That Smile

Ever looked at someone's smile and just thought you could stare at it forever?

It's a smile that is just so beautiful and cute and you love it so much! This is a poem about THAT smile.

THAT SMILE:

When the sun shines bright

It is when I see that gleaming white

Of that sweet curve at the ends of your lips-

Your smile is such a sight!

When the world seems to slow down

Or everything around ceases to exist

There is only one thing I am looking at:

It’s your smile that leaves me in a bliss.

It’s a smile of happiness,

It’s a smile of everlasting hope,

A smile of fun and craziness,

And it’s your smile I absolutely adore!

The October Run

Today, I went to an inter-school cultural fiesta and participated in the poetry writing competition. There were three topics, of which i chose the second one and wrote the following poem:

THE OCTOBER RUN:
There are rusty reds and methyl oranges,
Ebony blacks and muddy browns all around.
'Tis nature's most colorful time of the year-
Come, through this we shall run a marathon.
That crisp, sweet smell of apple pie baking,
That delicious scent of pumpkins nearby,
That waft of maple everywhere I go-
All these assault my nose (resistance is futile).
Ah, now we come across a haunted house
Decorated for Halloween
And whispering young ones through the streets
Preparing to trick or treat.
I hear that crunch of freshly fallen leaves,
But deaf to their final perishing cries.
Through this and more we shall run this fall
As, around us, nature dies.
Running, galloping like a majestic stallion,
Believing I could fly and soar into the heavens,
I race, electricity crackling through my veins
As though I am traversing in another dimension.
I feel alive, with my heart racing my feet,
With that supple autumn breeze slapping my face,
The cold beginning to bite long before winter arrives,
And I run, still, in a  byzantine craze.
'Tis an endeavor, a journey- much more,
An awakening from the senses' slumber,
And I shall run today, tomorrow, forever
Embarking on an infinite marathon in good ol' October.

Unfortunately, for some reason or another, my poem did not win a single prize. It could be because my poem was 28 lines instead of the instruction to write a 24 line poem, or it could be because the XAXA rhyming scheme wasn't perfect and the words at the ends of the 2nd and 4th lines of each stanza did not rhyme perfectly, or some other unspeculated reason. However, You, the reader, must decide whether this poem is worth reading or not. Nevertheless, it was an enriching experience, trying out the new topics. I have made a note of the other 2 topics I could have chosen and will write a poem for each and post it shortly. 

Hope you enjoyed this poem! Please leave a comment below, as they are very valuable to me.

The Story Of A Road- The Blood Flower Battleground

There is a road that runs between a field of blood red flowers just a short distance away from a small village. The dirt that covers this road has witnessed many events bitter and sweet. It has witnessed dreadful, gory wars, tears, and murders. It has also witnessed happy young children cherished by nature, laughing as they run through the flowers pretending to fly, and romantic dates of lovers, as well as sights that can be seen no more. It runs right through the center of the field and cradles the feet that walk over it.  They say the history of this road explains the story of this land and its people. This is the story I am going to tell you today.

It begins long back when the earth was walked by mythical creatures, when humans had not yet appeared. The beasts and birds lived in harmony, with the occasional argument that piqued the interest of passing creatures, causing excitement for a few moments. Back then, the flowers in the field were not blood red- they were a variety of colors! The path seemed to have existed right there in the center of everything since the very beginning of time. Then the humans appeared, and they slowly learned how to live from these creatures and nature, like a baby learning to crawl, and then to walk, and then to run. However, they grew not only in number and skill, but in intelligence as well.  

Darkness came one fine day when one condescending man decided to be selfish and turned power hungry. He spread his motives to others and it was not long before a war broke out between humans and the mythical creatures. Humans wanted to rule over every single thing on this planet! The war took place in this very field. You would think man would lose easily to an army of dragons and demons, but that’s where you are wrong, for back then mankind had his own powers, and coupled with his superior intelligence, he used his powers as a lethal weapon and nearly wiped out the mythical creatures. Nobody knows for sure what these powers were anymore, because the trait has long since disappeared from our genetic codes. They say that following that war, all mythical creatures disappeared. Some say they were all killed; some say they fled to another world. Now only man and some animals remained.

Humans being humans, naturally, there was conflict over choosing a ruler to dominate over everyone else. battle after battle broke out, all over the world. Then, one day, the most tragic war ever took place in this very field. There was so much bloodshed and morbid sights that it was never recorded in history, but the survivors of the war (who founded that village near the field) pass on the story from generation to generation by narrating it to the youth. A legendary sage came along and planted white flowers here to replace the ones that were mercilessly trampled in the endless battles, but instead of white, blood red ones grew. Because of this, there is an eerie poem that an eccentric young villager wrote and sings:

There is blood where the flower grows

Deep in the ground,

Blood where the battle was won.

There were tears and ear piercing screams

Heard all around

The Blood Flower Battleground.

Exactly as the poem describes, the field has come to be known as the Blood Flower Battleground. The white flowers grew blood red because there was so much bloodshed that the waterbed beneath the ground is filled with blood that seeped through the soil. At that time, this road even became a stream of blood.

