Live In The Moment

Make the most of the time you get

On this, the quiet side of tomorrow

For you do not know what lies ahead

Tomorrow may bring joy or sorrow

On this, the quiet side of tomorrow

Everything is reassuringly familiar

Tomorrow may bring joy or sorrow 

But now is not the time for fear

Everything is reassuringly familiar

This is the beauty of today

But now is not the time for fear

Don’t fritter the day away

This is the beauty of today

For you do not know what lies ahead

Don’t fritter the day away

Make the most of the time you get

*Here I've attempted a pantoum, a type of poem with a verse form consisting of three or more stanzas. It has a set pattern within the poem of repetitive lines.

The pattern in each stanza is where the second and fourth line of each verse is repeated as the first and third of the next. The pattern changes though for the last stanza to the first and third line are the second and fourth of the stanza above (penultimate). The last line is a repeat of the first starting line of the poem and the third line of the first is the second of the last.


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Waiting

I've been here before
The air flows
in my blood
The familiar scent
lingers in my breath
The streets know
the weight of my steps
The trees have cast
their shade on me

Here ... at this very spot
I have stopped
On this bench
I have rested
My fingers retrace
the pattern on the iron
just as they used to do
when I waited
for you to come to me
I sit here again
transported
to another time                                      
My soul inhabits
another home
My eyes see
another world

The moment passes
I'm jolted back into this self
In this place
so new yet so known
So much has changed
yet so much is the same
Time to move on
Still ... I sit
and still ... I wait


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Destruction

The wrecking ball
swings merrily
Tears of rubble
stream down broken walls
With each uncaring blow
a beloved childhood
home crumbles
Among the ruins
splintered shards
of treasured memories
hold a kaleidoscope
of ever-changing scenes
A joyous time
of innocent pleasures    
Sneaking out
on hot afternoons
for an ice-cold soda
Raiding the kitchen shelves
for tidbits to silence
growling stomachs
Hauling buckets of water
to cool off by the well
Lying beneath the stars
for the forbidden thrill
of listening to ghost stories              
Now the final blow lands            
the dust settles
on the good times
The past buried
but not dead
It now lives in the heart


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Nightmares

Sleep eludes my eyes
for long dark hours
it hides from me
as I seek it
desperate to escape
into the world of dreams
But when it comes
it is not restful
My eyes are now filled
with nightmares
Shadowy beings
Struggle against my eyelids
drowning in a wall of water
crashing down from nowhere            
I watch open eyed                            
in my restless slumber
Now I fight to wake
A malevolent force
forcing my eyes shut
I resist its pull
wanting only to escape
With a mighty heave
I snap into wakefulness
Drenched in sweat
I draw huge gulps of air
into my tortured lungs
and wonder why
I ever wanted to sleep


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Barriers

A wall of silence
built with the words
that froze on our lips

We've given it life

For it grows taller
each day that
we don't speak
Our apathy
makes it stronger
dividing our world
into yours and mine

Unnoticed
it has slowly crept up
and now I cannot see you

Has it really been that long
since we talked?

© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

To My Grandma

Lazy hot afternoons sitting at Grandma's feet 
Gazing up at her gentle face
Sucking on raw mango slices
Wincing at the sour taste 
made sweet by the stories she narrated
Her limpid eyes smiling 
as her gnarled hand stroked my hair
How I loved to lay my head in her lap 
Eyelids drooping as I drifted into sleep
And dreamt of the magical world she weaved out of words
Every year I waited for summer
And long train journeys that took me to her 
Her loving voice said my name in that special way
Each time I grew a little and to me it seemed she grew smaller
But her heart was still as big and her love still strong
And then, that last time
She lay immobile, a shadow of herself
Drawing one painful breath, then another 
as life ebbed slowly away
I sat by her side, held her hand
Stroked her hair, kissed her cheek
And then I cried silent tears that ran down my face unchecked
Did I ever tell you, Grandma, how much I loved you?


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Birth Chart

In the china shop of life
I’m the placid bull
I seek to preserve, not destroy
I bow to the goddess of love
who rules me with wisdom
teaches me to worship the earth
to which I belong
But my moon is the mighty
king of the jungle
Proud and just
His fire in my veins
inflames my blood
when I’m driven over the edge
Abandoning caution
I paw the earth, lower my head
ready to charge and defend the ones I love
Leaving a trail of destruction in my wake

+Written to meet this brief: Write a poem using your astrological birth chart. Use the information given in your birth chart, and create something very unique to yourself.


