General

They argued all day. Non-stop. On and on and on.

They argued with each other. With family, neighbors, co-workers, authority.

A constant spate of negativity gushed from their mouth.

“I should have married Alberto, he was more of a man than you could ever be”

“You weren’t so much of a catch yourself. You practically threw yourself at me. Nobody else wanted you”

“Mom always loved you the best. You were her little pet.”

“You always got away with everything and he always blamed me.”

“My dog can pee anywhere he wants. Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”

“Stop harassing me for money. Get a job you loser”

Two people trying to gain control by hammering others into submission.

Christopher was raised in this toxic environment. When very young he would cry in frustration…

The library sometimes pretends
it’s water and ocean,
with tempestuous phrases pouring from pages
forming rivers,
wrestling with wobble of waves
in the turbulent bay,
where the lighthouse is darker and cold.
where readers are billowing, bobbing
and drowning, stupidly stumbling
on syllables shattered from sense.
This colloquy of colleagues,
is fracturing friendships to tribes,
the violent words are wager of wars
and can only be cured by the steward,
the wielder of words,
the librarian bringing
order to maladroit chaos,
reminding that sometimes
the silence is needed when reading.

This is linked to toads, where Kim is asking us to write poems based on the word maladroit. I might have stumbled a bit out of line, but it felt that I can use it as an extended metaphor for the way we all seem to stumble with reason.

Perhaps we need the librarian to bring order in chaos.

मैं व्यस्त तो नही, पर व्यस्तता का लबादा ओढ़ लेता हूँ,

दोस्तों से मिलने की चाहत को अकसर मैं छोड़ देता हूँ

तुम से बातें करना मैं दिल से चाहता हूँ

पर क्या करूँ, मन को मैं बस यूँही मसोस लेता हूँ।

यह नही कि मेरे पास वक्त नही है

न ही बात न करने की कोई वजह है

बस अपनी असलियत जाहिर होने से डरता हूँ

मैं चुपचाप तन्हाई से खुद को जोड़ लेता हूँ।

कहते हैं, यह साथ पल दो पल का है

जिंदगी का भरोसा न आज, न कल का है

मैं फिर भी कल के इंतजार में ही रहता हूँ

मैं न जाने क्यों आज को कल पर छोड़ देता हूँ।

अगर कल न आया, तो न जाने क्या हो

जो बात कहनी थी, वो न कह पाया, तो क्या हो

इसलिए आज मैं यह इकरार करता हूँ

मैं आज अपनी यह चुप्पी तोड़ लेता हूँ।

Inspired by Reena’s Exploration Challenge #106

living unaware
the senses do not deceive
perception tilted
an epiphany occurs
this life is a paradox

वसूलता है साकी दाम उस जाम के
जो उसने मुझे पिलाया ही नहीं ।१।

रही हसरत कभी रूठ कर देखूँ मैं भी
कभी किसी ने मनाया ही नहीं ।२।

है धूप बहुत, कठिन है राह मगर
उसकी ज़ुल्फ़ का साया ही नहीं ।३।

मत दे इलज़ाम मुझे लापरवाही का
क्या खोता उसे, कभी पाया ही नहीं ।४।

क्या मनाता है रंज अमित उस जज़्बे का
जो उसने कभी निभाया ही नहीं ।५।

In response to: Reena’s Exploration Challenge #106

This is that, and that is this.
Yes is no, and straight is twist.
That is this, and this is that,
Up is down, and thin is fat.
Black is white, and all soon grey
Here is close, yet far away
Today is now, yet yesterday
Tick tock eyes watch tennis ball
Rise fall eyes watch basketball
Where’s the ball while they play?
Truths, like moments, ricochet
You know nothing, Little Wings
Because of relativity of things.

Reena is the host of Reena’s Exploration Challenge.  Reena says:
Our theme this week is ‘Paradox’.  [Incorporate a paradox in] to your piece – be it fiction, poetry, essay, anecdotes, memories or any other format that you choose.

REENA SAXENAis the host of Reena’sExplorationChallenge

~*~

A wise fool

Call me a fool, you may

But I am a fool who knows

I know the limits of my knowledge

I know that Idon’tknoweverything

I bow my head to the wisdom of centuries

I am a believer in the tales of folklore

Though I lack the educationgained in school

I am learned in the ways of the old

I am a wise fool or a foolish wise man

#Keepitalive

#ReenasExplorationChallange

The Queen of Sheba who was named Bilqis journeyed to Jerusalem to test King Solomon with hard questions because of his famed wisdom.  She addressed Solomon saying, “I have heard of thee and thy wisdom; if now I inquire of thee concerning any matter, wilt thou answer me?”  He replied, “The Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”  Usually the king would test the wisdom of visitors to his court, but he allowed the Queen of Sheba to challenge his authority in both ruling and knowing by asking him if he knew the answers to her riddles that concerned fundamentals of human life, procreation, family relations, sex, and tribal affiliation.  She asked, “What are the seven that issue and nine that enter, the two that offer drink, and the one that drinks?”  Solomon answered, “The seven that issue are the seven days of menstrual impurity.  The…

Reena’s Exploration Challenge #106

Welcome to a space beyond the Equinox, where equality becomes a myth again! If the Sun and Moon are not equal, can day and night be? The strength of the stars and the power of perception gain importance here. It is all a matter of underlying meaning and perspectives.

PROMPT 106

Our theme this week is ‘Paradox’.

Some well-known examples are

1. Your enemy’s friend is your enemy.
2. I am nobody.
3. “What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.” – George Bernard Shaw
4. Wise fool
5. The truth is honey, which is bitter.
6. “I can resist anything but temptation.” – Oscar Wilde
7. “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” – George Orwell
8. “I must be cruel to be kind.” – Shakespeare
9. “The earth that’s nature’s mother is her tomb;
   What is her burying grave, that is Rainbow in her womb…” –…

अब तो राह में पहचानते भी नहीं
कहते थे कि मेरे हमसफ़र वो हैं ।१।

होता ज़ुल्फ़, चूम लेता गर्दन उनकी
मेरी हसरतों से बेख़बर वो हैं ।२।

नहीं खाते हैं तरस हालत पे मेरी
रखते भी हैं दिल कि पत्थर वो हैं ।३।

आँखों में है हाँ पर होठों पे इंकार
है यह उनकी अदा कि कायर वो हैं ।४।

नहीं होते हैं अब उनके दीदार अमित
कह दो मैख़ानों से बेअसर वो हैं ।५।

In response to:Reena’s Exploration Challenge #106