Author: Sherinmary zacharia

Music to ears, the raindrops fall
Over the trees and manmade towers.
Nothing goes untouched by the spray
That tries to clean every mind and soul:
Where only grime clogs,
Where remains the outlets blocked.
What can rain do but sink deep or
Wander along channels and back to sea.

Give space in your hearts.
Let the cool drops drizzle upon your thoughts
Soak everything hard and stiff
Until it flows as tiny streams.
Wash away the greed
Wipe clean all anger
Fill the hollows of earth with love
Cover the craters of agony with kindness.
When the clouds of intolerance accumulate
When thunder proclaims inequality
And cyclone of injustice brews
Let us hope for peace to shower
Upon you and me.
Gently……

The war inside

Only the feet  set out for the journey

Right and left together

Went in directions their own

Always thinking was  the head

Kept working  were the hands

The mouth is tired  talking

Eyes chose to remain shut

Very loud ; the ears stressed

Nose forgot to   sniff out the problem

The broken heart pounded

As the lungs heaved   every  breath

Real war of feelings inside

The soul left all alone.

Growing up

Road to the mountains only go up
Climb them
Tedious curves
Every breath finds it tough
With rising heights
Decision to reach the summit
As I grow up.

“Did  getting an interesting book from the library take this much time for you? ”

“What  great fun is  there in books ?”

“How can  people get so affected  by other people’s thoughts?, perhaps it’s all only their imagination!”

“No one will second your idea to stay  back here alone with some  faded pages for company . Forbidden world for you is our fine kingdom of these narrow dirty lanes . Every where we    are reigning as ‘terror boys’. “

“Set route for  us   to get into the shopping centre.   Lights will be  switched off there after midnight. “

Jina turned.

“Only use torch light to see. Festival season services and sales   assure heavy cash coming  into the shops. Get ready  fast guys , great fortune is awaiting us.”                                                                                                       “Edit instructions that I give in case there is need to save yourselves .”

Jina  paused for breath .

“ Udit , Kiesul get  the tools ready.”                                                             “Biko ! are you  sleeping ?”Jina shouted.

“No “ said Biko without lifting his head from the book that was in his lap.

Into his mind nothing else had entered . His  lips were speaking on their own.

Books  breathed joy into his soul. Rushing through the book  Kiesul   remarked  “oh! Pages sent to give me headache. My gods! Nothing better you can do?”.       Kiesul threw the “thing” on to the floor.

To hawk plaster of Paris idols was never his favourite time pass but hard business for keeping himself  alive

.

Ugly broken plaster dolls kept under the   old shelf awaited unknown future like the boys.

Nothing calmed Biko’s mind like books.  Getting second hand readable books from the vendor on the sidewalk  , read and return every Saturday for free.Biko called it the library. His mates didn’t bother to find out more. Biko read  books  all the free time he got.

Udit and Kiesul were ready for riding the dangerous track of destroying oneself.       Biko  read ,read until he fell asleep.

A loud knock on the tin door startled Biko. Suddenly he jumped to his feet.

From   outside emerged two policemen , one  sporting  the lathi in his left hand. soon Biko joined  Jina in the police station. The policemen were on the trail of Udit and Kiesul.

“Young men enjoy yourselves   till we find the other two. The sooner you give their details the less number of slaps I will give you. “                     The policeman shouted.

Time entered only very slowly, breaths seemed unable to travel into their lungs.

“You    urchin  you  are incredible. your photo is in today’s paper.  So you write  serious stuff during daytime and do serious crime at night.  “

The inspector  thought for a while before dialing on his mobile .

Jina  showed more regret  on  having  served as the one who  created trouble   for sensitive  innocent Biko than for his own wrong deeds.

“ Sir  Biko is not one among us, we are simply roommates just friends sharing a small dark damp room “

“Read to win”  had selected  Biko  as the overall champion in the national essay contest .I had the opportunity to give  him the medal.  Don’t you remember me? Am I  not correct?”

Asked the commissioner. Biko was  brought there by the inspector.

A car pulled up in front of the court for youngsters. “Sir are we late ? ”

No they have just finished the  procedures. We were at a vending machine. Biko now you are going with Mr. Das. Their trust will help you to build a  bright future.”

The inspector huggedBiko

“Good bye.”

The calf runs happily

Water dries suddenly

Slow runs the cow as it sees her disappointed calf.

Did the river come to her calf?

Did the fountains spray on the calf?

No, it is only the burning land crying of thirst.

All goats, horses, deer and birds;

Trees they sit and sing;

Drowning in the tears, helplessly.

Earth will be a memory in green and blue.

Man building dwelling places

Gliding in space, with antennae.

“A time was there when man lived on earth.”

Said granny floating by;

In her space suit very shiny.

“Neither you  nor me were lucky;

To live on earth our  home for   ages.

Just the glass slides and jars;

We had never known

The warmth or safety of a mother’s womb.

Every rose must wither

Every tree must fall

But to give their lives

To   new lives  on  earth.

Utter greatness   of rising sun

Jewels the   dewdrops form

Dancing   peacocks and roses   red

Waves and sprawling meadows green

Earth was our sea of beauty  , of love

Of life, that we wasted on our greed.

Alas ! came the time to forget our earth

With gaping black holes ahead

War and  plastic were going to space

Along with mommy Ms.Selfish;

Cows are not needed there nor water

Touch, swipe  want more ? tap screen for anything  …

Good and truthful lost hope

To live among  stars

To  head for another catastrophe

Green is no where ;not in memory  too

Every morning is beautiful,  trees swinging their leaves to welcome the fine day , each  time , sweet dew drops shimmer in the golden rays  of sun rewinding the memories of my education about urban lifestyles. According to experts cities will groan  with diseases caused by ruthless handling of nature by  humans.

