Invitation

My name she whispers, ever so softly.

Her fingers, they caress me.

Calling me, she has been, forever.

Her invite, it tempts me.

Seduction is her game. I thought I had seen through it and had gone past all of it, but, I think I shall fall prey soon. She’s a free spirit who taunts my bondage. She‘s a wily witch who promises to show me the pleasures of a free run. Of her capabilities, I have no doubts. For, she has the ability to take me to places I have never been to. But, I had never considered it worthy. I loved my values. I loved belonging to someone. But, now, when I am old and wrinkled, I have doubts if I am wanted here any longer.

“Do not resist me”, she says in her honey voice.

I look back at the life I spent, of the memories bygone. All my youth I have watched her sway around me, trying to lure me. It’s true that I flirted with her, swayed to a few tunes too; but, I had scoffed, even laughed at her dejected face when I rejected the offer to join her.

“One day, you will, just like the others”, she had smirked at me.

My end is near. And I knew the time has come, to let go off myself, to accept her invitation. It is better to drink the beauty of her companionship, one last time, rather than to see an abrupt end.

She smiled victoriously for she had attracted yet another victim.

Gently, she caressed me as I held her waist, swirling sweet tango. Breaking my bond with my abode, I took off with her, for a final dance, for a rendezvous, quivering because of the fierce passion she exhibited.

Accepting her invitation was worth the sights and the pleasures she had to offer. Contentment, I felt.

“Rest in peace”, the autumn breeze whispered as she blew the dried maple leaf to the nearby lake.

***

Inspiration : The photo below posted by a colleague Gopalakrishna Hariharan in SLR Bulletin Board of my company.

Thank you for permitting me to share it :)

Plus the dancing peepal leaves that I saw near the IIIT junction. (Being caught in traffic sometimes has advantages :D)

PS : This post has a guest entry contributed by an angel which I shall share in the next post !

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Something was different today.

This was not the first time that I sat with him.

How many times had we sat on the fresh green carpet in nature’s lap leaning against the tree overlooking the pond?  Countless.

Yet, something was different today.

He dint forget to greet me by my nickname.

  Yet, something was different today.

I punched on his tummy like I always did when I greeted him. 

Yet, something was different today.

He dint forget to bring my favorite chocolate and cream donuts. It has been a ritual.

  Yet, something was different today.

I mumbled how good they tasted while I dug into the donuts and even dropped a few crumbs all over my dress, while the chocolate syrup stuck around my chin and cheeks as usual.

  Yet, something was different today.

I bent my head to lean onto his shoulder, like I always did when something troubled me.

Yet, something was different today.

His head dint lean back on mine. Neither did he brush away the crumbs off my face.

Nothing had changed over the past 14 years. We came here every Sunday. This was our spot. The tree by the pond. We discovered it ages ago and we had even made our mark on the bark of the tree as kids. Every single tree in this park, every blade of grass, ever petal of the flowers, and every ripple in the pond knew us.

But today, they seemed to alienate us. Like they were mourning something.

The pond was still. It was very different. I threw a pebble into the water trying to disturb its penance, trying to make it look normal, trying to set everything right.

And I heard those words “Alicia, I am leaving for university tomorrow. I won’t promise that I will keep in contact because over the time I might not be able to. I won’t promise that I will be there for you always because I might not be able to be there for you when you need me. I won’t promise that I will come back for you because I might change. I won’t promise to address you as a hedgehog whenever I see you because I might see you as a lady, almost a stranger a few years from now. I won’t promise something I won’t be able to keep up. All I promise is to hold your memories close to my heart, for you have been my best friend over the years.”

But he hadn’t uttered a single word.

The only sound was the plopping pebbles in the pond emanating cascading golden ripples by the setting sun.

He wrapped my hand around his like countless other times.

 Yet, something was different today. Or maybe forever !

****

P.S : Inspired from a real place but a slightly different context :)

Pic courtesy : weheartit.com 

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A dip

The river’s garment,

A shimmer exquisite,

Disturbed.

As was the sky’s skin,

By the sun’s rays.

Ripples that cascade,

By her white cloth, they collide.

Tiny droplets they drip,

From the tip of her nose,

To her aching bosom.

The drapes embrace,

Her painful longing.

Chastity.

Holy waters,

She dips again.

Cleansing off thoughts,

Classified murky.

Washing away desires,

Considered lecherous.

With every sunrise,

They dwindle.

Millions of droplets,

Have fallen,

From the tip of her nose,

now wrinkled,

To her aching bosom,

now sagging.

What of her aching bosom?

Memories of desires they hold, 

of an infant that once feasted, 

of a husband who once rested.

All compounded into earth’s bosom.

