#112 Fall Poem

This time of the year the shadows fall longer,
And the red hibiscus of your mother has bloomed again.
Having escaped your paintbrush after a lot of tries
Scattered fallen leaves on the dusty path, ready to run with the wind.

Do you know all the birds visiting you,
Sharing stories from all over the world?
Or the old cat from Murakami’s novels who strolls lazily
Into a shade, remembering the bygone days.

In your garden there is peace –
A wind-chime sings, tied to your favourite walnut tree
Life pacing on the busy ant-hills at day’s end.
Oh! How a few stars lost their way ending up early in dusk’s orange sky.

Melancholy is another name for the times gone,
But all tomorrows bring something new called happiness.
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#96 Silence

It just hurts a little to stare out,
So mellow, even the leaves,
That danced with the wind;
Everything has come to a stop,
All is now so quiet.

Going outside feels strange
Climbing down the stairs, but no more stumbles,
The screaming neighbour sleeps for a change
Barking dogs are caught up elsewhere,
Even the clocks wouldn’t make a sound.

While walking, the lights change,
Crossing feels so difficult
Since cars rush fast, but no honks!
What’s come to the world around,
Alive but in a noiseless limbo.

I find myself in front of your street again,
Our childhood games, returning from school,
Silent memories coming back,
Stuck in that loop, I remain,
Muted and cowering in apprehension.

Caught in the middle
Of this terrible scheming silence,
I long to hear you laugh,
I just can’t wait enough –
For one another day of being together.
*************

#89 Lonely

Scared, a bit.
Well, such is my loneliness.
Things I like –
Reflected on someone else.
My destiny is always playing so cruel.

I know you are a storm.
You’ll always come so suddenly!
But will you disappear too?
Take me anywhere but
Just for tonight, talk to me.

I shan’t dwell on past tense anymore.
Even if it’s so elusive, I’ll stay.
More intoxicating than your glass of poison,
But less than realising your eyes on me.
How life works in patterns, if only we could see!

One evening, one look, few hours less,
If only you didn’t know.
Music shall never string together, nor my words express.
If I could hide in you,
Would I feel so lonely?
*************

#83 Eclipsed

A hopeless window
Through which my gaze wanders
Far ahead or tries to go,
Is closed now.

The hinges broken,
Glasses blackened,
Nothing can be seen so,
No longer can I be a flaneur.

To even walk
Is a fear of losing a space.
What would happen to it,
My ledge on the windowsill?

But what is this new shadow?
The purplish black 月.
A modern Fairytale,
Full of rage, of her own loneliness.

Moving in from the far side
Scenic yet terrible, the most beautiful,
A heart yet unknown
Will I settle there finally?

Will we meet someplace else?
No, her shadow will stay on me,
The figure will not come close
Only the sky remains closed off.

Being face to face
My heart wishes to stop,
Lest it hurt again
I end up alone again, naturally.

In front of the broken window
I stray in my thoughts of the moon
The entire world falling too dark
In the eclipse of my mind numbed.
*************

#77 Dream Girl.

It started with smiles as we walked past
Moved to a wave when we became friends
Then we sat and talked as things progressed
And came to texts, like things meant a lot
Finally on call we poured our hearts.

I know not where we go next,
Because this is a dream come true
You and me, and life seems complete.

Every time that the sun finds me through the windows,
I am still searching,
The gaze, the eyes, they hold me.

When the phone lets out a ring, I rush
If there is a word from you, how can I ignore!
I wait to hear all that you have to say.

Your voice is the one that moves my soul
Makes me weak and crave one meet
To sit and be with you.

You ought to know,
You are the sunshine, keeps my heart going
You are the right one, at the right moment.

I am falling head over heels.
looking for ways to tell,
You are the one, you are what I have been dreaming of.
*************

#63 On the Roads (disclaimer: childish and sleepily jotted down)

One more night at an empty motel
The rooms all feel the same
The damp, the dim lights,
Lack the warmth that I had.

The coffee dates, the waffles,
The rainy goodbye,
Will I ever forget what you did for me?
I will forget, only if I die.

Do you still look away and smile?
When you think of something funny
But cannot share it because you want to show,
That you are angry and serious you can be.

You know, you have the brightest smile
It is different, and special in this heart.
Made me feel better when I saw,
And you gave me a bit more hope.

Now that it’s dark and time to sleep,
I hope in our dreams we will meet.
Again a time I wish I find,
To hold your hands I hope I can.
*************

#62 Feelings & Invasion

The fog had returned, but you still did not.
Last year’s festival had faded, the lights, the sound,
All gone from memories,
But the expression of feelings is still there.

There cannot be any mistake
Windows are now shut, no door will open.
The refuge that there was in your arms,
Lost, I lost. I gave it up.

Legions walk past with their shining helmets
Naked weapons flashing, overriding all,
They break, they tear, they strike to destroy.
I am just a spectator on the side of the road.

There is nothing that can change the invasion of the mind,
Whatever came I accepted,
I suffered since nothing I could do against them.
Only you stood in between, you, my shield.

Expectations gave way, the poetry crumbled,
Things have changed since, much like our world’s end. 
*************

#61 friendship of the lonely man

In the nights of solitude I gaze at the sky
I have my own made up conversations with the Moon.
And the stars chime and giggle at their amazement,
Of looking at the one without any employment.

The Moon asks me, how earth is, it is so far!
I tell all about my slavery, what life has been.
Moon chuckles, for the Moon has endured a loneliness without time.

Sometimes the clouds come in between with their serious voice,
Covering the Moon they stop our words,
They interrupt with their calls for sleep.

Clouds say, human you have been disrupting the calm!
What work you might have talking to the Moon?
It is not your work to let the Moon know about how earth is,
For the Moon does see when everyone else is asleep.

I, puzzled, ask back, why would the Moon only want to see when others sleep?
Clouds reply, the Moon wants to keep all warm,
Those who have no joy in their lives.

I thank the Moon silently before I go to bed,
Watch over me as I dream about a better day, tomorrow,
When again the Moon would be there to talk to me.
*************

#51 Presence

Imagine you are there!
But how does it matter?
Even if you stay or leave,
Nothing much changes.

If that is it, think
You are there, but your presence is unfelt.
Surrounded by a lot of voices, others,
There is work, there is soul, and there is authority above.

Does it change anything though?

Probably it does.

As long as their authority is established,
An invisible target shall stand in front.
I will stand by too, to aim my feelings,
Wiping away staleness, wiping fear, maybe losing all.

Let the heart lose today,
She will arrive there when the time is right.

#50 লিলুয়া বাতাস

এক যে ছিল সে বসে, একা
চোখ ফিরিয়ে নিও না,
হাত ধরবে কি তার সূর্যাস্তের সময়?

দিন নেই রাত নেই
বসে বসে সে ভাবে পাবে কি তোমায়
পাগল সে তোমার তরে এখনও।

মায়া কাড়ে সব
জীবনের খোলস থাকে শুধু
ভেসে চলে আঁধারের যাত্রী কোন অজানায়!

তোমার ছবি থাকে তার মনে
ছায়ার ওপর ছায়া পড়ে অস্তিত্বের আড়ালে
কখনো কি ভেবেছ এই আকাশ শেষ কোথায়?

দূরে সরে যেতে যেতে
কাছেও আসা যায়
যদি মন চায়, কোনো এক সীমানায়!

আকাশ বাতাসে আশা গড়া
শহর প্রান্তর থেকে বেরিয়ে,
পৃথিবী ছেড়ে কোথায় লুকোতে?

চোখের পাতায় ছুয়ে দিলে
কাটেনি বিস্ময়
এ যে এক স্বপ্ন সত্যি হবার গল্প।

তারার আলোয় হারাবে তাকে
যেখানে ফেলে আসা,
সাগর পারে পায়ের ছাপের ভিড়ে।

শুকনো ফুল ঝরবে যখন
বুকের ভেতর জ্বলবে আগুন
সে শুধু তোমার অপেক্ষায়।

স্মৃতির সাথে মিশে যায় জীবন
দুফোঁটা জল আজ আর আসেনা
মেঘ শুধু আসে আর যায়, বৃষ্টি আনেনা।

সে বসে থাকে,
একা পথে খুঁজে ফেরা পুরোনো দিন
লিলুয়া বাতাস, মন পড়ে থাকে সেথায়।
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