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

A Taste Of Royalty

On buses, trains, even on the roads
Everywhere I go I see heads bowed

I begin to feel like a queen
I think I'll enjoy my reign

I feel like I should have a throne
And an ornate embroidered gown

I hope somebody will look at me
I really want to solve this mystery

But everyone just keeps looking down
My smile is soon replaced by a frown

Something doesn't feel quite right
Why are they scared, I don't bite

Why am I getting so much respect
This must be a fantasy, I suspect

I pinch myself hard and it hurts
I stumble and fall flat in the dirt

When I look up all is clear
It's not me that they love or fear

Their gazes are on their varied gadgets
Busy with phones, iPads and tablets

My so-called reign was just a dream
Now I'm a cat without the cream

My crown and I were quickly parted
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Big City Blues

Nameless faces
Faceless bodies
reduced to cogs
in the wheel
of a frenetic city
spinning relentlessly
chewing them up 
and spitting them out
in a barren landscape
filled with looming edifices
of glass and steel
casting gloomy shadows
with their glassy eyes
Smothering the light
from dreary lives
lived like clockwork
Scurrying around
anonymously
from dawn to dusk
to make ends meet
Too caught up
in a mindless routine
to enjoy life
that passes them by
in the blink of an eye

© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Starting Anew

Even as you begin to speak 
I cut you short 
for I know what you will say
A waterfall of excuses will gush out
You will spout a stream of hollow platitudes 
Even as you begin to protest
I tell you to leave
It's time to uproot you from my life
Clear the weeds that choke my happiness
Plant the seeds of a new relationship 
Fertilise it with trust 
Water it with love
And revel as it blooms 
Like it never did with you

* Written to meet this brief: Your assignment, should you choose to accept it to begin a poem with the phrase "Even as you begin..." and see where that will take you and your poem. With so many options available in those four words, I look forward to reading what many of you will come up with. Remember, your poem has to actually start with that phrase, not have it simply as the title. 


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Trapped

Walls of fear

shackles of doubt

trap me 

in this loveless prison

whose doors 

were opened by Betrayal

urging me to step out 

and reclaim my life

Indifference showed me 

the way out

of this neglected garden

that blooms no more

Weeds of distrust

have choked its soul

leaving it barren of hope

Freedom is within reach

But not the courage 

to break free 

from invisible bonds

that keep me tied to you

I’m not brave enough 

to leap without a parachute

so do me one last favour

give me a push

or here I will stay

and die a little each day


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

To My Precious Daughter

Once you fit perfectly on my lap
and raised your chubby hands 
to plant a petal-soft touch on my face
Then you started to walk,
and you wriggled away
but you never went too far
Your eyes lit up
when you saw me
and you ran back 
and hugged my legs
as if you'd never let me go
Now you run again
But you don't look back
And when you do,
I see only the desire to break free
The bonds begin to stifle you
and I know you want me to let you soar
But how do I explain
my wish to always keep you close
to shield you from every blow
that will break your heart
keep all the darkness at bay 
and your life always bright
But I know I can't hold on
Soon I have to let you go
to discover all that life offers
Its joys and sorrows
the ups and downs
So be patient, my darling
and don't cringe when I hold you tight
Remember the warmth of my embrace
when I'm no longer near
And know that if you ever need me
I'll always be here


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Letting Go

Toes curl for a foothold

as the sands run out
beneath your feet

washed away by
an onrushing wave

Yes, it's foolhardy
to venture 

into deep waters

when you can’t swim

But inviting waters beckon
and who can resist
impetuous impulses
after a lifetime of restraint

Who wants to think 

about doing what’s right
once doubt's paralysis
loosens its grip

But then the water

rises above your head

You hold your breath

scrabbling for the earth

That moment of madness

now floods your lungs

Shouldn’t have jumped

into the deep end of life

Without an anchor

But if you stayed safe
on the shore
how would you know
the thrill of drowning
the joy of letting go

© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Rat Race

Nameless faces

Faceless bodies

reduced to cogs

in the wheel

of a frenetic city

spinning relentlessly

chewing them up 

and spitting them out

in a barren landscape

filled with looming edifices

of glass and steel

casting gloomy shadows

with their glassy eyes

Smothering the light

from dreary lives

lived like clockwork

Scurrying around

anonymously

from dawn to dusk

to make ends meet

Too caught up

in a mindless routine
to enjoy life
that passes them by
in the blink of an eye


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Time, The Artist

With a patient hand

On a once smooth face

Time draws wrinkles

that a smile teases into crinkles 

like ripples on a still lake

With a smooth stroke

on once dark hair

Time paints in white

strands that stand out bright

like stars in the night sky 

With a delicate flick

on once fair skin

Time dabs on some dots 

liberally sprinkles spots

like paint splatters on the floor

With a gentle tug

on once firm flesh

Time lovingly moulds

soft pleated folds

like slept-in silk sheets

Call it ravages of age

or the gifts of a full life

Once etched they remain

a work of joy and pain

by an artist called time


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Theatre of Life

Perched on your lofty throne up above

Looking down as life plays out 

on the stage called earth

I wonder, what is it you see

Is life a musical, full of song and dance

A relentless rhythm to which people sway

Is it a fun-filled drama of laughter and joy

Or a soap opera of complicated lives

Is it a tragic tale of crime and hate

Or a blood-soaked saga of war
I wonder, what is it you feel 

Does your smile shine down as the sun

And your tears fall as rain

Does your anger rumble as thunder

And your fury flash as lightening

Do you draw a curtain of clouds

when it gets too painful to watch

Do your eyes twinkle as the stars

when your soul is touched

Oh you, who is made of stardust

*Written to meet this brief:  A good ending can sum up the thoughts of a poem very well, and a bad ending can, well, leave a really bad taste for the reader. So, let's see how working towards a satisfying ending will work.

Oh you, who is made of stardust is how your poem MUST end. How you get there is up to you :)



© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Looking For Love

Where shall I begin to look for love?
It is everywhere ...
It scents the warm air I breathe
It colours the roses a brilliant red
It whispers in the breeze that rustles the leaves
It rises with the sun each day  
It glows gently in the moonlight

But when I reach out
It slips silently away              
I know it's gone
For there is a sudden chill in the air    
And the colour in the roses fades away
The leaves fall listlessly from the trees
The sun sets taking with it the light
And the moon does not rise tonight

Yes, love is everywhere
and nowhere
Don't look for it, it will find you
Let it go, and it may stay


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Silent Love

Take from me what you will
Everything I have is yours still
My adoration is grist for your mill
So grind it up and send me the bill
                 
I know it will be a high price to pay
But I must tell you what I never did say
So many years after you went away
I still think of you every single day

I always wished you loved me too
Deep in your heart I think you do
When I had the chance I didn't tell you
That's why I've been feeling blue

If we were together it would be great
Of course it's now too very late      
You would have been my ideal mate
 I can only blame it on fate

But if you did come back to me
And proposed to me on one knee  
You would see so clearly
How happy our life could be


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Know It All

You said you knew me better than I knew myself
I ask you now
Did you know my heart pounded when you walked into the room
Did you know I longed for you to notice me in a crowd
Did you know I hated every day when I did not see you
Did you know you meant everything to me and more
Did you know how much I wanted to hear you say you loved me
Did you know you broke my heart when you left without a word
My love, I know you didn't know me at all


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Figures Aren't Fun

My numbers never add up
To the same number twice
They say figures tell the truth
I figure it's all a pack of lies  

Oh I can multiply and subtract

But I can't do calculus and algebra
Any more and my woes multiply
I'd rather calculate stripes on a zebra

I'll count the spots on a leopard

And the spots on a cheetah too

But don't make me do geometry
Or anything tougher than two plus two 

                                                     
Decimals, fractions or percentages
I don't know what I hate most
But I think its fun to estimate             
How many legs a centipede's lost   

Even a calculator doesn't help
Big figures just confuse me more
It's obvious I have no head for sums 
When its time for math, I look for the door


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Imperfect World

I see the world

as I want it to be

perfect in every way

Love, not hate

Peace, not war

Joy, not sorrow

Health, not disease

Unity, not discord

A green earth

flourishing, flowering

People living in harmony

Unfettered by borders
But the vision dissolves
to reveal an imperfect reality

Is what I see not meant to be?

It is not clear to me

when I look

through a glass darkly

*Written to meet this brief: This week's assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write a poem that must begin with the exact phrase "I see" and the poem must end with the exact phrase "through a glass darkly."
What comes in the middle is up to you but MUST start and end with the above phrases as part of the poem not the title.


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Slow Down

There was a time

when life didn’t race

Like a high-powered car

Zooming down

Soulless highways

But meandered gently

Along leafy lanes

breathing in the aroma

Of fields and flowers

But now it zips along

at top speed

on the cold tarmac

of expressways 

that go nowhere

making no stops

in a mindless existence

breathing in fumes

that poison and suffocate

If life could just
reduce speed now

Take its foot

Off the accelerator

Get off the expressway
Continue in a lower gear

Coast down the bylanes

wind down the windows
admire the view

Stop a while

Have some fun

If life could just

Live a little


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved

Words Without A Voice

Words trip and fall
on my tongue
and melt
like the dew
in the morning sun
Another failed bid
to escape
and reveal
precious secrets  
these hapless words
have tried
many times   
to break free
They seek
to form  
on my lips
and force me
to give them
a voice   
wriggle out  
of my pen  
and pour out
my feelings
on paper
leech out
of my fingertips
poised 
on the keyboard
and wing 
my confession to you
across the virtual world
But these desperate words
are trapped in my heart
fated to be                                      
imprisoned
until they die
and set me free


© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved