Written in the Stars

 Recited at You , Me and Poetry event on 10th December, 2025. The theme was 'It is written'.

The burnt toast theory says- 

When you burn your toast,

Miss your train,

Get stuck in traffic,

Or feel some pain,

It is not just bad luck,

It is all for a reason,

Something is shifted,

Or redirected somehow,

It is all for a good cause,

What feels like inconvenience now.

Life is taking you,

 On a path destined,

Maybe it is the one,

You don't want to take,

But it guides you along,

With all the mistakes you make.

What is meant to be ,

 Will always find its way,

Your life has been scripted,

Stars guide your night and day.

The path unseen,

 That you are afraid to tread,

Yet you walk unknowing,

 Of what lies ahead.

Do what you can,

Try your very best,

What is written is meant to be,

Put your heart and mind to rest.

Walk your journey with an open heart,

For everything is written , right from the start,

Every moment here is a plan divine,

Your destiny is nothing, but an inbuilt design.

So bow down to what's written.

What is meant to be will be,

Don't ever lose hope,

For the future is not ours to see.

Que sera-sera,

Whatever will be will be.....

The future's not ours to see,

Que sera- sera......

What will be, will be!

We are Champions!

 A welcome song penned for the Annual Sports Meet 2025 in school. It was composed to the tune of the song We will Rock You by Queen.

Hey champs, you got courage and grit,

Ready for the games, every bit of it!

Rough times come, 

We take many a fall,

But we rise again,

Winning is my call!

CHORUS

We are, we are Champions!

We are, we are champions!

Glimmering spirit, shining so bright,

Full speed ahead,

 We'll fight the good fight!

Challenges that arise,

We face them all,

Creating ripples, 

Standing tall.

CHORUS

You are, you are Welcome!

You are, you are Welcome!

School our pride,

We take losses in our stride,

Fame and fortune ,

 Side by side!

With a good head start,

Strong heart, strong will,

Champions forever,

We've got the skill!

CHORUS

We are, we are champions (Oh Yeah!)

We are , we are champions!( Shining bright)

We are , we are champions! ( Sulonians, yes- you are right!)

Brews and Beings

 A poem dedicated to all the chai lovers. 

The theme for the poetry meet this August at You, Me and Poetry is Chai GPT. 

I peened this poem for reciting at that event. 

The chai- lovers tribe

 It is here to stay,

Where chai is a ritual 

They follow every day.

Here are the Zen seekers

Yoga and health geek,

They sip chamomile, tulsi and green tea,

Peace of body and mind they seek.

Next you have the traveller

Any chai tapri or katta will do,

With cutting chai and chats

They share travel tales anew.

Book lovers like me

 Curl up in a corner chair

Reading classics or fiction

With chai their books they pair.

Then we have the connoisseur

He looks, smells and sips,

A fancy brewer with bone china cups

With dainty fingers and satisfied lips.

Now welcome the early riser

With sunrise she awakens her soul,

A cup of chai and meditation

Makes her day a complete whole.

For an artist or writer

Chai is what lets ideas flow,

Creativity , skill and talent

Gets a boost, lets it grow.

Hustlers ta the workplace

Their cuppas get them aligned,

With deadlines and targets

Chai keeps them with a sane mind.

Romantic dreamers are next

With chai, pakoras and rain,

They keep their wet, wild dreams alive

Relieves them of loneliness and pain.

We can't leave behind 

Lovers of brun-maska, biscut, rusk and chai,

In the depths of milky tea

 Their soaked up joys lie.

So you see in brews of chai

Different personalities lie,

We see their tribe grow

As the years go by.

Even with the rising onslaught

Of bubble tea shakes and coffee,

A cup of chai is what one desires

It awakens the soul , you see!

Disappearing Friends

Recited at You, Me and Poetry evening on Thursday 16/7/25 on the theme Midnight Friends. 

I sat and listened,

With tears my eyes glistened,

Your poems on midnight friends,

Reminded me why friendship ends. 

Childhood buddies and school mates,

College pals and romantic dates,

Workplace colleagues and travel yaars,

They came and went like shooting stars.