On the first full moon of every quarter year, the people of this village pick the flowers and hold a festival, celebrating the harmony that came to be after that war. The road is decorated with vibrant paint and many contests are held or the roadside in the field. The practice was started by an old man who did it with his dying young daughter, simply for fun. But then the other villagers joined in and it became a tradition and the purpose changed as the festival evolved.

They say the village founders never wanted to see a war like that ever again, so these villagers live in harmony. While wars continue to rampage in other parts of the world, this little piece of land finally attained peace, but at heavy costs. Is this the cost of peace? Perhaps it could have come cheaper, without such horrible losses.

This is the story of the road that runs through a field of blood red flowers, and how the place came to be known as the Blood Flower Battleground.  We cannot do anything about the past, but we can do something for the future, and prevent wars so we can avoid incurring irreversible damage to land and society. Live in peace.

Sandcastle Dream

"Don't build sandcastles in the air," they said. Yet haven't we all built them high in the heavens with our hopes and dreams? And when our hearts were shattered, didn't we try to demolish the castle- only to rebuild it because it brought unbearable pain to tear it down? 

SANDCASTLE DREAM:

I built a sandcastle high in the air

Surrounded by clouds of fluff;

It started as a dream but grew

As I slowly planned it out.

I made it big, I made it grand,

I made it intricate,

I made it colorful and rich

With fantasies so great!

Its walls were lined with memories:

Quotes, photos, and other things.

It had a huge library

Filled with stories of daydreams.

Every room showed a future,

Every corner had a moment.

I was happy simply seeing these,

Until my dream was stolen.

Then I realized I must tear it,

Wreck it part by part.

This glorious sandcastle I built

Will bring havoc to my heart.

I bring it down and watch it fall

Slowly inch by inch,

But then I unconsciously

Rebuild it- it’s a cinch!

So I build sandcastles in the air,

Just to watch them fall.

I build them up and tear them down

As they rip apart my heart.

I realize it’s not good for me,

And I’ve resolved multiple times

That this castle must be demolished;

Only then will I be fine.

But each time I try to destroy a room,

I am captivated by its contents-

The dreams and memories sweet and bitter-

And rebuild it all over again.

I cry, acknowledging just how futile

Is this tiny sliver of hope,

Not wanting to hold on,

But unable to let go.

So I am permanently trapped

At this construction site,

Swinging like a pendulum

Between wrong and right.

I make a wish upon a star

After hope was long gone,

Praying either the castle goes to hell

Or is soon filled with real life love.

Peace

PEACE

   Peace is a relative term, if you ask me, just like justice. For some people, peace is when everyone and everything in the world seem to be at harmony- an idealistic thought, no doubt, for it is seemingly impossible to see such a thing. For some, peace is simply absence of violence. For some, peace is more than that- absence of tension, absence of aggression, absence of even passive aggressiveness in thought and speech.

   For me, peace is simply when everyone is happy. I am perfectly aware that this is an idealistic thought. It is never possible for every single person and creature in the world to remain happy all the time. However, the time one spends being happy can be increased. This certainly needs to be adopted today, among a population of Homo sapiens that are becoming unhappier and unhappier with the world around them (caused by their own actions, of course). Like the very plague that spread across Europe, depression is plaguing the people. There are hundreds of people feeling unsatisfied with their lives and succumbing to long, drawn out periods of wallowing in sadness and self-pity. Depression is a kind of mental ailment, and it is no less serious than the plague itself, however, unlike the plague it is not contagious from one person to another. Like most other diseases, it can be prevented. How? By staying happy.

   What is happiness, then? Are you ever really happy? Isn’t there always some worry or the other nagging you at the back of your simple-complex minds? We cannot take simply smiling as a sign of happiness anymore- that is no more than a mechanical reflex action these days. People hide their emotions as skillfully as an actor. We could all become quite successful actors if we tried! But we need to expel that poison, that sadness, anger and frustration or whatever negative feelings we have, from within us.

   “The glass is half full, not half empty.” That should be our thinking. Be optimistic! Look at the brighter side of things! You’ll find yourself cheer up pretty soon once you realize the positive outcomes of an event. Think of good times, happy times, jokes and fun! Drown yourself in another world- books, anime, TV shows, movies, take your pick! And always remember: Where you are NOW does not, and will never, be the same place you will be in a few years. But whether you are in a better place or a worse one is entirely up to you and only you.

   Angry? Take a deep breath. Take five more. Does this really matter? Do you have to let them know you’re angry? Will it change anything? Ask yourself these questions. Do not speak. Find a place alone. If you don’t find one immediately, wait till you do. By then, if your anger has not cooled down, proceed to write out your emotions and their reasons on a piece of paper. When you’re done, read it. If it still means something to let your feelings be known, express it politely. If not, crumple it up and throw it away. Simple as that.

   Taking steps towards peace is merely each individual taking steps toward maintaining happiness. It all starts with you. And this way, you are creating a better life for yourself while changing the world. Two ups, no downs! Could you ask for a better bargain?

   Keep on smiling! Peace!