Breaking News or Breaking Hearts?

 Recited this poem at the Poetry event organized by You, Me and Poetry. The theme for the day was Breaking News. 

 Every morning, before the sun has fully stretched across the sky, before hope has found its way into another day, our screens flash...

 BREAKING NEWS.

 But is it really breaking news?

 Or is it simply another heart-breaking story waiting to remind us how cruel the world can be?

 Every day, we wake up to stories of rape, violence, murder, wars, accidents, betrayal and hatred.

Stories so gruesome that they make our skin crawl and our hearts grow heavy.

 We shake our heads and whisper, “What is this world coming to?” Yet tomorrow, we return... 

waiting for another headline.

 Sometimes I wonder... Have we become so used to sorrow that someone else's suffering has become our daily routine?

 A cousin once said something that has never left me:

“Perhaps we watch such news because somewhere within us there is relief... Thank God it wasn't us.”

 His words disturbed me.

Are we really so desperate to know every detail, watch every video, replay every tragedy, while someone's life lies shattered beyond repair?

 When did curiosity become greater than compassion?

 Why is heart-breaking news always worthy of bold letters and endless debates, while heart-warming news is quietly tucked away in the corner of a newspaper?

 Why don't such stories become Breaking News?

 Perhaps because goodness doesn't shout. It simply happens... one kind word, one helping hand, one forgiving heart at a time.

 I dream of a morning when our television screens announce: “Breaking News... Humanity Wins Again.”

“Breaking News... Kindness Travels Faster Than Hatred.” 

Wouldn't that be worth  watching?

I know the world cannot be free of sorrow. But surely, there is room for a little more hope, a little more kindness, a little more peace, and a lot more heart-warming news than heart-breaking news.

 Perhaps the next Breaking News shouldn't tell us how another life was lost. 

Perhaps it should remind us how humanity was found.

The Homecoming....Back to Our Roots

 Recited at You, Me and Poetry on Thursday 04?06/2026 for the theme Gharvaapasi/ Homecoming.

So here we are, journeyed roads unknown,

Chasing impossible dreams, the world has shown,

Deawn by glitter, speed and change,

We wandered through a widening range.

We carried forward the I, me, Myself charade,

With lies, deceit, hate, that the foundation laid,

We measured worth by wealth and size,

Saw deaths, assault and inhuman acts rise.

The noise grew louder, hearts grew cold,

Respect, goodwill, kindness, seemed ancient and old,

Respect gave way to carless words,

The wisdom of elders, they went unheard,

Courtesy faded from daily sight, 

Self  came first and wrong was deemed right.

Across the world unrest has grown,

Of fear and conflict, the seeds have been sown.

Though progress shines in many ways,

Brotherhood and peace eludes our troubled days.

We wore the modern cloak of greed with pride,

While simplicity and grace was callously cast aside.

But now the hour strikes, it's time to turn around,

We need to plant our feet back upon ancient ground,

Perhaps its time for a homecoming-

Not to a place but a way of being.

Let honesty be what we speak out loud,

Not the lies and deceit, to please the passing crowd.

Let civic sense and quiet virtue guide,

As we walk together, side by side.

Talking Pictures

 Tasveerein bolti nain, phir bhi bahut kuchh keh jaati hai,

Beete hue mausamon ki khushbu ssath le aati hai I

Jo pal lautkar kabhi nahi aate, Unhein umrabhar ke liye amar banaati hai I

Pictures do not breathe ,

Yet they keep hearts alive,

 They utter no words, 

Yet they speak the language of the soul.

They are our life's timelines,

Gathering fragments of our life,

Before they are carried away, 

By restless winds of tomorrow.

A baby's first uncertain step,

A birthday candle glowing with hope,

Joyful tears at a wedding,

A graduation cap tossed towards the sky.

A family or a group of friends,

Enjoying moments together,

When seen after a few years,

The ordinary feels extraordinary.

Every picture captures more than a moment,

It captures laughter before it fades,

And dreams and hopes before things change,

Love that grows beyond the widening distances.

A soldier stands beneath an unfamiliar sky,

A worn photograph of his wife and kids,

In this picture lives his courage,

His purpose and reason to return.

A faded portrait resting beside a lamp,

Maybe all that remains

Of someone whose voice

The world can no longer hear.

Yet families still smile through tears,

Friends still pause in silent conversations,

For love does not disappear with a heartbeat,

It lingers in every cherished picture.

Then there are pictures we dare not look at too often,

Our parents.....

Once the towering trees that sheltered every storm,

Their shoulders stoop a little lower, hair grow a little whiter.

Their hands gentler, slower.....wrinkled far too much,

The pictures then reveal,what hurried days conceal,

Time is slipping away,

For the ones we love the most.

When we search old albums,

 Old memories come alive,

Childhood, youth and adulthood,

We remember the joys and strife.

Pictures become mirrors,

They show us who we are,

They portray emotions,

And show who we have become.

