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Hide and Seek - part 8 - Rhyming & Non Rhyming Poems

Page 2

by Nikhil Parekh

crackling fire of quality wood and dead leaf, 

  Roasted the silver fish in amber flames leaping high, 

  Slept like an innocent angel all summer night, 

  Relishing tender bones of my personally prepared appetizing fish. 

  2. TRULY PROFESSIONAL 

  There lay a gigantic boulder sprawled in the middle of the street, 

  draped with an abraded finish of sparkling steel gray, 

  punctured at infinite spots of its body with a host of serration's, 

  left solitary on the road without traces of established identity.

  A carpenter passing by thought of chiseling it to fine pieces, 

  with incessant strokes of his tapered hostile saw.

   

  The gardener mused on embossing it with wild cactus, 

  entangling it with a plethora of thorny shrub and brilliant rose.

  The sharp witted pilot envisaged its appearance with wings, 

  applauded himself for figuring out the supreme innovation.

  The watchmaker felt like studding it with a jugglery of slender needle, 

  reinforcing its base with innocuous amounts of clockwork machinery.

   

  The palmist had an impulse of engraving it with fine lines, 

  reading aloud chivalrously the waves of destiny hovering around its persona.

  The chef of the hotel had a strong stare at it, 

  decided to lambaste it into dainty slices of fresh salad.

  The archaeologist seemed to be reeling in waves of euphoric delight, 

  commenced to jot down notes regarding the very source of its existence.

   

  The police on the street viewed it with gruesome disdain, 

  as it obliterated their visions of the flowing traffic.

  Groups of lovers paid handsome tributes, assuming it to be an sacrificial altar, 

  inscribing their names with white sticks of chalk, red blood, 

  sketching their hearts with slanting arrows ripping through the core.

  The writers pen filled sheets of virgin paper with innumerable lines, 

  portraying the glory of the inanimate object to all.

  The most professional of them all was a hungrily starved beggar, 

  he didn't waste a minute pondering on the stone, 

  instead constructed his dwelling on the island of amalgamated rock, 

  slept all night in unperturbed tranquil, 

  within the rustic interiors of his rock stone house. 

   

  3. A TRIBUTE TO THE HOME SOIL

  There was heavy consternation in the atmosphere, 

  we hadn't slept all ruthless night, 

  the floor marble was biting cold with accumulation of winter dew, 

  roof plaster was on the point of immediate collapse, 

  there was an obnoxious stench of vegetable food, 

  the wall had several crevices, in which resided venomous snake, 

  dark waters lurked in colossal interiors of adjacent well, 

  the birds had forgotten to chirp their mystical rhyme, 

  trapped we were in domains of solitude, 

  in slipshod ambience of primitive hut, 

  hands tied in rusty iron shackles, 

  feet wound tight in brutal cold chain metal, 

  mouths stuffed with fluffs of unprocessed cotton, 

  tears rolling down our mud painted cheek, 

  highlighting streaks of fair skin, within wax coated molecules of dirt. 

  water seemed a remote possibility, 

  with meager loafs of bread offered at dispersed intervals of time, 

  the enemy camp made us prisoner, 

  held us captive for massacring their men, 

  with our body fortresses, in which flowed blood of true patriotism, 

  there was no sunshine filtering through, 

  our bodies lay limp, gasps for breath had receded down, 

  we knew we were on the verge of extinction, 

  as we saluted the flag in unison, 

  took a pinch of soil in clasped hands, 

  left for long journeys to heaven, drowned in the 

  fragrance of our home soil.

  4. ENTERING THE NEW MILLENNIUM

  High pulsating music in country discotheque, 

  youngsters moving to vibrant beats of sound, 

  streets decorated with piercing sodium light, 

  shops flooded with surplus discounts, 

  array of cars crowding main streets, 

  rough shod bikes vomiting clouds of smoke, 

  mega sized parachutes sailing in sky, 

  televisions displaying a host of programs, 

  government firms closed for the day, 

  cable cars conveying loads of passengers, 

  to freezing precipices of snow clad alps, 

  bottled champagne flowing in garden parties, 

  explosive dynamite burnt on streets, 

  producing cascade of descending fireworks, 

  cinemas screening titanic full to capacity, 

  animals released from personal bondage, 

  scintillating ship cruise of pacific ocean, 

  incessant ringing of church bells, 

  athletic sprints in all world existing, 

  uniformed police having a nightmarish time, 

  high rise structures a festival of lights, 

  giant clock towers flashing left over time, 

  breathless crowds visualizing freedom, 

  from countless sins of past century, 

  with all existing youth on bustling streets, 

  and the old glued to coverage to be telecast live, 

  billions anticipated the change of century, 

  the first Sun rays of the brand new millennium.

   

  5. I PICTURED MY ANCESTOR

  I pictured my ancestor draped in long flannel cloth, 

  with thick rimmed glasses caressing his nose, 

  sturdy stick with curved knight handle leaning across his leg, 

  a pair of compact denture riveted to his jaw, 

  historical time piece wound loose on his wrist, 

  plain soles of rich canvas adorning his feet, 

  partial stubs of grizzly beard gaining thorough prominence, 

  angularly crafted slender nose breeding amidst steel Grey eyes, 

  a bunch of faded parchment stashed in his waist coat pocket, 

  silken fingers with tiny nail, bereft of shining jewels, 

  short neck embedded well within shoulder sockets, 

  a charismatic glow captivating millions of youth in its reflection. 

  I pictured him sweating like a bull in his days of strength, 

  pedaling through remote corners of the town, 

  wrestling with pure professionals in the boxing ring, 

  earning life bestowing fodder for his army of children, 

  swimming past stormy channels of overwhelming hardship, 

  he had lived all life like an unconquered dictator, 

  never yielding an inch from territories of righteousness, 

  blaming none other than himself for his balance of misdeed, 

  with the feather tipped pen lying close to his heart, 

  and his rocking chair swaying violently still decades after, 

  he left for his heavenly abode;  

  O! yes I had a proud premonitions of whom I was a descendant, 

  as I tried even harder to picture my ancestor. 

    

  6. BATTING PRODIGY 

  He has more centuries than his age, 

  more international runs than one could imagine, 

  can execute every definable shot to perfection, 

  with the straight drive being his favorite, 

  has hawk eyes sighting 3 ounce leather, 

  in
daylight, and flickering rays of light pole, 

  dispatching it with utmost ease and brute power, 

  to deep corners of mammoth sized grounds. 

  has broken records of all denomination, 

  prefers to carry the heaviest willow, 

  pads, gloves, starched white flannels, crash helmet the only make up, 

  along with spiked shoes, flexible wrist band, 

  hoisting rising balls for long journeys over jute ropes, 

  belting terror pace to metal signboards of the fence, 

  taking evasive action against tantalizing spin magic, 

  smothering opposition anger with solid batting prowess, 

  darting like a race car between wickets, 

  covering the 22 yard pitch with panting breath, 

  carrying tons of courage and unrelenting desire to succeed, 

  with an everlasting hunger for runs, 

  and an insatiable desire to succeed on all tracks, 

  in chilly cold, and pelting rain, 

  walking to a thunderous applause in every nation, 

  endorsing advertisements like a film star, 

  bearing a thick shock of curly hair, 

  gifted short stature and brain, 

  demonstrating sheer class of a sport warrior, 

  felicitated revolving trophies of ultimate prestige, 

  hailing from a literary family of Bombay, 

  compared to legendary Sir Donald, 

  an absolute nightmare for opposition bowlers, 

  a devastating hurricane when at his best, 

  a person of humble simplicity, 

  a true stalwart of Indian soil, 

  with millions of fan following his on field fortunes, 

  all ways taking guard on the third stump, 

  is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

  7. AN ENCOUNTER WITH A MOSQUITO

  It ran miles further as I chased it, 

  faded from vision like a captivating mirage.

  It escaped from my tightly curled fist, 

  survived the injury, changed its place of habitation.

  It buzzed incessantly in vicinity of my bare eardrum, 

  was quiet as an angel when i scratched my flesh raw in 

  anger.

  It multiplied in numbers in stagnant pools of water, 

  hissed discordant rhymes of exasperating music.

  It perched on stale fruit, squashed remains of brown chocolate, 

  injected its venom in edible items of uncooked food.

  It flew at small heights from the ground, 

  eluded clouds of smoke leaking from modern repellant coils.

  It was a carrier of deadly infections, 

  stung soft flesh rich and pure with youthful blood.

  It prompted patches of allergy to spread on skin, 

  was resistant to the strongest of medicinal balm.