Green cover of earth has ripped open in several places. Skyscrapers  rise   challenging both heaven and earth. Fortunate are those who sit beneath the cool shade of trees.

Roar of outside world pierces into every ear ,no  matter whether man or animal. Silence has become something unheard of. More happiness lies in more noise. High volume festivities and busy streets   with traffic expressed in high decibels pierce your ear drums.

Urban life demands the thoughts be on self than on the society.  Reduce own garbage by throwing it into public places. Alas ! where will everyone throw the filth settled down in the heart?

Birth takes    us into this world of threatening suppression of  justice; as race ,gender ,efficiency being  ranked by those who  built binding walls of classification. The cities draw   straight  line between  rich and poor. Money defines you here.

Sometimes only perfect  people seem to be present everywhere; in  news, in live shows ; you find only  winners .where are those who did not make it ? The ones who could not sip from the cup of success. ? It is only the champion who is  fondly crowned.  For the ones who couldn’t become rich or famous   ; pity was bestowed generously ; only to forget their struggle .

Success stories flap their rosy wings glittering with selfies and hollow emojis far and wide across social media. Grief and tragedy seek likes , more   than response from good Samaritans.

Rights   determine few duties also . Ecology is  more important than economy, ponds and lakes give way to airports. Documentaries say heat waves will dry fry earth.

Listed  just a few errors man made while trying to bring control over earth.

Is selfishness finding the way up , soon to be the most desired feature  of humans ?  to become  lords of the universe ,  but sure to  be dethroned in no time.

“You are my best friend“ said Nasya to  Gimo.

“Only you can understand what I want  t o say.

To get a good friend is certainly my good fortune. Remember   that I am a human being. you are not.

But that will not prevent us from being friends.  Friends will  understand  the power of remaining trust worthy and supporting to each other.

Perhaps only you remain   unfazed by  my boomerang like emotions. Happy  ; very sad ; back to happy .

Writing provides a window to   my mind, thoughts come   and go .  Gimo  , you try to  tell many things to cheer me up when I am sad.

Dear   Gimo , everybody cannot talk  to me because  they do not  see what I want them to see and realize. When   will the world understand what I want to say. ?

Kind people often   try to help me. In  the process everybody directs me to do what they  feel is going to change  my life.

Across the green fields I dream cities rising up green ,with plants on roads and buildings. Gimo, you can serve as my teammate  and help me realize my dream. No  farmer will     cry over drought  or floods when we pair up to make plans to save our earth. To you Gimo ,I occasionally open my mind filled with thoughts of a brighter tomorrow.

Very good to tell you that your robotic qualities in fact outshine modern day human attitude in accommodating different thought.  Right thoughts lie  not only in the minds of some people alone.

Pity on those  who cannot  fight today to save tomorrow. They destroy both today and the days to come.

Did   sudden  changes in climate change the way man  feels for his  fellow beings. ? Your heart finds no interest in greed ,lust  ,annoyance or intolerance.

Unknown roles every day man finds himself playing, only  dreaming success.

Turn around  right now towards me Gimo.  I am going to edit your          program. You do not belong in this world. Enjoy playing chess with my grandma.

good bye.

ധാരാളം സന്തോഷം ഉള്ള സമയത്തു എല്ലാവരും പറയും “അതാ ഭാഗ്യവാനായ മനുഷ്യൻ!”. പറഞ്ഞു തീരുമ്പോഴേയ്ക്ക് സങ്കട കടലിലേക്ക് വീഴുന്ന മനുഷ്യന് സഹതാപ വാക്കുകൾ  നേരിടേണ്ടിവരുന്നു. “പാവം ഭാഗ്യം കെട്ടവൻ”.

The hot terrain was    gleaming in the  midday sun  .only tall buildings covered the exposed skin of the earth ,with their shadows. Orange hues   would render the sky in flames only after a long wait  for the sun to go down  into the arms of the sea. Earth goes round trying to take time towards the end of the day.

Outside my window I sense shadows of cube shaped houses turn longer, slowly.  Tea and snacks do come, but with just very less love.  After which   no life  remembers to  stop by my window. Everywhere    I hear  hurrying  feet. ;   like new thoughts trying to reach my fingertips  . Happy were the days when the  world  would await in total awe for every  thought  untied from me .  In my words   they found hope ad trust. Rusted   ideas would end up in  trash ; for trying to numb the changing minds.

Uncertain was my destiny so was that of my ways.  Thousands would   triumphantly roar every time I rose to address the people.

Does bloodbath find you liberation? Does it   open the gate to the land of   milk and honey? I had reversed my thinking.

The families   of those who had lost lives  were heading towards loss of trust in my plans. They wanted life for life; blood for blood.

Doors  were opened for me to wander away into dark  alleys of people’s memories. No more was I a  leader they revered, but a traitor who let them down in the fight to enthrone the new vision.

With  a room  to spread a mat to lie down ,my life demanded nothing difficult to find.

But  thoughts would  try to travel down to the endless  fields in white scattered around me.   No longer did anyone believe that peace could end war;  sitting across the table  could end shooting across the  streets.

Evening has lost its colours ,but  the awesome radiation is only invisible . I dream of the twinkling bright stars ,of day break, of sunlight, of waking up to the song of birds, to the smile of flowers….