The tyranny of the big over the littler souls
Is never a thing of the past
Harmony in nature?
Perhaps the world’s most forceful paradox

Laws permit the lion to gobble the sheep
The cattle to feed on the lush green leaves
then there are always miscreants to weed
and the unsuspecting titans, the mighty and prickly cacti

What disgrace and what wounds might they suffer
When the mighty mango tree falls on its succulent tender limbs
Those bodies that withstood the stoic June heat
The August rain and the dry, chilly new year
And innocently look forward to a serene virginal spring

Those that have braved the spells of drought
And have sharpened their veins to keep the enemy at bay
And then…all of a sudden…
Crushed under the weight of the cracking cut branches
How selfish is the mange tree now-
No more the beauty of fruit or shade
Now, its minutes are numbered
It blushes greener, fells the cacti anyway

Both lie there now, grasping for a life, cut short
Wait, there is still gasping
Restoration is yet possible
The keepers lament the loss, and plug the final strings
Too difficult to maintain the unchaste cost

In the name of the lord, the father, the creator
The joyful and caring planter, the gardener,
Who too fatal fate didn’t spare
Harmed? Never; displaced? Never
Now impudent hands (and feet)
Carelessly and willingly mangle and trample

Hope not, however, to blame the mango tree
It murdered, but fell to the knife too
Price to harbor pestering and festering unruly elements
Now writ is the new old law of nature
The tyranny of the big over the lesser souls
Will be re-iterated again n again n again.


4/12/06
On the day when the neighbors cut down their tree and let it fall upon the cactus rockery. In spite of being home, there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. Silenced, by the bigger men, she shouted but could not be heard.

Matched

By the day that had to be the day
The clouds began to scurry away
Light seated itself in every dark corner
Halted upon a lonely wanderer.

Two pairs of eyes looked at each other
Turned away, then glanced together
One of two hearts began to flutter
Second one though could have done better.

Then two faces gleamed in the sun
Shy smiles stood in lines to run
Self-conscious route they took
Stopped for lunch, playing by the book.

All to win and nothing to lose
One tongue did hurriedly cruise
In spite of attempts desperate to catch up
The second one just couldn’t match up.

One had fun, needless to say
The other’s heart had been stolen away
What was to happen who knew
A story was set aside to brew.

What put in doubt was a pause
Waiting a while for a cause
Patience drew a fair reward
“connecting” wasn’t that hard.

Gone are the days of papered letters
Technology has ushered in digital letters
“balance” squandered, fingers swollen
no more passing time through “bowling”.

Heartbeats synchronized with ring tones
Tingling nerves to butter bones
Word exchange etched a bond
Egging to go, to carry on.

A day special, nothing went wrong
It was then that feelings became strong
Expressed, one did with confidence
Second affirmative, no repentance.

The rest they say is history
Even though not always hunky-dory
A flame once burnt cannot die
Hope on for, a never good-bye.

Of hearts that matched n footsteps too
Embark upon a journey new
Fresh emotions were hatched
As two bodies, two souls, had been matched.

(04/11/05)

Last Ride Forever

It was their first ride together
Her slender arms around his tough waist
This close he hoped they’d be forever
Happiness, his heart, filled in haste
Adrenaline rushed through his coarse veins
The sun beat down in joyous rage.

Naught to sixty in less than a minute
He zipped around the curving streets
Going well beyond the freedom limit
Too sharp was the turn; he had to concede
Skidding. She went down timid
The white haze compelled to accept defeat.

He lay sprawled on the sun-caked road
In an instant things had gone awry
Pain filled every cavity like a load
Like a baby’s, his eyes went teary
One movement and break he would
Oh God! He felt so, so sorry.

Along came a truck loaded heavy
The sun screamed right at him; his way lay bare
Negotiated the turn rather shoddily
Caught in a daze he hurried on
Crack went something under the wrong wheel
All agony ended; right then, right there.

The concrete was wet and coloured red
Richness oozed from a watermelon burst
Scattered shell and seed and flesh
A rhombus eye writhed by cursed
Hair yesterday, gone today
No more would mind or body sway.

Smell of food touches hungry bellies
Flies and insects throng in throes
Such feasting rare, eat more and more
A canine rallies, with head cast low
Paying tributes to a master no more
On this road; which will forever sing his lore.

LA MAMA MORTA

The opening renders my heart hollow
My mind in earnestness listens
Mournful melody fills my lungs
Gasping for breath, I hardly swallow

Urgent words go rushing past
Sighing notes soar towards the sky
Eyelids flutter and lips quiver
My heart loses weight terrifyingly fast.

Of dancing times spent under the willow
In hail or snow or sombre gusts
Parting then was a distant thought
And now are moments with tears on my pillow.

Treading down a lonely path
Quickening my pulse, ripping my bearings apart
Thwarted soul hangs in shadows deep
Fervent cries against destiny draft.

Loving in truth, and faine in verse my love to show,
That she, dear She, might take some pleasure of my pain,
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe;
Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain,
Oft turning others leaves, to see if thence would flow
Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sun-burned brain.
But words came halting forth, wanting Inventions stay;
Invention, Nature's child, fled step-dame Studies blows;
And others feet still seemed but strangers in my way.
Thus, great with child to speak, and helpless in my throwes,
Biting my trewand pen, beating myself for spite,
Fool, said my Muse to me, looke in thy heart, and write.
.........................Philip Sidney (Sonnet 1: Astrophil and Stella)