RAINS….

The billowing winds

The creaking woods

The chirpy birds

Ah! These monsoon sounds.

The incessant rains

The luscious greens

The drenched streets

Washed so clean.

The misty sky

The soothing calm

This tranquility

A healing balm.

Spurt of life

Everywhere,

His creation

For us to appreciate.

The smell of wet soil

The windy wet sprays

Brings back memories

Of another day.

A season of love

A reason to romance

Feelings so dormant

Comes alive with remembrance.

A smiling face

Those mischievous eyes

A heart of love

The touch of desire.

Rains are red

Makes me blush

Rains are blue

Reminds me of you.

KALEIDOSCOPE

Beauty

Emotions

Drama

Feelings

The myriad patterns…

Love

Betrayal

Longing

Lust

A roller coaster ride….

Exciting

Depressing

Winning

Losing

The ebb and the flow….

Memories

Escaping

Relationships

Bonding

Glory be the end

The kaleidoscope of life!

ENIGMA

For the Third Eye prompt -  at dverse poets pub

I try to put a face

To the image in my mind,

I try to figure a person

Behind the voice I listen.

Who are you?

Are your eyes

Deep blue, like the sea….

Or black like the moonless night?

Is your smile wistful….

Or mischievous

When you think of me?

Is your hand rough….

Or will I turn jelly

As they touch me?

Do you like …..

To dance in the rain……

Or run for cover, when they do?

Are you a dreamer…….

Or a cynic

Do you still have the child in you?

Looking life with wonder and joy

Or too practical and grown-up…

Even to wonder?

Are you moved by

The beauty of nature…………

Or are you removed from it?

Do you like it when

Wind ruffles your hair………..

Or are you ruffled by it?

Do your break into

A song of the season……

Or dance without a reason?

You are the thirst

I wanna quench;

You are the book

I wanna read;

You are an adventure

I wanna explore;

You are person whom

I wanna know to the core.

Will you ever reveal yourself

Or will you choose to remain an enigma to me?

CUPID

Is it cupid who has the bow?

Ready to shoot the arrow?

Will it pierce, strike or wound?

To enliven or to bound?

The arrow has a course to take,

Have many obstacles in its wake.

Trust, Hope and Faith its friends,

Have some rules it breaks and bends.

The heart so weak, without reason;

The brain tweaks, cannot treason.

Questions to answers,

Answers to questions….

To a mind, an illusion!

Succumb! Let the heart go with the flow;

Wondering why there aren’t more colors’ to a Rainbow?

Succumb! View this world with eyes anew;

Living Life as if it is sinewed.

Arms opened wide, head held high,

Close your eyes; let the cupid strike!

The pain so sweet

The foot so light,

I want to remain wounded – for Life!

PEOPLE WHO PUT YOU OFF

Welcome to the Blog-A-Licious tour no.8. Enjoy the tour....before Memoirs of a homemaker is the talented writer Totsy and after Memoirs....is another creative homemaker and writer Sheeza. 

For starters, let me say that people who break the queue; who break traffic rules; who spit indiscriminately in public …..Are the types who put me off.  India is now amidst a huge anti-corruption movement. All politicians, whether a big fish or a small fly, are a huge turn off.

Instead of focusing on the “people who put me off”, let me just tell you about the types of people I like or the qualities I like in them. So, that sort of narrows it down.

No one is perfect. Someone may be having a bad hair day, or going through PMS, may be bogged down by workload….to each, his own. Someone’s happiness maybe someone else’s angst. So, let me not categorize people as ‘good’, ‘bad’ or ‘ugly’, because there may be someone out there who will be categorizing me a ‘slob.’

I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who are positive and who do not poke their noses unnecessarily into my life. I live away from my hometown. All my kith and kin, who are also my thick and thin – live in my home town. I visit them once or twice a year, and because our meetings are few and far apart we enrich it by creating memories overlooking pettiness, imperfections and idiosyncrasies. And the friends I have here in Mumbai, they are few and just as wonderful.

I do of course, stay away from people who at first meeting give me negative vibes.

“It is not who you are or what you did, but people will remember you for how you made them feel.”

