Sangeetha Kamath

                           THE BLUE ROSE  On the edge of a thicket were wild roses of the rarest blue Shining like a sapphire when drenched in crystal clear dew No beauty is without its flaws Blue rose had sprouted vicious, prickly thorns Birds and butterflies shunned it with all their might The village folk wanted it out of their sight! Cursed they said and left it alone It's beauty was evil and petals surely venom Turning skywards, Blue Rose whimpered Why did you create me so, to be isolated? The heavens smiled and showered it with sprinkles of rain You don't know your power yet, you're an elixir, not a bane Blue rose didn't know but it held a sacred secret It was no sorcerer but held the ambrosial nectar most sweetest Turning indigo by night this was a magical bloom Exuding a prized aroma and holding a mythical perfume Only the brave and true of heart deserves you, Blue Rose You're my dear child and I hold you...

                      TOWER OF LIGHT  Rising magnificent and tall like a citadel A tower of hope stands on craggy land like a sentinel Warning the ships of of rugged rocks and shoreline The glimmering light through fogs and rolling mists shine In the swell of the storm and on the edge of gales Unsuspecting ships in the darkness sail Thrashed mercilessly by a tempestuous sea To take refuge in a safe harbor is all they seek Rooted in resilience with swirling light beams It's a compass on the uncharted ocean Keeping a watch over bays and coves It's a welcoming sight when the moon goes out Hammered wildly by crashing waves savage Bolts of lightning it withstands along with the merciless sun's ravage When my mast is battered and sails are torn My spirit is heavy and heart is worn I seek my own lighthouse shining a mellow ray Leading me back on course when I'm astray Steering me from purple choppy waters to shell-pink daybreaks My ar...

                          PAUL WILLIAMS  It was an extremely humid and tiring afternoon. I had just wrapped up my work and had arrived home to crash on my bed  and rest my pounding head. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, the phone blared!!! My annoyance reached mercurial levels as my much needed rest was disrupted. As clear as day, it was a scam call from a 'Paul Williams' telling me that his records show that my router was being used for illegal activities!  Ah heck, ah! All these terms are lost on me when overused by over intellectual front desk callers. What router?! What server?!  His fake accent was the icing on the cake. My temper knew no bounds, for, how dare he think that I would get intimidated, crumble and become a nervous wreck. How dare he think that I was naive enough to believe him! Well, it was just not 'Paul Williams' day and he would never know what hit him when I had reduced him to...

                            TREE FAIRY Pine, Juniper, Spruce and Fir Shamrock and jade abound where nothing is astir The leaves flutter and shrubs rustle Home in the tropical jungle is my emerald castle Vines and creepers wreath my roof askew All around my cottage is a fortress of sturdy  bamboo Archways of bougainvillea and bowers with begonia Moss covered rocks and lichen exude a woodsy aroma Courtyards and patios are bathed in puddles of green Sunbeams dance on this dappled path in incandescent sheen Welcoming me are cozy armchairs and shelves with books A warm homely kitchen and snuggly reading nooks Macaws and Toucans chirp and twitter Hedgehogs, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits scurry and scatter Cozy lantern lights and patches of moonlight Specks of silver makes it a magical night Orchids and bromeliads bloom under a sky of lavender sheen Sweet summer grass and ferns are dressed in turquoise green  Surro...

                 SHADOWS AND ECHOES  Your eyes speak volumes and your songs are a divine serenade  The silences between us are a sweet echo of things unspoken and unsaid Upon the sun-warmed beaches we had built sandcastles, courtyards, turrets and towers Snapshots are in frames as we picked seashells or in the sand, carved our names with flowers  Swathed in silks my hair had shimmered like diaphanous pixie wings under the autumn moon Your eyes radiant like chatoyant jewels had glittered with hues of the ocean and water lilies in bloom Summer had turned to fall and then to frigid winter There arrived one fine day, your much awaited letter: Saying, let me be your wishing star and a safe harbor Herein I will moor my ship dropping my anchor If my world was a palette of paint, you are the blue of my sky  The red of my hopes, the gold of my sunshine and green of my joy As I read your words the stars dazzled and danced beside t...

