Sangeetha Kamath

                                 SENRYU Soft melancholy wayfarer muse drifting in the mind howls and weeps dewdrops of thoughts glide the mysteries of the heart sleepless night, moongaze! cold grasp of shackles from these dungeons I escape conquer all the wraiths  dwell in the present  moonlit ripple in the lake  the breeze lulls again  still moment of zen bathe my mind in mild pastel solitude finds friend  Pic Courtesy: Soul Craft Poetry  ©️ Sangeetha Kamath  A SENRYU is a Japanese form of poetry which follows a 5-7-5 syllable count just like a Haiku. But, where a Haiku is all about nature poetry, a Senryu addresses human emotions and relationships.

                     BIRD-OF-PARADISE  "Yikes! Mandy! What have you done to your hair, you brat?!" Mom's jaws dropped to the floor and her temper hit the roof! How I enjoyed being a rebel in this 'madhouse'. "Yes ma'am, it's what I wanted to do for a long time now. If you don't like it, well, sorry, I'm not sorry!" I flashed her a defiant grin. Mother looked on, aghast. Yes I had gone to the salon and they did a perfect hack-job out of my long, golden, silken tresses. The hairdresser did have second thoughts as my hair cascaded through her fingers. "Miss, are you sure?"  "Most certainly I am. Just do it!"  Finally, I would show everyone that I'm no goody-two-shoes.  Mom was raving mad, pacing the floor and fuming away. "Look at you, you punk! And your jazzed up hair with shocking purple, neon green and garish blue! Spiked like a porcupine or what…what…" She was sputtering a lot and losing it.  "... y...

                            TANKA Fiery wands blazing Crisp zephyr of October Long walks hand in hand Autumn rings in nostalgia Of young love mellowed steadfast. (The format is a verse of exactly 5 lines with syllable count of 5-7-5-7-7. I used the counter on howmanysyllables.com) Pic Courtesy: Soul Craft Poetry Art: CA Pooja Kabra ©️ Sangeetha Kamath 

                     CRACKLE N'GLOW  It was bonfire night! The winters were delightfully cold and the warmth from flames was equally welcome. As the sparks flew into the night sky like orange-gold stars in the hope to meet their diamond brethren, the flames crackled and danced away in celebration of this star-studded night. The winter chill sizzled as the golden halo spread heat on our palms and in our hearts. The fiery orange in our backyard made it seem like the sun had settled in there instead of disappearing behind the mountains.  Dad chopped the branch of fir into twigs with precise rhythmic swings of his axe. Mother set up chopping boards and sliced potatoes into thick circular wedges, wrapped them in foils along with sweet snow peas and tossed them into the bonfire. How my brothers and I loved roast potatoes as midnight suppers. Our faces had lit up with the frisson of pure joy on that starry December night. It was ...

                               DESERTED The warm grainy expanse was all there was after being hit by a massive sandstorm. It must have been a tsunami of crusty winds blowing into their eyes and lungs. Half the city is buried underneath this sandy grave. What we call ground level now used to be the 10th floor of a high rise! Seems like an apocalypse had struck them. There's only one big orange sky, hot summers and an endless stretch of nothingness as far as the eyes can see. Inside this derelict, abandoned structure are hulking sand dunes around which I have to maneuver. What a wreck! The doors are almost dangling out of their hinges and the windows are totally non-existent. Where was everyone? There was no escape from this desert-baked town. We've been sent on a rescue mission but I think we all have to return with a heavy heart. There's unlikely to be any survivors here…what a terrible way to go! The draper...

                                             DESTINATION  Meandering through the infinitely verdant hills, valleys and dales Is a road that leads from a bustling city to where you always are… Fringed with wildflower shrubs of hues so bright and rare Stretching endlessly towards a cozy hearth and home Soaking many golden sunrays and silvery moonbeams under a starlit dome Giggling with mirth, we had with a bounce in our step strode Played hopscotch to the beat of nursery rhyme jingles or the bicycles we untiringly rode Hot summery days and on cool wintry nights,  On these familiar paths, we knew every curve,turn and crossroads alright! In the bleak and ashen night as I sit on these curbs Exploding in the heavens are a billion stars giving me eternal hope The road most travelled can't be erased from my soles, oh never! The weary always find their way back home, the ...

                   TICK-TOCK...TICK-TOCK  Somewhere over the Atlantic, a violent storm shakes a Boeing 747. The pilot is giving it his best shot to navigate. Driving rains come down in sheets and the storm has whipped up into a wild frenzy. The powerful gales toss the plane like a stray kite. Panic stricken screams and cries from children and adults alike rent the air. Outside, a wing is up in flames, fast engulfing the windows.There's an explosion in the cockpit. A short circuit has ripped the engines off with a bang. The plane is losing altitude by thousands . 10000 ft  Jamie faces her worst fears! Oxygen masks drop down and she takes a deep gulp… Is this how I'm fated to die? 7000 ft Time itself slows down.  I'd read that a crash in the waters had a similar impact of that of the ones on concrete…. I’d read it takes 170 seconds for a plane to plummet to its doom from 30000ft. 5000 ft Inside, there is a crunch of glass, s...

Theme: Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining                               DAZZLE There is a soft song in the blue swell As the surfs rise to kiss the shores with a lacy frill The ocean tide soothes the sun-warmed grains and brings in treasures as well! Seashells, barnacles, pebbles and gifts from the depths On a rare occasion, an ancient bottle, a scroll within and a message etched... Every cloud has a silver lining it was printed in bold Ignite your zeal and zest, pave your way on the road of gold Even in times of turmoil and despair, victorious you will emerge, you must say! Enjoying every moment doing what you do,  Inviting good fortunes with prayers and fortitude Never think you can't achieve, you surely will, you can, if you put your mind to it Under the moon and starry skies, revel in your glory with all your might Don't be dejected or be affected by naysayers Rejoice in your talents and efforts! Every dark...

SASS IN THE CITY The masks that she wears, her face that emotes like a marionette were desperate measures to fit into a world which doles out cookie-cutter shapes and commands her to conduct herself. She's always on a tight leash.  When she led from the front, they called her domineering. When she zipped her lips, they called her a snob! When she laughed, she was labelled raucous, when she spoke her mind, they called her violent. Strong words, yes? Violent?…Huh! When she was aloof, they walked all over her, when she rose to the fore and showed them their place, they said she had 'flaw in character' or a 'lack of it!' Strong words again or maybe they 'lack knowledge of the English vocabulary'! She lived in a world where cliques, clouts and nepotism were rife. If you didn't fit in or fit in right, consider yourself as thrown to the wolves as black as the night. Keyboard cowards don't intimidate her. People-pleaser she wasn...

WHAT A SPREAD Running a cafe was no cakewalk… Breakfast had to be huge! A meal fit for a king. The coffee was brewing. The bitter rich aroma wafting in the kitchen set the tone for the day of  zip n' pep. The butter knife glinted in the early morning golden sheen which filtered through the east facing window. Four cranberry wholemeal buns were set to toast in the oven. The pan on the stove was broiling with scrambled eggs lightly salted and garnished with freshly ground pepper.  With that checked, next in line were pancakes. The batter was whisked briskly to make it smooth and fluffy. Blueberries! Halved, and a smattering of these blue beauties on top of it gave it the right tang and zest. The griddle was searing hot and it sizzled as the pancakes were cooked to a golden brown. A plateful of them heaped and drizzled with maple syrup would be the perfect centrepiece. The day was hot and humid. Sweltering in the tiny kitchen was inevitable. The customers would be pour...