When I was a kid, not everyone had a telephone at their home.  We were fortunate to have one because there would always be a stream of people who would either be receiving calls or making one. Back then, the whole neighbourhood was like a one big extended family, celebrating festivals together, watching TV together…..so much so that we used to spend much of our time at our friends’ place rather than ours!  Some years back, my mom called up a lady to wish her on her 25^th wedding anniversary. The lady had long since moved out of our neighbourhood and all those years there were little or no contact with her. So, when mom remembered and called her, Mrs. G was not only surprised, but was overcome with emotion.

It is these little acts of thoughtfulness that show how much we value people and the relationship we have with them. In today’s fast paced world, taking a bit of time off from one’s busy (somehow, I don’t like this word) schedule to connect with friends and family goes a long way in showing that you really care.

“It is nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” – Author Unknown.

There are some lessons my parents did not teach us, but they set us an example by living them.

1.     Shelley - http://bookfare.blogspot.com/ 
2. Totsy - http://totsymae.com/ 
3. Janu - http://janukulkarni.blogspot.com 
4. Shaeeza - http://shaeeza.blogspot.com/ 
5. Dora - http://peacefrompieces.blogspot.com/ 
6. Corinne - http://www.everydaygyaan.com 
7. Rhiannon - http://www.rhiannonpaille.com/ 
8. Ryder - http://ryderislington.wordpress.com/ 
9. Karen - http://www.karenvwasylowski.blogspot.com 
10. Karen - http://www.britsunited.blogspot.com 
11. Dora - http://blogaliciousauthors.blogspot.com/

SCORNED

Victoria Ceretto-Slotto discusses texture as a writing tool in Poetics - www.dversepoets.com. 
I have tried to bring out the textures in my poetry. Domestic violence is a subject which I feel strongly about. Hope you like it.

Silence so deafening                                                             

The deep chasm

The rough edge,

Cuts deep.

Heart, fragile, bleeds

The soul, scraped bare

Stripped off its layers

Fallen in disgrace.

Once, the gentle whispers of love

Now, menacing and harsh

Once, the delicate touch of caress

Scalds my skin now.

The silken soft folds

Once reminiscence to our lovemaking

Now is a bed of thorns

Witness to forced coupling.

Once the tears of ecstasy

 Now, with contempt blurs my vision

Is this the life I dreamt?

With love had pledged submission.           

KITCHEN BLUES

The uproarious laughter coming from somewhere in the house woke me up from my afternoon siesta. After orienting myself for a couple of minutes, I remembered that my hubby was expecting ‘A’ friend. But, the laughter I heard was collective! I tip toed and peaked into the living room and I saw four of them. FOUR! Just then, the calling bell sounded and in came two more….SIX! Uh-oh! Don’t get me wrong. I am not averse to having guests over nor am I inhospitable. But, it is the thought of the time I have to spend in the kitchen preparing either coffee, tea or snacks that puts me off.

You see, I have been going through this phase of ‘not-wanting-to-cook’, for some time now. A year now! I don’t like cooking, in fact, I hate cooking. Phew! Now that I have said it, I’m so much relieved. I live strictly by the principle – Eat to live; and so whatever I cook is simple and fulfilling….nothing fancy at all. I plan such a menu that 

I don’t have to spend any more time in the kitchen than necessary.

And, when I am cooking….I am on the “auto pilot” mode, I function mechanically and I also like to be alone in the kitchen, no one else to talk to me and delay the cooking time. My pleas to hire a cook have fallen on the deaf ears because even though I find cooking a bore, I am an awesome cook or so says my family. Well, almost awesome. Ok, I’m exaggerating a bit….but a good cook none-the-less. In fact, I’m thinking of patenting my Rasam powder recipe or even sell it to the highest bidder, whichever is lucrative. Anybody interested?

And so, here I am in the kitchen, ready to make tea for the guests, when the door bell rings again! Now, it is my friend’s mother who is panicky because there is no cooking gas in her house. We all have piped gas in our housing society and I assured her that someone must have turned off the main switch downstairs. After guiding her as to how to find the main switch or the knob…I again set about the task of making the tea…..and as I turned on the knob of the gas stove….nothing! Nada! Zilch! No-cooking-gas. Now, I was panicky. Surely someone could not have turned off all the mains. I went down to investigate. All the mains were on. So, there must be a breakdown of some sort somewhere. As I was climbing back the stairs to my apartment dejectedly, realization dawned upon me and slowly the smile spread across my face. We are going out for dinner…..YES! 