****

Inspiration : A picture I saw posted in my company album.

Image source : ibtimes.com

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Cigarette

The vehicles zip by and the crimson embers engulf by a millimeter.

He has a cigarette in his right hand, clutched between his fingers, dying away, almost past the filter.

He has a cigarette in his right hand, clutched between two of his fingers, even as his dark skin burns in the hot sun.

He has a cigarette in his right hand, clutched between two of his fingers, even as his dark skin burns in the hot sun,
 while he just wears a small blue cloth for a half lungi.

He has a cigarette in his right hand, clutched between two of his fingers, even as his dark skin burns in the hot sun, while he just wears a small blue cloth for a half lungi,
with a few coins astray on a small handkerchief spread in front of him.

He has a cigarette in his right hand, clutched between two of his fingers, even as his dark skin burns in the hot sun, while he just wears a small blue cloth for a half lungi, with a few coins astray on a small handkerchief spread in front of him,
even as dust settles on his thick unkempt beard as the vehicles whizz by him.

The others bring forth their hands to cover their nostrils but he..
He has a cigarette between his fingers of his lone limb.

 Every person, has a story; I do not know what is his. Sympathy is the last thing I have for this triple amputee.

More than 24 hours since I saw him, a slave to his addiction , and this poignant picture of the addiction just doesn't go away. :( :(

*** 

And this post was an attempt to get the infesting image out of my system.. Apologies for perplexing you guys with a meaningless write up !

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Malevolence

Under Evil's shadow,

they assemble!

Sons of inhumanity

And daughters of greed..

Satanic verses,

Sardonic tunes,

Venomous breaths

Selfish intentions

Malevolent desires..

Under superstition’s blanket,

they assemble!

Brothers of greed

And sisters of inhumanity..

Atrocious rancor,

they embrace..

Auspicious rumble,

they await..

To feed to a raging fire, 

A wailing suckling!

***

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Flowers - 55fiction #3

Taking one tiny footstep at a time, she crawled up the hill, to find the flowers of every color she wanted. Red, pink, yellow, orange and even blue! Picking two of each, she traced back her path, content.

Her father had finally returned from the war.

Smiling, she carefully laid her collection on his coffin !

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Sanctity

                                                                                                                                  

Sanctity is not defined by your actions but instead by your thought and the purity of your soul!

----

In deep slumber, there she was, lying like an angel amidst white and blue sheets.
The heave of her chest as she took long breaths while lost in dreamland, he could clearly see.
But, it was time for him to go, to leave her side again like every other day and head to another world .

She opened her eyes as he stretched out hand met the empty side of the bed to nothingness.
The sun’s rays caressed her skin, creating warmth enough to fight the harsh cold morning breeze.
But, she chose to keep her eyes shut, to gather warmth from his image that she saw in her dreams.

**

As the sun wore its evening clothes and the stars gathered around to see it vanish in the horizon, she crossed the streets, seemingly unbothered about the cat calls and lewd comments. She knew that her image was being violated in the filthy minds of these people but she preferred to not think of it even thought it perturbed her, subconsciously.

**

He sat there, in the dark corner, preferring to look at her eyes while the others ogled at her gyrating body.  While the others tried to lure her by offering wads of notes, he lured her with his heart. But, she kept her distance away from him, if only physically, as she circled around them in seemingly obscene yet graceful movements!

She got teens of offers being the prettiest of the lot, but when she stepped out of the green room, after washing away the thick layers of makeup, while the beads of sweat still clung to her, reminding her of the act, she could see him awaiting for her like every other night, to cleanse her mind just like the gentle breeze cleansed her off her sweat and toil, while she sat behind him on his bike.

**

Their love was one of a kind, as pure as the dew drops that the cold mornings left, as pure as the breeze that the mountains summoned, as pure as the silver beam of moonlight, as pure as the silent hearts of the twinkling stars. Only that, the world refused to see it. To the world, their relationship was adulterous and immoral even! 

As they lay holding hands, conversing silently, the night witnessing the sanctity of their pure relationship as opposed to the several other society defined yet impure relationships, he leant over and whispered “Will you marry me?”

The silence that followed reverberated louder than any cacophony but all she said was “Yes” forgetting for just one minute that she had mouths to feed who solely depended on her, while he made a silent promise that he wouldn’t come in whatever way she chose to live for her own reasons which he perfectly understood and respected!

 ***

Some relationships, we might not see clearly, but each of them have their own purity !

****

P.S : Happy proposal day !

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The letter !

Her fragrance is fresh and rejuvenating. Her purity evident from the way she looks.

I feel a sense of divinity engulf me as I look upon the beauty that she is.

