Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Got this from the movie" Invictus" and found it really inspirational. This was written by the poet on hospital bed when his leg had to be amputated below the knee.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

I am my own host,and faithful witness
Or shall the shadows of hell learey me through the night,
So I will take this sword, and banish it in the afterlife

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

My new shoes

Gathering dust was
my new pair of shoes
still in the box
with the price tag.
I bought thinking
that I would run
change my life
feed my soul with
the breath of energy
flash of rush.
Those were just not a pair of shoes.

Lying in the box
for over six months
I look at them every
evening
those were a good buy
just $20 in clearance
What a steal!

Realizing
that I bought them
to change my life
change my looks
change my image
and here all am doing
still thinking
what a steal
it was.

Keepsakes

I held you in my hands
while you were sleeping
I looked at your face
and thought
how lucky I am.

I wish I could see
your dreams
and hoped
you were smiling in sleep
dreaming about me.

I removed the hair
falling on your face.
I moved
my hands on your body
engulfing it
as river embodies
into the sea.

I want
the time to stop.
Make the moment immortal
Let me absorb
the weight of your body
against mine.

Tomorrow will be another day
So sleep with me
My Love
Lay against my shoulders
Let's join the pieces
of our puzzle.
Let's make a postcard picture
A picture we both believe in!

The bittersweet symphony

I breathe
the air you breath
I share the dream
you dream.
I live the life
you want me to lead.

I walk the path
you carved for me.
I dance on music
you play for me.
I drink
the glass you poured for me.

I hear
the words you tell me.
I speak
the words you like to listen.
I sense
the words you are about to say.

Entwined in our lives
enveloped in the
sweet perfume of memories
The bittersweet symphony
of two people
living each others dreams.

Union Carbide Case Verdict : A Mockery!

25 years later when a verdict is passed and justice is denied, you are forced again to think about how corrupt and infested can Indian judiciary system be.

Union carbide case pending for last 25 years passed shameful verdict on 7th June 2010 for 2 years of imprisonment and fine of $2000 for all the accused. This has been  the justice given for the largest industrial catastrophe on the face of the earth. Whom are we trying to appease here? Why even bother for case verdict? Let the case remain a bouncing ball in the hollow walls of Indian courts. The judgment seems to have more aftermaths than the tragedy itself.

How disgraceful and appalling is this verdict? More than 25000 people dead within few days of tragedy and and more than 500,000 affected. You are even left speechless to think of the amount of injustice done. Is this a joke or mockery that the courts play on common people? I am completely failing to understand as to how can this happen. I cannot even phantom the outrage of the people who have been directly affected in this case. Not in my memory I can recall a single incidence when we think that Indian judiciary system has acted swift and done justice.

How can we continue living in this ailing society? What can we do as common man who is nothing but a puppet in the hands of Indian politicians, corruption and judiciary system? How can we talk big words about India Inc, progressive modern India society when we cannot sustain basic human rights in this country.

I am a very proud Indian and these are exactly the situations that make me re-think when human life has no value in this nation. I feel ashamed and disillusioned myself at the sorry state of affairs that this great nation is in wherein the country judiciary system is so corrupted and in the hands of few industrialists. 

What do you think now at the end : we will wait for justice to be done or nothing can happen and things will remain as they are in the modern India ! Again we begin the process for appeals to higher courts and spending another quarter of century waiting for justice to be rendered to the innocent victims! What a  mockery!

http://specials.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/01sld1.htm

Timeless shadows

I want to penetrate the shadows
lurking in the dark
merge with them
and make them vanish.

I see them everywhere
following my every footstep.
Waiting to pounce on me
and take me to the
lands of faraway.

I wait and watch
wanting to be overpowered
to be taken away
in sweet perfume of my
past
to the age of no regrets.

I dream
of alternative past
keep changing in my head
various permutations.
I open my eyes
and all I see
is shadows hanging
in front of me.

Take Me Home, Country Roads

Nothing original today except whenever its time to make an yearly trip to India, I remember the song and lyrics of this signature song of John Denver and realize how true are the words of the song. Here are the few lines of the song which are quite close to me.

Next post will be: "Delhi Diaries".

Enjoy the lovely song and the lyrics.

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge mountains, Shenandoah River.
Life is old there, older than the trees,
Younger than the mountains, growing like a breeze.

Country roads, take me home,
To the place where I belong,
West Virginia, mountain mama.
Take me home, country roads.

I hear her voice, in the mornin' hours she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away.
Driving down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday,
Yesterday.

Country roads, take me home,
To the place, I belong
West Virginia mountain mama,
Take me home, country roads

Circle of Life

When I was young
my mother used to tell me
don't worry
everything will be all right.

I went for my job interview
and did not make through.
All they said was
don't worry
everything will be all right.

How I believed those words
till late in my life
thinking
that whenever they said
everything will be all right
It will be all right.

Today I walk back home
carrying my mother's report
I am thinking
how would I tell her
she has six more months.
And I reach home
All that I am able to say is
don't worry
everything will be all right.

How beautiful you are!

Did I ever tell you
how beautiful you are.
With your long curly hair
tied in a bun
and a simple red bindi
adorning your forehead
How beautiful you look
in that yellow saree.

I can imagine
how my father would
have fallen in love with you.
You are yet to tell
me how he proposed you.

As you look in the mirror
with wrinkled skin
and falling hair.
The head covered in
a scarf
to hide the bald scalp.
I wonder what you must be thinking.

I remember seeing you
the last time.
Looking just the same
with a simple red bindi
adorning your forehead.
And I thought
Why did I never tell you
how beautiful you are!

First Monsoon

I stood in the rain
enjoying the water
splashing on me
The first monsoon
of the season
drenching me.

The sweet smell
of the soil.
The dancing birds
in the sky.
The children
jumping in the puddles.
The grown-ups
under the shelter.

How can you miss
the first monsoon.
How can you
sit back and see the rain.
How can you not come out
and enjoy the rain.

The sight and splendor
as the rain quenches
the thirst of the dry earth.
The squeals and laughter
the wet clothes
the rainbow of umbrellas
adding to the splendor.

Come
Let's go
Hurry
to dance in the rain
and feast on the waters from heaven.
We cannot delay
to miss the first drop of
the falling rain.