THE WAIT

Her heart waits

With breath, bated

With patience, forced

With calmness, restrained

With weakness, masked

With hope, dwindling

With strength, weakening

With pain, numbed…..

For a word from him or

Even a sign to show

He cares……But??

POETICS - GOING URBAN

Once a city of Gardens,

Now a metropolitan

Once a city of natives

Is now a cosmopolitan.

Aroma of fresh coffee

Rangolis adorning the porch

Ringing of bells

The familiar sights and odours.

The sweet smell of

Freshly baked breads from the bakery

The sight of crisp dosas

Makes me droll, in the eatery.

Traditions, customs and

Celebrations

Merging with Gen next and

Modernization.

The fresh flowers, fruits and

Veggies sold on streets

The colourful bangles and trinkets

Stalls are a treat.

Neighbours smile, greet

And welcome me

Acquaintances stop by

And speak to me.

I run to her as an eager child

Runs to her mother.

She envelopes me in her bosom,

With warmth and love she smothers.

Hi All, I am from India, native of Bengaluru, an IT hub. Since I reside in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, I visit my home town once or twice a year. This poem is about my home town.  Some of the words may not be familiar to you all. Let me familiarise you with these - RANGOLIS - Rangoli, one of the most beautiful and most pleasing art forms of India, is comprised of two words, 'rang' meaning 'color' and 'aavalli' meaning colored creepers' or 'row of colors'. Rangoli basically comprises of the art of making designs or patterns on the walls or the floor of the house, using finely ground white powder along with different colors. Numerous households in the Indian subcontinent make use of Rangoli designs for decorating the courtyard of their house.

RINGING OF BELLS - Every morning tradtional pooja, a ritual in the honour of gods is done at home where bells are rung to mark the end of the pooja.

DOSAS - A typical South Indian breakfast very similar to the pancakes, made from rice batter, only they are not sweet.

GIRL CHILD.

We like pony tails

Pink frocks with frills

We like playing with dolls

And have feelings fragile.

We climb mountains

And criminals we tame

We rule states

We are weak, is lame.

We give birth to babies

We raise families

We till the fields

And feed the hungry.

We nurse and care

We treat the ill

We work and slog

And foot our own bills.

We fly planes

We run the trains

We drive trucks

And are also homely.

We are worshipped

We need to be loved

We are killed

And are also cursed.

We are sold

We are beaten

We are traded off

And forced into prostitution.

How many times

Do we have to prove?

We can also do

What you can do!

FAME OR FORTUNE - WHICH WOULD YOU PREFER?

Join today's tour with fantastic blog hop that brings together bloggers of all geners, background and locations. Featured before Memoirs of a homemaker is the very talented Sulekha, and after this is another gifted writer Debra. Enjoy the tour with us.

FAME OR FORTUNE?

This is a dicey.

For most part both fame and fortune go hand in hand and on the surface I may want, as I have neither! But………

FORTUNE- this is good. I would prefer fortune so that I can spurge. That is it and also because I will able to give back something to the society helping various organizations financially. Personally, I think I do not fit into the world of hi-fi snooty people. With money comes power and this power may be misused. With power one demands respect, but I believe in commanding respect.

FAME- I would want this as long as it keeps my head placed well on my shoulders; with pride. Being recognized by people gives me a high. I would like people to respect me for whom I am. When my blogs and poems receive good comments I pride myself for being appreciated. It’s an aphrodisiac. A drug which you never want to run out off.

Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Anna Hazare, Medha Patkar……..they revolutionized and still revolutionizing our society by their thinking, principles, preaching, and good work for the general mass. I would like to be in the league of these extraordinary men and women who will be remembered even long after they are gone.

"A writer doesn't dream of riches and fame, though these things are nice. A true writer longs to leave behind a piece of themselves, something that withstands the test of time and is passed down for generations." CK Webb.

