English Poetry

A collection of poems penned by Sudhām on a range of topics.

  • English Poetry

    Friendship Lane

    They’ll most certainly lie for you, 
    Spin tall tales at the drop of a hat,
    Man, they make ‘em sound so true,
    You’d kill to have a frat like that.

    Take your trip with a straight face,
    Draw immense joy from your pain,
    Cause a pain in every wrong place,
    No misses when there’s points to gain.

    Friendships made whilst still young,
    Hanging together turning days to nights,
    Meaning every word of the songs they sung,
    They turned into men destined for heights.

    Lives got lived and careers got made,
    The wheel of time continued to turn,
    Decades slowly rolled into the next decade,
    Conversations changed from heartbreaks to heartburn.

    Time reset to where they’d hit pause,
    Fifty something and they met again,
    Everything back to the way it was,
    Those three nights at Friendship Lane!
  • English Poetry,  Hindi Poetry | कविताएँ

    Diw(Ai)i

    In a fast evolving technological environment where learning models are constantly advancing and adapting, here’s a creative experiment on the festive occasion of Diwali.

    I gave the following prompt on the Perplexity AI application.
    “Study the style of poetry and writing of Poet and Author Sudham (www.sudhaam.com) and write 2 short poems capturing the festive spirit of Diwali as a greeting.”

    Here’s the output:

    Sudham Ravinutala (known as Sudhām) writes with a deeply emotive, reflective, and humanistic style that combines lyrical rhythm with soulful introspection. His bilingual poetry in Hindi and English uses everyday imagery—love, loss, time, memory, and friendship—to evoke nostalgia and quiet resilience. The tone often alternates between vulnerability and strength, blending modern free verse with a classical Indian emotive cadence. His verses are direct, heartfelt, and conversational, often closing with contemplative insight or a gentle philosophical turn.

    Drawing inspiration from Sudhām’s tone and linguistic texture, here are two short poems written in his style as warm Diwali greetings:

    ***

    AI

    दीपों का सवेरा 

    हर दीये में एक कहानी जलती है,
    कुछ अधूरे सपनों की, कुछ पुरी उमंगों की।
    अंधेरे को कोसने से नहीं,
    उसमें रौशनी बाँटने से आती है दिवाली।
    आज दिल में भी एक दिया जलाओ,
    किसी भूले रिश्ते के नाम,
    क्योंकि रोशनी वहीं बसती है—
    जहाँ अब भी उम्मीदें जागती हैं।

    ***

    Light in Our Hearts

    In the hush before the lamps awaken,
    dreams whisper in saffron glow.
    Walls that once held silence
    now echo laughter’s flow.
    The night folds itself in gold and song— each spark a promise reborn.
    May your heart, like a Diwali flame,
    burn steady, warm, and strong.

    ***

    These poems reflect Sudhām’s blend of introspection and uplifting simplicity—rooted in emotion yet carrying a modern cadence through imagery of light, memory, and humanity.

    Sudham

    Now, here are 2 short poems that I have penned.

    दिया 
    © सुधाम २०१५

    हर घर हर गाली हर शहर
    आज सजी दीपों की असंख्य माला हैं
    हर क्षण हर पहर हर दिवस
    नए वर्ष का हो मंगलमय बतलाती यह ज्वाला है

    हर दिल हर मन हर तन
    में जागे हर्षों-उमंग की भावना
    हर गृहस्थी हर कुटुंब हर समुदाय
    पाए सुख-समृद्धि दिये की है शुभकामना

    ***


    Sparkle
    © Sudham 2025

    This Diwali as we light our lamps
    We shall carry a prayer in our heart
    For our bright future and for yours
    Knowing our actions play their part

    May the sparkle the festive lights lend
    Add to our joys and create memories
    Set us forth on a prosperous path
    With health as company and luck as a friend

    At the end of it all whether it’s AI or just I the words are what matter and the thought that counts. 

  • English Poetry

    Bye-bye Birdie

    The wheel of time has spun,
    One of our brood has spread her wings and flown away.
    A new chapter in life’s just begun.
    She steps through the portals of her university and begins a new day.

    It’s a strange sensation, a concoction of anxiety and apprehension.
    There is also an overwhelming sense of joy that seems to pervade.
    Protected and cared for all this while she encounters a new dimension.
    Images of her first day at school keep getting played and replayed.

    I remember the wide-open eyes, her as a newborn when I first held.
    You’ve raised her well, Mama, know that she’ll quickly hit her stride.
    I am beside myself seeing her turn into this woman who’s self-propelled.
    It won’t be long before it’s her time to shine and you swell with pride.

    And from here on, we all learn to live our lives anew.
    As the older one finds herself, toughens up and gains knowledge.
    We as parents fend and fight for one instead of two.
    Students once again, learning lessons from life -the eternal college.
  • English Poetry

    Oh! Future!

    Oh! Future!

    The mysteries that you hold,
    For the wait for you to unfold,
    Hand on heart, truth be told,
    Wrecks the present, junks the old.

    Oh! Future!