  It had caused me many a torturous night, 

  wrecked me of tranquil sleep from woolen delights of my cozy quilt.

  It had surpassed all my imagination to render it lifeless, 

  had escaped my clutches on infinite occasions of time.

  In the end I chalked a plan of action, 

  of being bitten, rather than spending a lifetime, 

  chasing the athletic mosquito in vast space of suspended air.

  8. CHOCOLATE BROWN PLUM TREE 

   

  It offered silken webs of passionate wind, 

  blessed countless people with tarpaulin covers of cool shade, 

  stood like a formidable fortress against acrimonious rays of summer heat, 

  shielded the animate from torrential showers of rain, 

  served as a greenhouse for passengers dreary from incessant travel, 

  glistened majestically with sparkling droplets of dew at the onset of dawn, 

  trembled like a maniac in tumultuous outbursts of breeze, 

  sobbed with inert emotions when struck by live currents of electricity, 

  blossomed like a fairy god mother in the mystical ambience of spring, 

  resembled a ghost; stripped of cloth in the incongruous environs of autumn, 

  catering to a plethora of wild insect, 

  with an army of smoke Grey squirrel slithering down all day, 

  migratory birds nestling in harmony with its hollow belly, 

  venomous snakes curled tightly in dense regions of its wild armory, 

  unrelenting hurricanes prompting it to crouch and stoop, 

  it bore bountiful fruit of olive green plum, 

  bathed few months in a calendar year with natural water from the sky, 

  giving regular births to parrot green buds of striped leaf, 

  inhabiting virtually all corners of the globe sprawled with fertile soil, 

  spreading its roots deep within unexplored regions of the ground, 

  with white milk oozing out when sliced with dexterous strokes of jackknife, 

  I simply had loads of reverence for the chocolate brown plum tree, 

  saluted its persona with flowing tributes and heaps of adulation. 

   

  9. SWEET WATER COCONUT 

  The Sun blazes in full radiance, 

  the mercury soars to kingly proportions, 

  as sheets of dust blow in turbulence, 

  the parched tarmac bellows hysterically, 

  trees shriek in disbelief, 

  vulcanized rubber groans in despair, 

  as the sandstorm vocalizes its arrival.

  Every eyeball gets averted, 

  to the green tripod of cool water, 

  stacked in gay abundance on thick jute sacks, 

  hailing from tall timber with slender branches, 

  deriving its nutrition from the pure wet sand, 

  christening it as the darling of all lands.

  Colossal crowds flock the asphalt, 

  drifted by thirst and scorched excitement, 

  with sweaty palms, icy bandannas, 

  awaiting encounter with the hard green shell, 

  fingers clinging currency notes, 

  the queue shifts at a meandering pace, 

  as I finally get my chance, 

  to savor the natural taste in a coconut. 

  10. SUNDAY

  It came after 6 days of grueling work, 

  6 days of assiduous effort under the scorching ball of Sun, 

  6 days of unrelenting tasks executed at electric pace, 

  6 days of insufficient meals blended with stingy 

  amounts of obnoxious coffee, 

  6 days of absolution from amicable domains of family, 

  6 days of sedulous expeditions in packed to capacity commuter trains, 

  6 days of deprivation from a ravishing game of long tennis, 

  6 days of obliteration from revitalizing spray of the ocean, 

  6 days of conscious efforts to wear feckless and spurious smiles, 

  6 days of wandering in a claustrophobic ambience of lackluster paper, 

  6 days of monotonous salute to the disillusioning supremo, 

  6 days of dedicated projects; with eyes incorrigibly glued to the computer, 

  6 days of incessant perspiration dribbling down crisp shirt, 

  6 days of onerous struggle to compete with intellectuals, 

  6 days of nostalgia for peace; weighing heavily on mind, 

  6 days of obstreperous noise piercing through soft ear, 

  6 days of aching feet; with spasmodically restless back, 

  6 days of impatient sigh's and a perpetual longing for melodious sleep.

  The seventh day finally did arrive, 

  I drew back multiple blinds in my apartment house , 

  to let sizzling rays of dawn fumigate my persona, 

  slept late in the morning; oblivious to hassles of mundane work, 

&nb
sp; consumed barrels of enticing beer; nibbling fresh nut on the silver sands of 

  the beach, 

  languidly strolled a few miles with the pungent spray of the water, 

  stimulating my dreary eyes; as i candidly prayed to the Creator, 

  to bless me and my family with bountiful more Sunday's. 