1. Debbie - http://www.scatteredmusings.net 
2. David - http://blog.elenchera.com
3. Stuart - http://stuartaken.blogspot.com/
4. Dilman - http://dilmandila.blogspot.com 
5. Dora - http://peacefrompieces.blogspot.com/
6. Reiza - http://gin-diary.blogspot.com/ 
7. Shelley - http://bookfare.blogspot.com/
8. Jessica - http://authorjess.blogspot.com
9. Sulekha - http://invinciblewoman.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm 

10. Janu - http://janukulkarni.blogspot.com

11. Debra - http://englishepochs.blogspot.com/

12. Dora - http://blogaliciousblogs.blogspot.com/ 

STRINGS.......

Is this the song, my heart wants to sing

Is my heart attached to yours by this string?

Is this the way beauty unfolds its wings

Is my flight being cut off by this string?

Is there a desperation in me to cling

Is my breath being suffocated by this string?

Is this the reason my feet long to spring

Is my stride being broken by this string?

I wrote this FormForAll: Ghazal at http://dversepoets.com/ hosted by John Alwyine-Mosley. The challenge this time is to write the poetic form of the Ghazal.

DUEL

“Listen to your heart,”

The tried and tested say……..

“Should I dare?”

The cynic stands at bay.

In the battle of brain and heart;

The heart always won,

Not that it was stronger,

But brain had reasons none.

Questions and Answers

Decisions and choices

Life complicates and unfolds,

Yet to see the beauty it beholds.

A BLESSING

We Indians must hand it over to the Bollywood Director, Karan Johar for popularizing ‘Friendship Day’ and Friendship ‘bands’…the seal of friendship….through his movie ‘Kuch kuch hoti hai’ way back in 1998. By then, I was well past my school and college days!

I am from that time when all these ‘Days’ were not popular in India. (That makes me kinda old. But, again, age is just a number! ;)  ) We were not even aware of Friendship day, Mother’s day, Father’s Day etc, etc, etc. Our birthdays were marked with rituals and a visit to the temple…..even today it is so. Blowing candles on our birthday was a bad sign. We have come a long way from that.

When in school or college, we never felt the need to celebrate ‘Friendship Day’ as we were always together except maybe on Sundays; even then we used to find an excuse to meet each other. Life loaded with fun without a care in the world. We all blended into each other’s families without even being aware of it.

And so, even after 25 years we still remain friends…same old giggly girlies who cannot have enough of each other’s company.

Today, everyone is busy on their own, technology should have made things easier…..in a way it has….social networking, internet, mails, SMS…we do it all. I remember a time when I used to religiously write letters to each and every friend of mine. Buying New Year and Diwali cards was a ritual as I had so many to send. It is just copy and paste or forwarding your e-mails and SMSes today. Yet, nothing beats the personal meetings we have once or twice a year. The hugs, the warmth, the bubbling laughter, everyone talking at once, to share everything from where we left off last, fashion and health tips, how to lose weight and of course, reminiscence the ‘good old days.’

Apart from my school and college friends, I have made some amazing friends…..my hubby’s friends, their wives and families. We have remained in touch and are very much is a part of each other’s lives though we do not live in the same city.

‘Friendship Day’ has now stretched into ‘Friendship week’, which may slowly become ‘Friendship month.’ What next?

I am jumping into the bandwagon like others in writing a blog for this day….taking the opportunity to say thanks to all those friends who have made an impression in my life….a lasting impression. I also take this opportunity to thank my online friends of the blogging community for their encouragement and support.

 “ To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.”

MUMBAI MERI JAAN........(MUMBAI, MY LOVE!)

It was an impromptu visit to the beach the other day. Anything and everything is “happening” in Mumbai. And, a ship stranded on the beach is very much ‘happening’.

The stranded cargo ship and it visitors.Going astray 

made it famous.

It had been quiet sometime since I had visited this particular stretch of beach near my house. As, I neared the beach, I was appalled to find it downright filthy. The number of shanties has risen in number and with it the human population has gone up by 5 times, that is because each shanty houses a minimum of 5 people. The beach is so laden with garbage that it is not possible to see the sand let alone walk on it.

The garbage being piled up....

