And all your favourite things,
That make you gladsome,
That make you smile.

Anger couldn't hide itself.

This was all wrong.
Spill your secrets,
The darkest ones,

Why couldn't you?

All I wanted was you to be alright.

I stamped upon the gloom,
That caught up with the days,            

Flying past swiftly,

Drowning myself in a world of make believe,

With all things happy and wonderful,
Catchy riffs, puppy love, and words.

Laugh, laugh, laugh!
Pretty smile that lights up your eyes.

Ask, ask, ask!
Those questions, silly and stupid

Else this isn't you.

But, they grew dimmer, your eyes.

Feeble tones to your voice,
Breathing harder to survive.

Still, I forced myself,

To make you smile.

I could stamp no more after a point.
I asked Him hence,

To ease you,
To make you smile.

A miracle maybe,

"Heal her!"I pleaded.

"Only one way," He said.

Bittersweet it tasted,

Plunged sharp into the folds of my skin,
He called it Pain.

You didn't say bye,
But you did.
They said you didn't smile,
But you did.
I know,
I can see it in my mind's eye,
That beautiful smile that lights up your eyes.

My stint at poetry writing, that I dedicate to Paati, my wonderful grandmother.

R.I.P