A smile

A smile flutters across her lip,
For just a small while; a blip,
A brief memory of the past,
Of moments that don't often last,
A funny incident or two, long gone,
Mere memories that now make her feel forlorn.

A few silent tears do escape her eyes,
As she thinks of the state in which her life now lies,
Moments of fun, all but gone,
Moments of sorrow that she does silently mourn.

Comfort her he could, how he does wish,
Tell her if he could, how her smile, he does miss,
A smile that used to sparkle his day,
A smile that used to wipe his tears away.
A smile that make him feel ok.

A time comes when we all feel down,
Then is the time to discard the frown,
And smile a happy joyous smile,
A smile that others cherish a while,
A smile that often makes their day,
A smile that makes them feel ok.

A smile, that's all there is,
There ain't no more,
I promise you this,
A smile is all that's there to cherish,
In our life, before we perish,
So whenever you can, beam a smile,
You never know, whose life it does make worthwhile.

The Present's a present

The future is shrouded,
Just like the night sky, clouded,
How we wish for the clouds to part,
To reveal what is beneath the folds,
To give us a glimpse of what future holds,
So that we may likewise, our paths chart.

The past is behind us,
How we wish, some of it could change,
Some occurrences, we'd like to be undone,
Moments that didn't go as planned and spoiled the fun,
Moments of great sorrow and pain,
How we wish to set them straight again.

But hark! Such thoughts are all in vain,
Thinking of the past will only inflict more pain,
While the future in indeed uncertain,
On which He is right to draw the curtain,
For what shall be revealed when the curtains lifted,
Depends on how we utilize the present He's gifted.

Bliss

A child is happy,
He knows not what lies before,
He dwells not upon the past,
In the present does he live,
Happy and peaceful,
God's work of art.

As time passes,
And he learns the ways
of this world,
The so called tricks of trade,
His ever present smile,
No longer adorns his lips;
A relic of the past.

And we call him learned,
Knowledgeable in worldly ways,
A proper gentlemen, we say,
When he deftly flatters,
And we feel proud of how adept,
He is at controlling his emotions,
Of bending them to his will.

Was this really part of His plan?
Or is a child's ignorance really bliss.

Brush Strokes

A few carefree strokes,
A dozen careful ones,
With each line they draw,
A new detail they show.
A pathway to the mind of the creator,
His thinking they reveal.
His state of mind at the moment,
His desires, his dreams.

And, from out of nothing,
A picture appears,
A product of imagination,
Painted by feelings,
Embellished by colors...

In this moment

The moment that just went,
Was time well spent,
The moment that stands before,
Shall be joyous evermore.
If in this moment,
We give our all,
If in this moment,
We live our all,
Will all our dreams,
Surely come true.

Life

It was growing dark and soon people would start worrying about him if he did not return. Yet, he lingered on, his lax posture, not giving a hint of the turmoil within.

He gazed at the vast expanse of water ahead of him, and memories came rushing to his mind. He flicked through the images of his life in his mind...
He remembered heading out to the sea with his father for his first catch, at the tender age of four.
His remembered his first encounter with the dreaded sea storms that tore fishing vessels twice the size of the one his family owned to shreds, at the age of five. He remembered his father waving off to him, before setting out for a fresh catch, leaving him behind to recuperate from the ordeal, never to return, the ocean proving too cunning for the poor man on this occasion.
He remembered setting out every day, an hour or two before the break of dawn, in his new boat, he had fashioned himself and named after his father.
He remembered the day when he'd first met her at the marketplace when he'd gone to sell the fish that had ended up in his net. She had looked ever so pretty and he'd fallen head over heels for her.
He thought of the time when he'd gathered the courage to take her out on his boat and confess his feelings for her, and remembered the slight smile that had adorned her lips when she heard what he had to say.
He'd married her soon after and life had never been better for him...

Lightening crackled in the distance, and Ravi looked up and caught a glimpse of the menacingly overcast sky. It was eerily similar to the day when all had changed.

The fateful evening had been just as overcast. He had come home early that day and had gone off to sleep, exhausted. He remembered waking up suddenly, hearing cries all around, seeing nothing but water everywhere he looked. He had woken her up frantically and together they had tried to make for the nearby high ground. She had tried desperately to cling onto him as he swam against the strong currents. He remembered, the painful gasp that had escaped his mouth when he had felt her hands slipping away, her meek hold proving little match for the power of the ocean.

Strange was his connection with the ocean that stood before him. He had grown up with it, playing alongside it and making a living from its offerings. Yet, life's hardships had taught him to never count it as a friend and he knew more than anyone else that everything that the ocean gave, it would take back in equal measure.

Now, looking at the waves becoming bigger, he was suddenly filled with a compelling urge.
His hands outstretched, he walked ever so slowly towards the ocean. The waters rushed out to meet him, lapping at his feet, drawing him to them. He waded on, unperturbed. He had decided that this was how he wanted it to end...amidst the waters that had given him a livelihood but had taken away, his life.

Nature

Seated by a rock,
With a river flowing by,
The day is almost up,
And the night is nigh.

The twittering of the birds
And the flowing of the stream,
Everything in perfect harmony,
Is this just a dream?

Across the other shore,
Stands a mountain splendid.
Its slopes colored a lush green,
It rises from where the river ended.

The sunlight on the mountain top,
And the glistening snow,
Its wonderful, this spectacle,
Yet it makes me forlorn.

For seeing everything so perfect,
Reminds me of everything that's wrong with me,
If nature is so perfect,
Why can't we as humans be?