Teatime Trills

 Greedy, lustful gust of wind 

clasped the fragrant petals 

of the full-blossomed flower. 

Covetous currents of its dark passion 

tore the tiny vase of beauty and perfume.

Petals fly with dust in all directions. 

The storm doesn't win 

and the beauty doesn't lose! 

The former loses battle over time and distance

and dies with thorny imprints 

left by the stem on its viciously throbbing heart,

The latter spreads its cozily surrendered self 

in the limitless folds of peace.

**

If you lag behind, they will trample you.

If you run with the pack, they will try to push you to the sidelines.

If you outpace them, they will pull your leg.

Well, that's human society for you!

**

क्या कहेंगे लोग?

यही है सबसे बड़ा रोग।

**

Lynched by loneliness,

I surrendered to the 

sweet tyranny of solitude,

The wounds healed,

The suffering receded,

They moved away 

like shifting shadows,

Painful memories lagged behind

and turned milestones on the foggy path,

Of course sweet breeze blows sometimes

and carries sweet memories from behind,

They leave a smile on my lips

and are again left behind, as I move on,

like sweet pathside flowers,

I look back, 

They wave a sweet good bye

with a still sweeter sigh,

And thus we have to move on,

All alone

to our destination next,

And pitch our tent at one fine dusk

and go for a long, long sleep.

**

I know this is in contradiction to aesthetics. But then we have to acknowledge the dark as well. So couldn't help sharing this tantalizing piece of grey shades. By who else? GD Roberts in Shantaram:

"The best revenge, like the best sex, is performed slowly and with the eyes open."