A Dark Soul

A Dark Soul

"You have a dark soul," he said.
"It wasn't always so," she replied.
"What happened, then?" he asked.
"It was after my loved one died."

"I'm sorry to hear that."
"I am, too. It was futile."
"Futile in what sense?"
"He died before his time."

"You must miss him, then."
"Every minute of every day."
"He was lucky to have you."
"Indeed. If only you knew."

I Sat with Strangers

I sat with strangers,

Stared in their eyes.

Saw their emotions;

That was my prize.

A minute of silence;

Baring their souls.

Without manipulation;

That was the goal.

Many a stranger went;

I was about to call it a day.

Then the crowd parted,

And in walked Ulay.

A man I hadn’t seen

In three decades or more,

Sat in front of me,

My emotions in uproar.

The longest wall in the world

Had seemed even longer,

When we met in the middle,

The parting grief made stronger.

And here he was now,

Thirty long years hence.

Time had replaced the wall

With an invisible fence.

The tears ran,

He took my hand,

But neither said a word.

And then the minute was up

He left; I never saw him again.

This poem was inspired by this video.

The City of Hope

The city of hope,

The city of dreams,

The very heart;

This city never sleeps.

The sea by which

Promises are made;

People sit watching,

As the sun’s rays fade.

The streets chaotic,

Never a dull moment;

The night sky

Turns a cynic ‘to a poet.

The underworld and

Underhand dealings;

The endless wait at

Official court hearings.

The crowded trains

Are used by lakhs,

No thought for others;

Babies crammed on laps.

Yet there is something

About the eternal city;

It’s boundless love,

It’s versatile beauty.

Amid all the mayhem

You won’t be alone,

There will always be,

Another weary soul.

Of the city herself;

She doesn’t grow old;

She may be tired,

But she is still bold.

And if she loves you,

Be assured, my friend,

Your hard times are gone,

Your luck is on the mend.

She’ll look after you while

Bursting at the seams;

This city of hope,

This city of dreams.