We met and rejoiced, 

Our dreams and fears we voiced,

Lived, loved and learnt things anew,

Thought our friendship plan we could anytime renew.

Alas! As the years flew,

Our friendships we outgrew,

Like autumn leaves they spun and flew,

Carried away by winds I never even knew. 

I tried to hold the strings tight,

But some balloons are only meant for flight,

They were my friends for a reason,

But I know now, they cannot last every season. 

Now I see them in memories' eye,

Though we haven't even bid goodbye,

Distance, family, work and the rest,

Our friendships could not stand the test. 

Now there are no meet ups or calls,

Silence and loneliness reflects on the walls,

My friends are photos tucked in dusty books,

Memories are blurred, crammed in mind's nooks.

We outgrew games and ran life's race,

Chose different paths, a different pace,

Yet in a corner of my heart you still stay,

My disappearing friends who flew away! 

My Friend Umeshwari!

My dear friend and colleague, Umeshwari was retiring and I wanted to pen something special for her. 

I wrote an acrostic poem and another poem dedicated to our friendship. Everyone knows Uma as an enthusiastic and talented person with a heart of gold. Here's wishing her an amazing journey ahead with new explorations and contentment and success at whatever she plans to do.

Uplifting spirit, spreading joy around,

Moves with grace, with dances profound.

Energetic soul, shining so bright

Smiles through challenges, a beacon of light.

Hopeful and strong, she never backs down,

Waves of enthusiasm, never let her frown.

A true and loyal friend, steady and kind,

Radiating warmth and a positive mind.

In every heart her presence remains,

Uma, in your friendship, one only gains!

Through years of toil, through joy and pain,

You've walked with grace, through sun and rain.

Diligent and steadfast with a heart so true,

A guiding light in all you do.

With wisdom deep and faith so strong,

You lifted and inspired everyone along,

Unassumingly simple, yet so bright,

you turned darkness into golden light.

A mother's love, a daughter's care,

A friend who's always. always there,

Supportive hands, with a heart so kind,

A soul so rare, so hard to find.

Through trials tough you stood so tall,

Your laughter echoed through it all,

Charming, witty, full of cheer,

A spirit so bold, a heart sincere.

Now as you step to days anew,

Remember how much we all cherish you,

Retirement is here but it is not the end,

Just a new road for you, my dear teacher-friend!

School-Our Happy Place

This song was penned for the Annual Sports Day at my school. 

The theme was Our School- Our Happy Place. 

In the morning light, we gather near

With dreams so bright and hearts sincere.

A world of wonder, a place to explore,

Where everyday we learn so much more.

CHORUS

Our school's a happy place to be 

A haven for you, a haven for me.

We shine brighter than the stars above,

Built on values and bound by love.

We grow stronger everyday,

 Our school has taught us the way!

With every step we rise and dream,

Life's a journey, a flowing stream.

Grateful hearts we celebrate,

Our school has made us truly great!

FINAL CHORUS

Our school's a happy place to be,

A haven for you, a haven for me.

We soar high and stand so proud,

A family where dreams allowed.

Forever grateful we'll always stay,

To our happy place, our guiding way!!

Imagination Runs Wild!

 This was a poem on the theme 'Imagination' recited at the You , Me and Poetry event held in March 2025.

I have been to many places

Countries beyond the seven seas,

Visited cafes, libraries, houses

Watched lions, elephants and bees.

I have met so many people

Shared their stories of joy and pain,

Been inspired, shocked and touched

While going on with my life mundane.

So many enriching experiences

Riding in a hot-air balloon, flying in the sky,

Visiting mermaids underwater

Sitting on a magic carpet, seeing the world go by.

I have savoured so many cultures

Languages, festivals and more,

Understood that in our uniqueness

Lies humanity at its core.

I an truly wealthy although

There is hardly any budget for travel,

I sit with my delightful books

And at my good fortune I marvel.

For these treasure trove of books

Take me to places umpteen,

I meet personalities anew

Beget experiences unheard of and unseen.

Books are indeed my best friends

Never lonely even when I am alone,

I am transported to places new

My imagination- it is soon air-borne!

Flights of fancy are so common

When a book is in my hand,

"I am here, but I am there too"

An ardent book lover will understand!