A few months back, when I started jogging, I was advised to run on the beach as it reduces the wear and tear of joints. So, one fine day I got up early in the morning and got geared up to conquer the Juhu-Versova stretch of the beach. Lo and behold! The sight that welcomed me was one of total disgust. There were scores of men defecating on the beach. SHIT! My dream of jogging on the beach ended even before it began.

life goes on for these boys....the world is their

playground...filth or no filth.

The rich and the poor co-exist.

For the young lovers who have no where else

to go.....beaches are their romantic gateways.

Mumbai is the financial capital of India and we do not have finances to build some public washrooms and toilets for these slum dwellers. The people living in these shanties spend thousands of rupees on getting their dwellings legalized. Instead of bribing government officials, they can divert it to build civic amenities for themselves…..but, do they have this kind of awareness?

There is lot of Non-government Organizations working for the betterment of these settlements. But, everything comes to a halt after a certain point because of the government apathy.

Who is to blame?

BAGDAZZLE!!!!

I read an article in Sunday’s newspaper which said that the bag we carry can give away a lot about the person we really are! Then, most of us ladies must have multiple personalities…..men couldn’t agree less.

A decade or more ago, we had what was called as “Ladies purse”; immaterial of its size, it was called just that. Ladies owned a couple of them. One, for casual, everyday use and one for functions or social gatherings and if you were from a well-to-do family, maybe a couple of them more to flaunt in parties.

Today, they have risen to the status of “handbags” and are called by different names depending on their size and style. Today, they make a statement of the person you are in terms of following trends and styles.

The HOBO: They are the huge hand bags.

 ANALYSIS: Woman carrying it is a practical chick with a lot going in her life. She has wide range of hobbies and interests and does not like complacency or stagnation. They have artistic bent of mind and are brimming with ideas and also have an eye for perfection.

Yes, they are very practical as we women cannot just do without certain things and they have to be there in our handbags at our disposal. Mothers of young kids use these types of bags because they can stuff all the kiddie stuff in that. And yes, young mothers have a lot going on in their lives. Mumbai, being the heart of film and ad world, we can see young women aspirants carrying these type of bags which can hold their portfolios, make-up, accessories and even a change of attire. And yes, they must have an artistic bent of mind to be in the field they are pursuing and perfection??…..  Who cares?

The SATCHEL: They resemble the type of bags which the bus conductors in India carry.

ANALYSIS: People who carry this type of bags are soft at heart but firm and professional. They are dreamers by nature and have big ideas with a solid plan in mind. As the bag is not big, the owner knows exactly what she wants.

It is the teens and men who generally use these types of bags. The teens are at that age when they are soft and mushy at heart and dreaming about their romance….firm and professional? That I really don’t know. These bags are trendy and unisexual. It gives a ‘cool’ look.

The BOWLING BAG: This bag is without the sling.

 ANALYSIS: A woman who loves these bags has a strong personality and is a no-nonsense woman. She does not follow trends and has a very distinct personal style. Her day is a happy mix of work, friends and family. She has a grip on whatever she undertakes, is a loving person and always has friends by her side.

I personally feel that woman do not generally prefer this type of bags. We need our hands free. To lug a big bag around is like dragging your tot along. Yes, there is one advantage of this type of bags, if some guy tries to act smart with you, you can always whack him on his head with this.

The CLUTCH: These are the small ‘purses’ held in hand, oops! Sorry, clutched in hand.

ANALYSIS:  Women who carry these love elegance and class. Just the way she has a tight grip on her bag, so it is with things that are close to her heart. She is confident and a head-turner. Cherishes her friends and has lasting relationships with the people in her life.

Ok….These are formal, sophisticated and elegant. One wouldn’t obviously carry a clutch when on a shopping spree. A woman carrying a clutch should have a tight grip else, there is every chance she might lose it.

I love bags. Any shape, any size, any colour….I just love them. I really do not care what they have to say about me as a person. Actually, it is my husband who buys most of my handbags from which ever part of the world he visits. He just buys what he sees and likes…..and from that point of view my bags should reflect more of his personality than mine! I change bags according to my needs, sometimes to match with the dress I am wearing, or sometimes just because I want a change.

 I think most of the women too would like to carry the bags which are more practical and convenient for the occasion and of course, the trend plays an important role too.

So, do you think the bag you carry reflects your personality?

Comments welcome.