Elections

Its election time in small town Kerala. Jeeps have been criss-crossing the streets these past two days. Between the opposition bashing and the election promises they play little snippets of music. The Communists play their old anthem from 60s -Sakhakkale Munnottu..., (Forward, comrades...), while the Congress campaign vehicles blare out Shakira's Waka waka.."

the game of glorious uncertainties?

This was after seeing Kapil cry on live TV (when faced with allegations of match-fixing).

Kapil's Devils

Once, their dashing deeds, we thought,
Spoke of divine grace;
Their idols in our minds we wrought
For long we sang their praise.

In homage to these radiant beings,
We'd bend our knees to pray;
Till, upon the closer look,
We saw the feet of clay!

Today, we tear these idols down
And smash the spurious busts,
We batter them within our minds
We grind our gods to dust.

When our fury's spent, we'll see:
'Twas wrong to blame our idols so;
We were, perhaps, much more to blame:
For the halos 'round their human frames.

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(Why am I not able to get away from the clippetty-clop meter of "the woods are lovely, dark, and deep..."?)

My first attempt at poetry. This was in response to a competition. "Diamonds" was the topic. I didn't get the prize of course.

The Diamond Ring

When first, my love, your hand I held
And on your finger slipped this ring-
An ageless diamond set in gold-
That, fifty years and more, you’ve worn;

Upon this burning gem I swore-
Bear witness ancient, precious stone-
These downcast eyes, these trusting hands
A moment's hurt will never know.

Full fifty years, my word I’ve kept
But now the time to part has come
Your trembling hands will soon be still,
But your memories in this ring will live!

Soon, my dear, I too will sleep,
Until that time, this ring I'll keep-
For every ray of light within
This stone, to me, of you it speaks!