Survival

The last lights were turned off…
The house plunged into darkness.
Tired souls retired to bed,
To be fresh for the next morning chores.
But somewhere there was sleeplessness,
Waiting for the cover of the night…

She stealthily rose from her bed,
It must be done tonight…
She couldn’t face the world,
Nor could she keep hiding all her life.
She had made mistakes,
And it deserved punishment…

Everything was ready,
Time awaited only the execution…
There were choices,
She just had to take her pick…
Which would be the easiest,
The quickest and painless?

For one last time she turned…
The wide windows,
The table full of books,
The almirah full of clothes,
The room full of memories…
Tears welled up inside her…

Clutching onto her little teddy,
She sat down near the door
And she cried and cried…
She remembered her family,
Every little thing done for her,
The Charming Princess of this house…

Slowly she composed herself,
The trance was steadily breaking.
Her mind floated in a tranquil state…
And a voice questioned her,
What was she about to do?
How could she be so selfish?

She turned on all the lights,
The room came alive…
Her large mirror beckoned,
She obliged with joy.
The moist eyes were bright
And her face was fresh…

A load had been lifted,
A knot had been untied…
Some bonds strengthened,
Some rendered redundant…
Her inhibitions were gone
And she had gained courage.

She collected the ‘options’
Scattered all over the bed…
A bundle was made of old letters,
Gifts, toys and the ‘options’…
Did they not mean anything to her?
Maybe once, not anymore…

Sleep eluded her that night,
She moved about tidying her mind…
Darkness gave way to dawn,
She left the room, bundle in hand…
A hole was dug, wide and deep
And into this went the bundle of misdeed.

The sun was up in some time,
Its yellow light bathed a sleepy world.
A world which might have
Witnessed a death last night.
The survivor now stood her ground,
An undaunted figure of strength…

Betrayal, pain, sobs and sniffles.
Life has them aplenty….
The greatest test of character is thus
Not giving in but overcoming…
She buried the past and buried it deep,
Only a blooming present does she seek…

-- Sucharita Saha

Life of the Modern Man

Have you ever seen the disappearing moon in the morning sky?
Or the little chick that hopped out of its nest and wanted to fly?
We have not seen the shining dewdrops on the blades of grass,
Nor have we seen the buds blooming into lovely flowers!
We, the so-called modern day people,
Have not experienced the joys pure and simple.

Have you ever woken up to the chirping of birds in the morn?
Or have heard the rustling of leaves as the winds blow on?
The humming of the bees is not something we care to hear,
We do not enjoy the cuckoo’s song that says, “Spring is here!”
All our time is spent thinking and planning for the future,
We do not have time to spend a few minutes in communion with Nature.

Have you ever bent down to smell a little flower while playing around?
Or have taken in the earthy odour rising from the freshly watered playground?
We do not know the smell of ripe fruits and young new leaves,
Nor the rich aroma of the fresh juice collected from the date-palm trees.
We are too busy with our daily chore
To realize and strengthen the bond that exists between the Nature and human souls.

The Almighty’s amazing craftsmanship does not make us wonder,
We have become too materialistic to think about the little joys and ponder.
We have become hard-hearted, inhuman and quite cruel,
We always try to find reasons to whip up a duel.
We, the so-called modern day people,
Lead a life that is steeped in deep trouble.

---Sucharita Saha

Friends

Friends are the greatest gift of God.’
It is a common saying that everyone has heard.
During our stay on earth, through the journey of life,
We yearn for good friends who would support us and make us smile.
A friend who will lend their shoulder when the going gets tough,
A friend who will stretch out a hand that is not rough!
Friends are people with many dimensions,
So over the years have evolved many definitions.
If there is a bid to chose the best among these,‘A friend in need is a friend indeed!’ would win with ease.

---Sucharita Saha

A Day in Nature's Classroom

It was the 3rd of November,
The day of our Physics test.
Huge were the chapters
And complicated were the problems!
I had been up early to do some revision,
When I encountered this strange vision.

The sky looked like a patchwork quilt,
It bore testimony to the Artisan’s great skill.
A sweet breeze rustled through the trees,
And I turned my gaze to witness this.
The breeze was fresh and its flow was even,
Perfumed with fragrances found only in Heaven.
While I was busy, the sun did stealthily rise;
Though the glow was faint, it caught my eyes.

The colours of the night had faded and were gone;
Among the new multitude blue was the dominant one.
The sky seemed the canvas of a frenzied artist,
Streaked in various shades with striking expertise.
Nature was basking in the cherry winter light,
Birds flew out of their nest with a cry of delight.
The whims of nature touched a chord in my heart.
It took no time and made me a bard!

The test no longer caused any fear
As I took in the cheerful and romantic flavour.
I was filled with new confidence and spirit,
And a voice whispered, “The sky is the limit.”
I then realized the truth of what the elders had said all along,
The break of the new dawn did indeed transform!!

---Sucharita Saha

Journey (my first poem!)

I looked up at the gradually darkening blue sky,
There was a dreamy effect which made me want to fly.
I flapped my little wings hard,
Trying not to stray from the right path.
But a gloomy haze
Kept on blocking my gaze.
I could not see the things even at hand
And visualized them for something they were not.

Never once did I think that I could be wrong,
Kept on flying while conjuring up a song.
Suddenly a blinding light came and struck
And the bolt of lightning shook me up.
Realization dawned: what I had done,
should not have been done.

A new day arrived, bright and clear.
The sky was pearly white, without any blue smear.
The haze was gone and my eyes were opened wide,
To behold a scene which seemed only to mock and chide.

-- Sucharita Saha