Two free verses

Ugly


I was born ugly.
I was told so
And I believed so.
Reminded constantly
By my friends and family---
I am ugly.

Yet mom loved me.
She had no other choice.
I was her flesh and blood.

So she protected me,
Like the big black hen,
Putting me under her wings
Every now and then.

She never had hopes for me,
That I too can be loved.
And I believed so---
Ugly things can’t be loved.

So when he asked
The guy who could not see
All I saw
Was his ugliness.
I shrunk away,
My heart an ugly black stone.
I can’t see or hear beauty,
Unlike the guy who could not see.

He had never known beauty
Or the definition of ugly
For him such measures
Matters not.

But all I see is ugly.
Not just my looks
But my mind too
Has turned ugly.

And with this ugly mind
I continue to search for love.

No wonder I can’t find it
For love is not ugly
Which I keep seeing
Love is pure and beautiful,
Beyond my understanding.

Thus love fails to touch my heart
Which is rotten and smelly.
Ugly is my name and
Ugly is my fate and
With death do we part.


It is okay


Don’t do that.
I know you are hurt.
Let me dress your wound.
If not let me
Not hurt you again.
But don’t do that.

Don’t let hate overwhelm you,
Fill your heart with poison,
Push you out of life,
Scratch at the face of love.

Run away, shout, clench your teeth.
It is okay.
I am here for you -------- for myself.

But I won’t be here for long
Or forever.
Neither will you.

But here,
Hold my hand for now,
As long as you can.
Don’t be afraid.
It won’t hurt you.
I have promised never to
Let anyone hurt you again.

But promise you won’t hate
Submit to hatred,
Sell your heart to the devil,
Who cooks up hatred.

Promise you will love
Laugh again
Play and smile in the sun
Even in the darkest of the nights.

Promise you will be by my side
Even if you are afraid
Or even if I am.
We will be there for each other
Talking away our fear.

Tell me you wont leave
And neither will I.
No promise required
So signing ceremony.
For life is too short
Let us not waste it,
In fear and in hate.

Let us--- you and me
Find out what else is there.
For us, for everyone
For you, for me
For our future
Which remains unknown.

Just don’t say
You don’t care
Just don’t
Break my heart
Or yours
They are already broken
And restraint
Won’t help.

Just come here and hold my hand
And everything will be okay.