Of gold and children

Photo by Passu

Two brothers of same birth
lived in the far East
where the younger a simpleton
kept his small plot of land
and the elder being sly
with their parents’ wealth
lived comfortably.

The younger brother was rich
in happiness
for he had three children
while the other was child-less
and with envy
he listened to his poor brother’s laughter.

Unable to accept his brother’s happiness
asked his wife to display all their gold and silver
and tried to laugh, to be happy
but no laughter came nor joy
they forced themselves
hopelessly their laughs sounded empty
as his wife’s bosom and his lap.

The joyous laughter from his brother’s house
continued to echo and vibrate through the walls.

[Based on a tale I heard. ‘Children are the greatest joy.’ The story version  is published on Writers Association of Bhutan.]

A Lover’s Seasons

Weeping Woman, Pablo Picasso (1937)

Summers and years of loyalty
her love froze his heart
she would just sit and wonder why
she would have willingly given up her life for him
but her life and sacrifices
were of no value to him
the thunderbolt of Zeus
should have struck her dead
when she realised the reason for his coldness
her heart froze too
with too much of hurt deep within
she smiled lest people should notice her tears
but too many winters
rejuvenated her heart
it got warmer
now she has learned to hear and
love the melodies
in the wind
in the brook
in the chirping of birds
in the laughter of a stranger
and sweetest are the melodies
she hears in the silence
her heart did grow warm again
years apart
she finds contentment
in his happiness
in his new life
he loves another woman
but it isn’t important -she loves him
love lasted till the heartache season
heartache will last till the next love season

We will Stand

Obstacles may come
climbing over mountains
sorrows may come
flying in the air
tears may come
crossing the seas
they might enter our souls
they might hurt our souls
but they cannot imprison our souls
for our souls are our own
death is the only obstacle
sorrow
tears
we can’t fight
whatever happens
we will take our stand
happiness is expensive
but smiles still come cheap
we know
someday we will get
what we deserve
is rightfully ours-
peace

Life’s Wonders

Life is a roulette
it keeps rolling
the ball stops
at unexpected numbers most times
but life works wonder for livers
it is intriguing how it unfolds unto us
weaving its magic webs around us

Things go wrong
our worlds come crushing down
things go right
our spirits are lifted beyond our expectations
sometimes hatred fills our hearts
making rational thinking impossible
finding hatred everywhere
even in the genuine smiles of people
sometimes we find love in unexpected places
during unexpected moments in life

A friend once said, “Life is a sample
we learn by testing it”
and I, ‘Life is a question
every second we live
we search for answers
from the universe
nature
people around us
mostly from within ourselves”

Looking down and up into the darkness
we tried to justify ourselves
both of us are justifiable
we will be tested
we will be answered with time

Life isn’t what we think of it
but what we make of it
this world has a place for you
as it has for a place for me
we are laughing today
crying tomorrow

We spend a life time
trying to understand our being
looking for love
and happiness
one day
out of the blue
we meet someone
in a flash of moment
shows us the reasons of our being
without even staying forever with us
showers us with love
what we feel at that moment
is real happiness
those rare moments in life
make up
for all the lost time
which shall lasts forever
life works out well