Express In Eight

Hill side, caves, mutter, extreme, campsite, holiday, future

3-2-2021 Prompt words: Hillside or Voice
My view

The view I get of the hillside, a shining
lush green in the early invigorating sun
dotted with trees, sentinels guarding
nature's grace, wakes me gently up
from stupor, shatters the uncertainty,
prods me with pointers to success, a desire
to walk away from the constricting walls,
chambers of darkness to the river of light.

3-3-2021 Prompt: Images of Upturned boat or Caves
Caves of splendor

Those caves, the famous Ajanta caves
hide aesthetic depictions of the Buddhist
halls of prayerful silence and solitude.
The pictorial paintings of the past and present
lives of the Buddha makes me wonder
why the artists chose these hidden rocks
to carve and paint works of immortal art. Then,
I hear the sound of sheer music in the river-flow.

4-3-2021 Prompt: Mutter or Create
Soft indifference

Her soft mutter on quirky life
left me wondering whatever
happened to her efficient self.
A quiet surprise that her brain
is clear as the pure translucent
stream passing through the meandering
mountain path hindered by frequent
bush and boulder with equal indifference.

Creations of excellence

They create ceaseless and continuous,
the skilled weavers of India waver not
mixing color and pattern on cotton, silk
and synthetic; their looms shuttle back
and forth weaving and blending magical
beauty with fingers deft and delicate
with single minded concentration they bring
clothes of exceeding grace to millions.

5-3-2021 Prompt words: Extreme or Sparse

Ah, bitter cold it is!

On the extreme edge of the field
in the bitter cold season of winter
the country-folk gather together
to make a bonfire and sit around,
its warmth slowly making way into
their limbs and body, exchange
tales of love-lorn couples and heroes,
knights of adventure and bravery.

6-3-2021 Prompt image: Campsite.


In the lap of nature

Tall trees, shady darkness
and a clean hut made of canvas,
a flying eagle, the roar of a rushing
waterfall got us close to mother nature.

The spiraling smoke from a distance
spoke of a human habitat nearby.
Walked to the lake-shore, found a few
boats; a fishing community living in peace.

7-3-2021 Prompt image: big city lights

City lights

After months of "water water everywhere"
we finally reached a brightly lit shore ahoy!
The big city, be it New York or Rio Grande
on the Brazilian coast, a feast for the mariner's eye.

Oh, for the delights of the market, pub and people
the nightlife and the street shows, the singing
and dancing the night away till the day the ship
returns to the waiting arms of the deep sea.

8-3-2021 Prompt words: Future or Charm

Future

She has a splendid future, they said.
She has the stuff to be a doctor or an
astronaut, may be a police officer.

The future's not clear, none can see
what lies ahead until you turn the corner.
She learnt not to rely on others' opinions.

She pinned no hopes to the vague, the uncertain.
Instead, she found joy working for the present.

9-3-2021 Prompt images- dogs, the library, frayed rope

The Library

Be it night or day, the University
library has a special appeal to me.
It gave me more than a mere
glimpse into the lives and loves
of an illustrious lot of writers
beginning from Chaucer down
to Post-moderns with several other
greats in between leaving me elevated.

(10-302021 Prompt words: Thirst and Almost

Thirst

This thirst is strange, it increases, it never
wanes, this thirst to read and read more.
While she longed to lay her hands on as
many books a she could, his passion was
for practical matters such as machines,
be it a kitchen appliance or a leaking tap or
a garden hose to keep in working order.
Harmony in freedom to pursue different things.)

10-3-2021 Prompt words: Thirst or Almost.

Thirst

To quench physical thirst
is within my orbit, my reach.
To slake spiritual thirst
is entirely another matter.

I need to broaden horizons
and the first thing I must
do is to awaken my dormant
spontaneity to interact with all.

11-3-2021 Prompt: a list of movies.

Kane's tragedy

Power and money make
the most treacherous combo.
It corrupts Kane to the core'
beats his soul out to die in
heart-rending loneliness.

Too late remembering "Rosebud"
too far to get back the lost dream
of a happy childlike innocence.

Prompt: Citizen Kane

3-12-2021 Prompt words: Evening or Shallow

Stars

The evening star rises bright and beautiful
shining through the gloom of a fugitive dusk
celebrates the advent of yet another night.
The sinking sun brings on the mantle of darkness
upon a world tired of endless pursuits of pleasure.

A night nurse walks by to her night shift
helps the sick to fight the nocturnal illnesses,
to emerge like bright new stars full of hope.

3-13-2021 Prompt : Music

Music’s breath

Music’s breath on my mind and body
adrift on a world of love and beauty,
spirit bathes in the immortal shower
a melodic raga binds me in its power.

It rises like a pyramid from flat to a high
Like a damsel delicate and devoted to fly
on the wings of wind traversing the universe
spreads the scent of heavenly quintessence.

Prompt: On Music

3-14-2021

The spark

Spark of divinity makes a man worthy
in tasks and thoughts and spiritual rhythms.
Talent, latent in one and all
Should know before the candle snuffs.

Talent and skill, the two sides of the coin
Shine and show through works of art
Remembered through acts of kindness
Fantastic fellows fuel the fire of inspiration.

Based on the poem, “Wooden boats”

3-15-2021 Prompt words: Quest and Lurking

The Quest

Let's go on a quest for truth.
Shall we seek it in nature,
in books or a spiritual trip
to the so called holy cities
dotting the continents?

What can be more foolish
than searching for something
lurking in our very own soul?

3-16-2021 Prompt words: Sign or Peaches

Future

You disappeared without a sign
thinking everything would be fine.
No way could I predict future
live in the present’s my nature.

Hope all’s peaches and cream
where you found your dream
while I pine and perish in wilderness
till someone like God ends my sadness.

Prompt: sign/peaches
8 lines

3-17-2021 Prompt: Coffee beans and Atoms

Coffee

Made of coffee beans, its aroma in the vicinity.
Good natured neighbors sit in shaded balconies
enjoying coffee and scanning for the latest
gossip columns on politics, films or fine arts,
draw an extra fillip to face dreary daily grind.

Sipping hot steaming coffee in style, a favored beverage
at the book club critique or board meeting events
inspires pep talk, a means for finding new friends.

Prompt: Coffee beans
Lines: 8

3-18-2021
A clue

The dark chasm between the two of us
insurmountable by any means
your side is lit bright with dance and song
I am in a grey forest where beasts throng

I can't guess you are out of my reach
I wonder if there’s a way to fill the breach
sooner or later there should be a clue
for the parallels to meet, end the issue.

Prompt words: Between/ Reach
Lines: 8


Holiday


Between work and family
there is no time for hobbies.
Yearly holiday helps them
find space for each one
pursuing things of beauty,
live on remembered moments
of peace and pleasure to last
a year, till the next gala.

Prompt: Between
Lines:8


20-32021 Prompt: Write a poem beginning with the same letter.

Time for change

Today the wind caresses me soft and smooth
Tiny buds toss their heads welcoming the warmth
Trees turn green and start shedding the brown
Tops of the mountain ranges wear white cloud hats.
The blue sky looks singularly serene, a flock of birds
Takes to wing in geometrical formations row upon row.

There is something superb about the season of spring
The entire nature celebrates the onset of love and joy.