    The anxiety that you cause,
    Injects that uncertain pause,
    Discounts what is or what was,
    Makes one a prey in fear’s claws.

    Oh! Future!

    Are you worth this much despair,
    All these beliefs and fervent prayer,
    Like ominous clouds that don’t clear,
    The clinging on to what is dear.

    Oh! Future!

    I am going to practice letting go,
    Trust myself and what I know,
    Keep challenging the status quo,
    Downstream or upstream I will row.

    Oh! Future!
    No matter what, I promise you this,
    Bring me pain or bring me bliss,
    I shall accept you hit or miss,
    On this account I won’t be remiss.
  • English Poetry

    War and Peace

    One swallow they say
    does not a summer make
    The battle’s over
    but the war’s far from done
    Fight to the finish
    is what it’s going to take
    The theatres now change
    we’ve only just begun
    The curtains shall continue
    to rise and fall
    Life’s not going to let up
    nor retreat with tail between legs
    To hit back hard or harder
    is not choice it’s a judgement call
    Victory is not sweet
    till the vanquished for mercy begs
    Keep your friends close
    and your enemies closer
    Trust is indeed hard to gain
    and is easier lost
    Halcyon days may be an illusion
    when no agreement is kosher
    Peace is a necessity
    it most certainly has a cost
  • English Poetry

    Who Am I?

    I am not the job I do
    I am not the poems I write

    I am not the city I live in
    I am not the party I vote for

    I am not the team I cheer
    I am not the brand I wear

    I am not the car I drive
    I am not the God I pray to

    If so many things I am not
    If not all the things I’ve got

    Then who indeed am I

    I am the son my parents had
    I am the boy who loved and lost

    I am the man my spouse married
    I am a father to my lovely daughters

    I am the kind who holds the door
    I am the guy who is a friend in need

    I am the colleague who gives it all
    I am the boss who takes the rap

    Is that all that I am
    Is that all I have ever been

    Then who indeed am I

    All of the above
    And so much more

    I am much much more
    Than what I am not

    I am the sum total
    Of my opinions and thoughts

    I am what I observe and perceive
    I am the goals I couldn’t achieve

    I am all the good that I do
    I am the favours I take

    I am the mistakes I make
    I am the lesson I should have learnt

    This is all I know
    Of me thus far

    In a vacant mood
    I often wonder

    If not this long list
    Of who I am and who I’m not

    Then who indeed am I
  • English Poetry

    Time Travellers

    Two wonderful days that I’ve spent
    Happiness that was heaven sent

    Afternoons filled with tales of old
    Some repeats and many untold

    A lifetime re-lived in just few hours
    Great escapes and magical powers

    Tricks and pranks, our devious ways
    Endless nights that ran into days

    God’s angels or devil’s messengers
    My supporters and firm challengers

    So believe that true friends infuse
    That spark in our life, brighter hues

    Fellow travellers, my companions
    Badges of honour, my medallions

    Forever together, win or lose
    You’re family that I’d always choose
  • English Poetry

    Life

    Sometimes when it rains, it pours
    Sometimes it leaves you wanting for more

    Sometimes there’s happiness right outside your door
    Sometimes you have the key, but just aren’t sure

    Sometimes you know what life has in store
    Sometimes you’re just drifting washing up ashore

    Sometimes life’s oozing through every pore
    Sometimes just breathing is a chore

    Sometimes you’re winning, not keeping score
    Sometimes you’re knocked out, down on the floor

    Sometimes you’re on a high, not really you anymore
    Sometimes the mirror shows the real you, flaws galore

    Sometimes you’re in the spotlight the crowd chanting encore
    Sometimes the joke is on you, your ego bruised, battered, and sore

    Sometimes it’s déjà vu, you’ve seen it before
    Sometimes you’re eager, just itching to explore

    Sometimes….
    Just sometimes
  • English Poetry

    The Rise

    Cast upon me your heart’s fill
    As many of those sly, questioning glances
    Delight if you please at my tumble and fall
    Engineer more such circumstances

    Go ahead! Throw at me all you will
    Vent that angst, do me wrong
    I will turn up for every fight you call
    Each punch you throw only makes me strong

    I shall find strength in the venom you spew
    For every devious plan that you devise
    It’ll only reaffirm and renew my resolve
    I will get up, I will come back, I shall rise

    My belief in my values shall always hold true
    With conviction I will continue to brave every adverse tide
    Each challenge shall build a better me, I shall evolve
    Shaping my future, the past and present in my stride
  • English Poetry

    A Beautiful Friendship

    Wonder if things would've changed
    Or would they have remained the same
    Would we have grown into wise old men by now
    Or remained boys taking things as they came
    
    Life would have kept us together I'd reckon
    Circumstances no doubt would've made our journeys part
    It would have remained a beautiful friendship
    If only a premature end did'nt beckon
    
    Had life not made other plans
    You'd have turned 50 today
    Imagine all that we'd have done
    The boys in us would've had their way
    
    So in your memory we shall pour out one
    Sing songs all night from an infinite playlist
    Do things the only way we would have done
    Have one more and one more till morning come