                            THE REACH Bouncing waves of rhythmic symphony And rolling tides of melody  Thundering crescendo of an Aria; Rapture of a new found love in a dulcet opera or Rhapsody of the healing heart with a soothing orchestra   Drives thousands of tapping feet to the sound of my amplified voice As I bring back nostalgia flooding them with memories;their eyes sparkling and moist  Gripping the microphone in my palms gives me a heady high as I breeze around  The power of my words waltz to the beat of the cheering crowd Bright lights and a festooned stage All eyes are on me to see me perform; I'm the current pop idol and rage. ©️ Sangeetha Kamath  Pic Courtesy: Image by Moondance from Pixabay

                                 GANAPATI  Oh Gajanana ! Elephant-headed highest ranking God worshipped by the sages,  I bow to thee, Umaputra commanding an army of angels He's Omkara, a deity invoked at the beginning of new endeavours He's Vignaharta the remover of obstacles and provider of divine favours Ekadanta with a broken tusk denoting sacrifice and retaining the good Holding his favourite modhaks in one palm, an extremely soft and chewy sweet food They're the rewards and fruits of your hard labour He urges you to work with determination and ardour The axe is to severe worldly attachments While the Mooshik is a tempting desire, causing havoc with illusory entrapments  Bestower of eternal bliss, happiness and joy Muktidaya, banish evil from this world and with your power–destroy! Om Shri Ganeshaya Namah My protector Mangalmurti, beholder of bhakti, moksha and dharma ! ©️ Sangeetha...

                           CHRYSALIS We are given a winter stark white, freezing, bare and cold It's where we lie huddled and hibernating to emerge in the spring sunshine of gold In a chrysalis mucky and sticky, we are harshly torn apart and reduced to a pulp  Only to create a new version of ourselves with bold and bright results The mountains are high and the slope is steep The gorges and valleys are an abyss dark and deep We walk through rings of fire and carpets of splintered glass Braving gales and storms of taunts and barbs It's a garden of thorns and prickly nettles A test and trial to prove our mettle Life is a rushing blur and the grass on the other side is greener  Out of scattered ruins, perseverance can change history and raise an empire  You are not crippled, shackled or restrained Revel in the pause, you're just delayed True strength blooms from resilience and not on a bed of roses A diamon...

                        FEATHER LIGHT Life is not a straight line,  It's full of twists and turns; throwing you a curve ball fine! Find your stable, calm space,  Stop worrying about what people say without grace... They haven't lived a day of your life,  Don't deplete your energy in strife Walk away from squabbles, drama and toxicity,  Untangling knots you didn't tie isn't your responsibility! Close the chapters, close the entire book---begin a new one Scratch out characters who don't belong  You'll find new ones who resonate with your song! Expectations are a disaster recipe for disappointments  You belong to yourself, prioritize your commitments Be happy for no reason Look for rainbows or an argent cloud in rainy season Find joy in things that light your soul on fire Chase your dreams like a live wire! Disconnect from everything that doesn't nourish you spiritually  Find solace in nature, yo...

                      MOTHER-O'-MINE  Millions of stars sparkle in my eyes when I see your face You are my sun, my sunshine and all it's radiant rays Myriad of emotions sweep away my heart O mother-o'mine you're always on my mind although oceans apart… Tantrums and tempers of mine you have tolerated without a frown Heartstrings of mine are tugged when I see you've aged, silver tresses now your crown! Ephemeral may be your outer beauty but your radiance shines from a heart full of love Reminiscing my childhood days gives me a frisson of joy come rain or hail from above… Yesteryears of halcyon days make me nostalgic Once upon a time the serene life was so fun and fantastic... Under the pearly moon and twinkling stars you told me tales of kings and princes majestic! Mellifluous were your songs, mischievous were your eyes... Evergreen was your enthusiasm, and so delectable your cakes and pumpkin pies! Awaiting the day to come home ...

                             GILDED TALES Magic, mystic and animals who can talk Fairies, pixies, sprites and nymphs dancing on dainty barley stalks Princesses drenching in glimmering starlight Drinking nectar dewdrops in the shimmering moonlight A fantasy or fable oh so surreal Tales of utopia with Unicorns, Centaurs, Pegasi or even underwater as the mermaid Ariel  Princes and kings with stronghold castles and a flourishing kingdom Blessed with good looks and an unwavering wisdom Curses, hexes, adventures and sorcerers Pirates, wizards, giants and all the shapeshifters As Rapunzel, they locked you in a high tower As Snow-white and Aurora they put you to sleep, like a delicate flower Cinderella was the miserable waif She needed a prince to keep her safe A Knight in shining armor always comes to the rescue of a hapless damsel But we forget that the evil witch was done away with by mere children Hansel and Gre...