They measure life's journey, not in years,

But in love shared, hands held,

Tears that fell,

And dreams fulfilled.

Pictures are truly precious,

For when time steals our youth, 

When distance separates hearts,

Words fail and memories fail, pictures keep talking.

Pictures are embedded,

In the deep corners of our heart,

Reminding us that life is never counted by the years we lived,

But the moments we loved enough to remember,

Yes! Pictures talk.

Sometimes I Wonder.... If a Goddess Ever Gets to be Human

 Recited at the anniversary event of You, Me and Poetry on Thursday 2nd April, 2026.

The theme was- Sometimes I Wonder.

I started with a couplet by the poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz-

Bol ki lab aazaad hai tere,

Bol ki zubaan ab tak teri hai,

Tera sutvaan jism hai tera,

Bol ki jaan ab tak teri hai.

Bol ye thoda wakt bahut hai,

Jism-o-jubaan ki maut ke pehle,

Bol ki sacch zinda hai ab tak,

Bol, jo kucch kehna hai keh le!

They said we are Goddesses, worshipped in temples,

Adorned with flowers,

Names of Shakti whispered and loud in prayers.

Yet at home, we fold in silence.....

Measured, moulded, made smaller than our worth,

Not all men , but always a man.

She steps out to work, to build, to dream,

Yet she carries the weight of two worlds on her shoulders,

The office may applaud her ambition,

But the kitchen and the kids still call her name.

Her success never enough to set her free,

Not all men, but always a man.

She asks for nothing, yet she must ask for everything,

Permission to go, to speak, to choose,

To wear what she wants, to be who she is.

Her will negotiated, her voice, her feelings filtered,

Her freedom wrapped in conditions,

Not all men, but always a man.

Words become weapons she never deserved,

Abuses hurled in the names of mothers, sisters, daughters.....

Her identity reduced to relations,

 Her dignity questioned, her space invaded,

Even her silence is not left untouched,

Not all men , but always a man.

She is told how to sit, how to dress, how to exist,

Too loud, too bold, too much, too less.....

She learns to shrink, to adjust, to survive,

In a world that celebrates her in verses,

 But denies her herself in reality,

Not all men, but always a man.

Sometimes I wonder-

If a Goddess ever gets to be human,

If worship ever meant respect,

 If she will ever live without fear, without permission,

Or if her strength will always be mistaken for silence,

Not all men, but always a man.

Sorry, But I am not Sorry!

Recited at You , Me and Poetry event on the theme - 'Me Dealing with Me.'

Log aksar mujhe meri hi kahaani sunaate hai,

Meri soch aur meri fitrat bataane aate hai,

Mein muskuraakar bass itna keh deti hoon,

Mere  ghar mein aaine bahot hai,

Mein apni khabar rakhti hoon.

So you think you know me?

But I am much more than what you see,

Sometimes I don't know myself

Yet I am happy being unapologetically ME!

I am a plethora of emotions

I laugh and cry, Oh so easy,

I want to explore and learn anew

Keep doing more keep myself busy.

I don't like to sit on the fence

My opinions and beliefs I want to share,

It's fine if you don't agree with me,

I want to speak out, I want to dare.

I am far from frivolous

Beauty, gossip, grandeur not for me,

All about travel, food, culture

Sports, self-growth and arts is what I fancy.

I can be an introvert or extrovert

It's decided by the company I keep,

I can be a big talker or silent listener

The words are many but silence runs deep.

I am no yes-man or people pleaser

I speak out , strive to do what is right,

Where there is bias or injustice

I just can't ignore and have to put up a fight.

I am an in-your-face, die-hard feminist

Against patriarchy and what comes with it,

I believe this world would be better

If womenkind didn't have to bear this shit.

I love to live in the moment

Feel excitement in the little things,

Travel and exploration is my passion

I want to go everywhere, wish I had wings.

I am a romantic at heart

But I have always unlucky in love,

My heart hates to accept that

Still hopes foe a sign from the stars above.

My life's journey has been quite tough

Yet I am grateful for it taught me,

I am not perfect but a work in progress

All my life a learner I will be.

I have accepted myself completely

With the bruises, flaws and all,

I know that I am enough

And I stand steady, proud and tall.

Love Letter Laments

This was a poem I recited at You, Me and Poetry evening on Valentines month to celebrate love. The theme for the day was  'We Don't Write Love Letters Anymore'. I began with a couplet from one of my favourite ghazals.

Pyaar ka pehla khat likhne mein waqt to lagata hai,

Naye parindon ko uddne mein waqt to lagata hai,

 Pyaar ka pehla khat likhane mein waqt to lagata hai.

Maggi noodles to do-teen minute mein bann jaati hai,

Parr dheemi aanch parr, dum mein

Biryaani pakaane mein waqt to lagata hai!

I am a love letter standing here in pain,

Looking for reasons on being treated with utter  disdain.

In todays fast-paced world relationships and situationships thrive,

Crushes bloom overnight and flings fade by morning light.