Each layer of hers adds to the mystery and to her, beauty.

She has the immense capability to hurt the one who gets close to her.

Yet, it seems that she has been revered since eternity!

I had always wondered why she was the most chosen one.

I had pondered, amused at times even looking at the attention she managed to grab every time.

I look at her closely, not for the first time. But, my questions vanish. Feelings of doubt?

Not today, not now, for I am in love!

**

I am in love with the rose that rests in my hand. I am in love with its deep red color, with the beautiful layers that it has encompassing a feeling inexplicable, with the water droplets that rests on the layers, with its long green stalk.

For, today, I finally understand why it is used as a symbol of love. It is like love itself, alluring you towards the feelings it can create, and it is like love itself because it has the capability to hurt you with its thorns. It symbolizes love perfectly - the magic and the hurt!

And what's a better gift than this to symbolize what feelings I garner for you?

Especially that you yourself are like a flesh bloom of rose. You stand, firm, tall and beautiful, with a strong foothold and no airs around, as delicate and as sensitive as the rose. A harsh breeze or a rough handling, can crumble it, just what I did to you often and sometimes you showed me the power of thorns with your actions. But somehow, you stood by me, helping me pave my way to success.

Today, when I look back, I see how little I cared for you, of how easily I kept myself away from this beautiful feeling of love.

When I see the young man over there, hold his girl's hands, looking into her eyes while she smiles, I realize what I have missed.

Today, knowing the truth, it is different. I always thought I was habituated by your presence and only felt affection for you other than the sense of responsibility I had. Knowing, you are going to be gone forever, I am scared.

Thankfully it is better late than never. Because I know the power of it !

"I love you."

Thirty two years since I saw you in the bridal wear, that too only after I tied the knot and it is strange that I have taken so many years to tell you this little thing that I am in love with you. The three words aren't sufficient to let you know how much I am in love with you  - in love with your grey eyes that express every feeling I can understand, in love with your high cheek bones that support the most beautiful smile, in love with your strong will, in love with your stubborn nature for putting your foot down when I am wrong, for fighting with me when I hurt you or ignore you, for giving a taste of my own bitter medicine at times, and for making up for being too harsh on me, for curing my ailments with your tender touch, for standing by me even after youth and strength have deserted me.

As the youngsters today inch closer to celebrate the supposed day of love, I promise to inch closer to celebrate days of love- every single day starting from this day!

Happy rose day, my darling wife !

When you finish reading this letter, you can find me in our garden, planting a rose sapling so that I can present to you a bloom of rose along with my love, affection and my entirety every single day!

Loads of love,
your aged new Romeo ;)

****

P.S: Years after shunning the entire V-day concept of encapsulating love (something I believe needs more than a single day) in a day and all the other days that precede that, something hit me today and I am all mushy-gushy, thankful and what not !!

So here, I dedicate this post of mine to my loved ones, who are extremely dear to me, and who have taught me so much about love, affection,care,emotions and nurtured me to be the person I am.

Happy Rose day !

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An evening

An extensive magic canvas, 
Streaks of pink, orange and blue,
Silhouettes of birds flying across the red sun,
By the magic of the enchanting evenings he was awed,
As the cold breeze caressed him, he drew his scarf closer.
The passing  footsteps were not the sound he heard, 
Instead, it was the clank of the coins of alms.
Memorized visions from his childhood,
Was all his blind eyes could see!

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The plunge !

A note : Some ideas just come and you feel the need to express them in a particular way. Most of the times, I write without a particular plot in my head, just going along with the flow of thoughts, letting my fingers type out whatever comes in my head and however it comes out. Here's one attempt in a form a writing that I personally feel that I am not good at. Hoping you all enjoy the read !

The plunge

An escape from tentacles,
Of shackles of boundaries,
The fight to free themselves,
From the withholding barricades.

A journey of success,
To a destiny they had wished for.
A splash and a scream penetrated their world.
Haplessness and distraught was all around!

The pained anxious eyes,
A moment was suffice,
The trodden path spiraled in jeopardy.
A brave heart for an undying sacrifice!

A subtle touch,
A gentle nudge,
An eye lock of assurance
Was all it took.

Taking a dive he plunged deep,
The needle ticked,
Yet time stood still,
The heart beats raced.

Muttered prayers,
Divine promises,
Clasping hands,
Binding love !

Amidst lapping waves,
Fighting the clutches of death
Dragging a little boy,
He emerged victorious.

Bargaining for life,
Battling against fate he returned
To an ecstatic proud lover;
and a little boy to a thankful mother !

**

Courage is the ability to take a plunge, knowing very well that you might have to sacrifice the trophy of your previous battle!

***

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