Death Scares

Death, I am told is scary,
To me life is the tragedy,
I pray the end have dignity,
Be absolutely pain free
But to prolong life seems a travesty
Though I do believe in fighting spiritedly.

I am told I am a cynic,
I seem detached when others panic,
I shrug off the events chaotic
Go with the flow, even if arrhythmic,
Why become depressed manic
Though I do shout out against the injustice chronic.

I wonder when I stopped fearing death,
When did it become almost a friend instead?
Because I know 72 hours of bated breath
When to know my brother's future we waited and waited.
I know too of the vigil at mother's hospital bed
When a miniscule time frame was on what our faith we fed.

Tears help not in crises,
Let go of them, weep, but persist.
Fear chokes throat, thought, hope,
Sharpen senses on it, but hang on to faith's rope.
Know, no matter what, someone L.I.V.E.D,
Never let this life before its time be stripped.

Time and time again death flirts
For friends, for family, it thirsts,
Yet time and again many have managed
To continue their earthly vantage,
Those who could not are not to be regretted,
That they existed should be celebrated.

Death scares perhaps teach us best,
That we can withstand any test.
Perhaps they make us be grateful
For what we have in life's push and pull.
For now just immerse in all that is comforting,
Reading-escaping, writing-purging, sleeping-energising.

- Written on 13 Jan 2018.
- Hmm... A lot of scares this past year. 02 aunts fighting cancer. Another friend fighting the battle too...and so on.

2017. The year that was...

2017. The year that was...

For me, personally, total chaos.

I kickstarted it professionally with new developments, 

Then periodically halted to take stock of health. 

I fulfilled a dream and went to the Biennale in Kochi,

But more I connected better with family.

The professional scene changed hues galore, 

The old, the new, together but did not fit in a complete core. 

On a personal front, I claim 02 beauties, 

Two wonderful nieces added to my blessings bounties. 

Friends and family found new trajectories, 

Some got married, some awards, transfers, PhDs, some babies. :) 

Missed opportunities to bond better, 

Some relationships changed, with others I became closer. 

Goals and deadlines have more often been not met, 

There is happiness tinged with sadness and a tiredness relentless. 

It has been exhilarating, confounding and debilitating,

I still am not sure of the path I am treading.

But 2017 you have had me introspecting, 

I think this has been a year of metamorphing. 

The process is not yet complete, I feel I am in stasis, 

But then this too is a part of chrysalis. 

2017, you have me perplexed yet grateful, 

Your largesse has been nebulous yet bountiful. 

- 1 January 2018

- Self-explanatory. 

Happy New Year, Happy 2018!

Happy New Year, Happy 2018!

May you fulfill all your dreams.

_________________________

Now my annual spam. 

Caution:Reading may be injurious to eyes at the very least. 😜

Note: Much that I wanted to add, but didn't out of consideration! :D

__________________________

Adieu 2017!

What a year you have been!

We saw Trump actually take up presidency, 

Be it Little Rocket Man, or Colin Kaepernick's knee, or the Puerto Rican tragedy, 

From Climate, to the tax bill, to sex scandals,  everything a mockery. 

But the 128 UN votes maybe the beginning of a new US trajectory. 

In South Africa, Guptas and Zuma rocked in the corruption scandal,

But despite Sierra Leone and such there was much that deserved approval :

Ghana joined the Sat launch space; Mugabe was ousted,

Boko Haram released the 'Chikbok girls'; peace was boosted. 

In Europe despite British, French or Catalan election, 

And proof of fake news from Russia tension,  

There was still much to make merry, 

Merkel retained the majority, and Prince Harry is set to marry.

The Middle East began a brand new story,

With Qatar and its allies versus Egypt, Bahrain, UAE and the leader, the Saudi, 

The ISIS is down, but not the crisis, 

Assad's reign portends more stasis. 

Down Under we saw shooting stars memes hold sway, 

Natural disasters were battled even as 'Same Love' conservativism outplayed. 

Even with cyclones, hurricanes and earthquakes' dominion, 

Latin America and the Caribbean began recovering from recession. 

Asia was dominated by threat of North Korea, 

And the horror of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya. 

Pakistan reeled under Panama Papers, 

Doklam raised afresh the issue of borders. 

Yet admist mayhem we have rejoiced, 

While the world became insular, many have unification voiced. 

As the world went topsy turvy, 

Art and Humanities, mainly comedians, were our link to sanity. 

In India we had Aadhaar and GST chaos, 

No matter what, we had to 'obey' the 'Big Boss'. 

The saffron regime swept more states, 

Yet the Government had to bow down to changed deadlines and tax rates. 

PV Sindhu, Kidambi made us proud, 

Rohit Sharma set ablaze a new record, 

ISRO again shone brightly with its PSLV-C37,

And the Supreme Court with its 'Right to Privacy' judgement.

A win, a loss or a lesson is a matter of perspective,

2017 was some ride, irrespective.

No matter what, humanity can't be denied,

The stories of hope help us turn for the better the tide.

2018 we await,

New stories that you will create. 

We hope for better scripts to cast our lot;

We hope the bad endings of now you will replot.

2018 we look to work with you

To uphold all that makes us humans true, 

Sustainable success for all,

Hosting Harmonious Happiness' neverending ball. 

Help usher in well-being for persons and nations bar none,

2018, be our THE ONE. :) 

Happy New Year!

- 31 December 2017

- Self explanatory.