   

  11. THE INDIAN COW

  White skin folds hanging loosely, 

  curved tusks of ivory jutting from skull, 

  large ear flaps providing drafts of air, 

  scaring away hoards of flies, 

  big eyeballs shining in car light, 

  nasal apertures covered with secreted slime, 

  long tail attached to a fringe of hair, 

  projecting from recesses of fleshy hind-side, 

  hunched back resulting in slow walking pace, 

  black hooves stuck to leg cartilage, 

  working incessantly in undulating hot soil, 

  absorbing crisp rays of midday sun, 

  with metal liners fixed to its leg, 

  irrespective of age, time, health, 

  giving liters of milk in a single day, 

  squeezed out deftly from suspended teats, 

  living on mere grass, a pure herbivorous disposition, 

  sometimes sighted consuming sewage and paper, 

  eaten as tasty beef meat in some nations, 

  considered as sacrosanct on Indian soil, 

  given the status of milk yielding mother, 

  grazing quietly on grasslands of fertility, 

  with occasional baths in monsoon rain-ponds, 

  the Indian cow sure commands loads of respect. 

   

  12. DREAM HOUSE

  Heavy metal iron welded to varnished wood, 

  burglar proof alarm installed to circular bell, 

  solid teak doors with automatic fasteners, 

  windows composed of shatter proof glass, 

  remote controlled maneuvering of gate entrance, 

  uniformed guards at several check-posts, 

  car driveway filled with thick gravel coats, 

  glass facaded greenhouse for manufacture of corn, 

  majestic pillar supporting ceiling plaster, 

  nurseries full of blooming flowers, 

  giant elevations of television screen, 

  crystal blue waters of swimming pool, 

  majestic masonry consisting of bare brick, 

  dark photochromatic rooms, artistic studios, 

  furniture pieces of polished mahogany wood, 

  t.v. monitors displaying round the clock guests, 

  sprawling neem trees with evergreen foliage, 

  shielding two storied structure from hazardous light, 

  tall stone walls encapsulating periphery, 

  luxurious bedrooms overlooking coastal waves, 

  crashing fiercely on black rock, 

  hoards of birds chirping in fading light, 

  impregnable barbed wire spitting electric shock, 

  galvanized iron gates sliding at entrance, 

  whispering denial to irate trespassers, 

  with the first rays of Sunlight lighting my face, 

  is the house I would like to posses, 

  the house of my dreams. 

   

  13. HAPPY BIRTHDAY

  May God bestow upon you bountiful riches, 

  Bless you with all that is benevolent, 

  Reinforce your life with surplus number of living years, 

  Exempt you from all misdeeds you inadvertently committed, 

  Eradicate traces of hysterical agony from your heart, 

  Transform the bleary caricature of your face into one with sacrosanct smiles, 

  Freeze the tears which ooze profusely from your magical eyes, 

  Safeguard you against deathly mishaps and obnoxious falls, 

  Fill your belly with sumptuous food every unleashing minute of the day, 

  Quenching your thirst with immaculate water from volatile springs, 

  Clear evil mists obscuring your belligerent demeanor, 

  Evacuate the pointed thorns adhering solidly to your nimble feet, 

  Endow you with exorbitant charisma; infectiously drawing flocks of people, 

  Drive away forever; the vindictive ready to strangulate you, 

  Place you in an ostentatious palace flowing with philanthropic riches, 

  Revitalize your soul as the sun dazzles bright every dawn, 

  Gift you with the magical prowess of turning threadbare mud into gold, 

  Here's my friend; wishing you and all those born on this day, 

  A very celestially happy and gratifying birthday.

  14. ROCKING CHAIR 

   

  When I sat on it exerting my full weight; it squealed inaudibly permeating the stillness of atmosphere with feverish cacophony,

  Nimbly revolving a few centimeters on the polished floor; eventually adjusting disconcertingly to the situation.

  When I poked it with a conglomerate of pointed needles; it let out silent gasps,

  The upholstery was now embedded with a plethora of incongruous holes; although

  I could still spread my legs on it and sit.

  When I emptied a barrel of fuming acid on it; it got severely butchered and uncouthly ripped apart,

  The spongy foam now buckled under the slightest of my caress; and people who

  visited my cabin perceived it as a minor

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