Break-ups and one-night stands are common,

Partners change in the blink of an eye,

Longevity and loyalty are a rarity,

When one goes, another will come by.

Once I was written with trembling hands

And sealed with a kiss,

A whisper of perfume or a dry rose,

Sadly, all this is given a miss.

A love letter no longer any worth holds,

What matters now is only platinum, diamonds and gold.

Holding hands, that flutter in the heart and the love-porn gaze,

All are over-ridded by infidelity, true love is lost in the maze.

Earlier people wondered how to begin,

My dear, sweetheart or only mine,

Now Chat GPT, Gemini and Perplexity

Gives you neatly assembled , formatted love line.

Those were the days when love mattered,

When words came straight from the heart,

Now it is AI all the way,

Real emotions and feelings play no part.

You have forgotten me,

 I ma lost in the corner of the cupboard,

Only the sender and receiver knows my worth,

Among memories kept, yellowed and smothered.

Rains In January!

It is January and I saw the rains fall today morning. The building security guard told me there were some hailstones falling too! As I walked to school and saw the wet roads and rain drenched trees I thought of penning this poem.

Early morning, rain falls bright,

Hailstones shimmer in silver light.

Soft drizzles tap on windowpane,

A gentle, surprise- unexpected rain!

Plants and trees take a joyful bath,

Leaves sparkle at the aftermath.

Roads are washed till they gleam,

Like mirrors shining in a dream.

Fresh cool air fills every breath,

Chasing away the dust and sweat.

The weather lifts my heart and stride,

A lively bounce I cannot hide.

Awake, alive, refreshed and free,

The rain revives both world and me.

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!

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!

A New Day

Each morning brings with it a brand new hope,

Dreams ,aspirations, a new scope.

With it, also come apprehensions and fear,

Expectations are high and focus is clear.

With positive mindset we start a new day,

Silently praying for things to go our way. 

Sometimes we succeed and at times we fail,

Life after all cannot always be a smooth sail.

At the end of each day while we lay upon our bed,

Mentally taking stock of the day in our head. 

What went right and where did I falter,

What we need to continue and what we need to alter.

Each day teaches us a lesson or two,

We grow wiser if we take them as a cue,

Cause it's experience that make us grow and learn,

Be it failure or success, wait for your turn.

Nothing lasts forever, be it good times or bad,

So keep living like it's the best life you ever had,

Spread love and happiness wherever you go,

Cause that's the best way to live life you know.

Nirmala, A Farewell Note

This poem was recited at a dear teacher colleagues farewell party organized in school

This poem was written in a short time as all the words came effortlessly from the heart,

Wishing my dear friend Nirmala all the best on her new innings.

 

I met you as my student's parent

Then as my teacher colleague in school,

And through these years together

I got to know a friend so cool.

A passionate teacher and good learner

With twenty-four years of dedicated service to boot,

Withstanding personal hardships

You have become a person astute.

You are an excellent content-writer

And are always open to change,

With a patient and understanding demeanor

Your personality has an altruistic range.

Everyone knows you are a great cook

A lucky few have tasted the prawns you made,

You are happy to be in your new home now

For new beginnings the path is laid.

A motherly figure for all

A lover of Goa and your native land,

Well-known for your Daadi maa ke nuske

Always willing to lend a helping hand.

A teacher, friend and guide for all

As you venture on a journey new,

We wish you the very best in life

And God's choicest blessings for you!

It Takes Courage

Written on the theme Courage for Me, You and Poetry event that took place on Thursday 11/2/2021.

It takes courage to fight

At the borders or fly a jet plane.....

It takes courage to sacrifice,

Knowing you may never see your loved ones again.

It takes courage to love,

When your love is not reciprocated.....

It takes courage to smile and clap,

For others when you have been defeated.

It takes courage to apologize,

And accept that you are wrong.....

It takes courage to support someone,

In spite of knowing he is not too strong.

It takes courage to dream,

And pursue it against all odds.....

It takes courage to be kind,

When faced with critical, hateful sods.

It takes courage to speak out,

And do what you think is right.....

It takes courage to oppose,

And never give up without a fight.

It takes courage to say,

I need your help, I am not fine.....

It takes courage to have control,

And know where to draw the line.

It takes courage to do many things,

They may seem big or small.....

It takes courage to overcome fear,

And scale that seemingly impossible wall.

It takes courage to say,

" I will, I surely will, just watch me!"

When at every step there are those who say,

" Don't, just don't do it!" and try to stop me!

Acrostic Poem

Resourceful and proactive, always ready to bear the brunt,

Enigmatic persona, one who leads from the front.

Versatile and proficient, nothing is beyond her it will seem,

An awe-inspiring leader who understands and cares for her team.

The angel with the magic wand, who is always by our side,

Her untiring efforts and great ideas, have helped us many a crisis over-ride.

Insightful, just and dedicated, for our schools she is a boon.

Wishing you a Happy New Year, Ma'am, 

( Let's hope school is back to normal soon.)