English Poetry
A collection of poems penned by Sudhām on a range of topics.
Life In a Cliche
I love to catch the morning sun in my eye Always believed there's a cloud with the silver lining somewhere in the sky I long to catch the winter morning breeze When it rains I relish the sight of the washed green leaves Yes there's a rainbow somewhere with a pot of gold For every ending there's a story still untold I know that good things come to those who wait That there will come a day when all the work is finished or when it is not too late I still feel the bitter truth is better than a lie That belief is in saying why not rather than why Wisdom is not in holding on but letting go When the tide is against you its better lying low In my life I have not loved wisely but loved deep Never made promises I could not keep Always tried to disguise my despair as patience Looked forward to the journeys and not the destinations Chosen life (Well...considering the alternative !) Thank you Lord for all the mercies Whenever I look back at my life I would love to have LIVED it just like the cliche!
The Beggar
I’ve seen many a time, a beggar. He sits under the old oak you know, Just down the street. He sits there with his hands spread Crying out just, just a rupee for today’s bread. He is pitiable. I wonder why he took to begging. He is not disabled, that much I know And his handicap, it never does show. Was it joblessness? I asked. But to this he just smiled. My attempts to know him were futile, And he’s been there all this while. I’ve known him for ten years now And till today I wonder, why? But my questions get lost in his smile.
Time to Fly
Some pages in the book of life are best unread No point looking back nor consider retreat Got to find a raindrop that patters to your beat There is a cloud that has your silver line There're shells at a beach for you to find Spaces for you to venture into Challenges waiting for you to try Dreams waiting to come alive Go on! Turn the page Life's waiting to be lived It's not just spreading your wings But courage that makes you fly
An Ode… To Those Who Believed
It's not easy to walk a different path To set off on a journey where questions abound The doubts they flourish when you are stepping onto roads That are foreseeably bumpy, uncharted, even inexistent Risking it all doesn’t mean absence of fear The clock is your enemy and the mirror isn’t your friend When you have only yourself to blame and to rely When there are no maps or guiding stars in the sky Tis the believers who hold the torch For the explorers on their onward march No birds ever flew without the wind beneath their wings It is their belief that fuels the hope each passing day brings
The Choice
Why should life be lived On someone else's terms One needs to feel the angst Of their own itches and burns Who knows when a right may come Even if it is after a few wrong turns Happiness lies in chasing ones own dreams What good are wings if they are tethered Life is only fulfilling if it's lived unfettered
Forever Indebted
For caressing my curiosity beyond a tome For creating a home away from home For helping me get up after a fall For pushing me to give it my all For encouraging thought and creativity For ignoring acts of teenage proclivity For the angry glare and timely reprimand For simply saying “I understand” For making sure I became the best version of me For I couldn’t have made it this far had you just let me be
Mother
I walk alone Trying to find a way back home I look for a landmark Yet I keep coming back to the start I am tired and strained The sights and sounds seem unfamiliar The shadows grow longer I am scared and frightened I see a light shining in the distance I open my eyes Yes, I am home A loving touch A hand runs its fingers through my hair It's you mother I am comforted by your tender loving care
A Date with a Memory
A Marked Calendar! How does one prepare To face impending despair What do you do When you know the blues are going to hit you You see the pages of calendar turn A date with a memory awaits Passing time hasn't yet healed the burns Of a day when you were hit by a cruel twist of fate You try to move on Carefully treading down memory lane Past flashing images of a loved one gone The heart laments, aches and pains The day passes punctuated with awkward silences With the mind and heart attempting conversation What one says the other refuses Each year its the same situation Someday the mind hopes the heart shall learn To look back and remember The years of pure joy And not just one bad day in September
The Perfect Circle
Art: Circle of Friends by Susan Vannelli I pen these lines to say ‘Thank You’ on what my little one says is Friendship Day
There are indeed things to express and today’s as good as any other day
Always maintained and truly believe that friends are the family one can choose
Our most potent weapons always ready at our behest to convince, corrupt or confuse
To all the friends who befriended me or I ever made
At work, the university, the neighbourhood or first grade
Close or distant so many of you have had a role to play
In shaping me into the person I am from the proverbial clay
To those who really don’t fit the classical definition of a friend
The ones that are always around to support with hand to lend
The parents, siblings, the teachers at school and yes even bosses
The hands of God, the guardian angels, the mystery sauces
To those with whom I stayed the course and they’re but a few
You have a big heart, I know what it takes for being there, for staying true
Then there are those that distances and time pushed away
Mere pauses in our friendship for whenever we meet we just press play
To the handful and hopefully all of you know who you are
My rocks of Gibraltars, my partners in crime, my guiding stars
For a man of words I search for ones that’ll convey what I really want to say
I live and breathe metaphorically and truly it’s because of you I’m here todayDrifting
Sometimes you are struck By a feeling that overwhelms A strange discomforting sense Of a total lack of control You are drifting The waters are calm You sense no turbulence Just an inexplicable fear Uneasy and unware You are still but sinking You seek happiness Peace and joy A good life You try maintain pace The ground beneath is shifting Get a grip You coax yourself Draw deep for strength Look around for motivation Believe there’s a silver lining Winds change direction Things fall into place You get dealt a good hand Hmmm you wonder if The tide is turning Green shoots around you Blue skies on the horizon You are in a better place It’s a new view Life has a new meaning The low felt really low Took away all you had You were tough though Took a couple on the chin The real deal is not loosing The high it may not remain Troubles they may visit again But one thing is for sure It’s the tussle in between That makes life worth living