- So yeah

- what?

- so yeah

- what?

- the war

- what?

- the world war

- you're crazy

- think so?

- wanna bet?

- the war boy, the war, hellyeah do

- well shoot ye'self

- man, oh man.

Jawans

There are our jawans, brave but tarnished

On the frontiers and Siachen glacier, they toil and spend.

Months of varying temperature shower upon them

Yet they stand with immunity and what with their grace!

Yes, now, few do peek at the nameless question:

They, no doubt have a family; their children must be proud?

It sparkles very commonly now: India and Pakistan

Brothers but bloody brothers, sigh, what future intends us?

Their truth, our truth; claims and disclaims; fiction and non-fiction

If this is what we are headed to, we cannot be better dressed.

Deep hurt. Who is so much? Government? People? Paper or trees?

No. Would not so much hurt us straight. Later. The children on the horizon.

Peace and harmony is the solution; much heard, goes unseen.

They sacrifice, we deliver only for happy sleep and avarice.

Debates, blame-politics, insufferable-confronts, tweets, comments

Pour and out-pour. The gloom over us, to be extinguished

Is only fumed further.

I fell in love

but I never told

sat back—

and wrote morose.

I was romantic

from the beginning

nobody noticed,

sat back—

and they labeled me stupid.

How it changes,

how everything changes,

you do not see it

neither do you feel,

you just look back

and wonder how different it is.

I asked—

why be so reflective?

life is meant and needs must be,

accept or deflect

or straightaway be a fugitive.

How factual,

how practical

it is

today;

I love you,

I love you too, babe:

End scene.

Rajmachi Trek

In mist and drizzle
On rugged mountains of Sahyadris
Dew from leaves did trickle
We walked away
The path ahead unclear.

The ground was seething
With greenish turf
Cliff, at all times teasing
Beckoning forward
Dare did not we, freezing.

Flooded with Sonki, Wild flowers
With waterfalls we took selfies
The paranormal wind, mind-blower
Maggie-junctions and laid-back foreigners
Our spirits did tower.

Many a balance gave away
When we tread on grease
And boulders heavy.
To photograph every beguile
I did long tarry.

Our mouths blew smoke
Chill outstripped us
Bare were we, lacking cloaks
Accomplished our feat
With feet tire-soaked.

A Marathi house welcomed us
With rice, chapatti, lentils
Group was in general buzz
I moaned at the taste
We did not part without fuss.

Same pursued path
Awaited us, seemed longer
Climbing down was apace
Chikkis, sugar-coated chocolates
Devoured; trains headed us home
Kissed goodbyes, murmuring
“This memory will last.”