OF LIVING AND LOVING... AND COPING...

02 February 2014

The Last Dance - A Repost

the

swinging

rhythm

was

spellbinding

the

pounding

beat

was

enthralling...

she slipped on

her white

nightgown

as she

prepared

for bed

but the music

playing

outside her

room

beckoned her

to heed

its call

listen she did,

and more...

the

swinging

rhythm

was

spellbinding

the

pounding

beat

was

enthralling...

she stepped

into

her red

stiletto heels

and started

swaying

with her eyes

shut closed

she finally

let go

unaware

of the eyes

that were

watching...

the

swinging

rhythm

was

spellbinding

the

pounding

beat

was

enthralling...

he knew

she was

still mad

at him

but the

lovely sight

was too much

to resist

he took

his chance

and took her

in his arms

their eyes locked

his gaze

drowned

her anger

there was

nothing left

but

burning
passion...

the

swinging

rhythm

was

spellbinding

the

pounding

beat

was

enthralling...

and so,

together

they slowly

swayed

to their hearts'

content

as if

in a

trance

they danced

there

was

no
tomorrow...

the

swinging

rhythm

was

spellbinding

the

pounding

beat

was

enthralling...

unbeknownst

to them

their

time

was

running

out

and

tomorrow

would

never

come...

the

swinging

rhythm

was

spellbinding

the

pounding

beat

was

enthralling...

A pocketful of sunshine and

I am reposting this poem for dVerse’s Poetics- Repeat Performance First time Through. My original post is here.

Bali’s Mystique

In an assiduous attempt to survive

Each single day of existence

We tend to forget we owe ourselves

A break once in a while

Until that headache persists

And vertigo sets in

As if to remind us that our brain

Needs some breathing space too.

And so I was persuaded

By well-meaning girl friends

To go on hiatus in a faraway land

Away from it all, they said

On a journey with no expectations

Expedition of unfamiliar enclave

I closed my eyes and

Started building castles in the air.

As soon as we landed

A sense of euphoria embraced us

Finally away from it all as promised

No deadline to beat nor

Persistent phone calls to answer

As if magic descended upon us

And the universe contrived to hide us

In this enchanted island called Bali.

One can’t help but admire Bali's

Mystical centuries-old temples on cliffs

And on water in the highlands

Mischievous monkeys standing guard

Ornate designs of wooden doors and trusses

And of gods and idols made of stone

The alluring landscapes of terraced rice paddies

Serenity calms the mind as one absorbs the beauty of Bali.

The roaring sound of waves filled the air

As we hiked steep rocky heights

Torrent pummeled the earth below us

As the sun set magnificently

In a horizon of glowing colors

Of red, yellow and orange

Nature’s splendid display is eternally

At its finest on this hemisphere.

An exciting part of the trip was our rendezvous with the famous Ketut Liyer, medicine man of Bali who appeared in the movie “Eat Pray Love” with Julia Roberts.

A pocketful of sunshine and

Posted for Poetry Pantry #187.

30 January 2014

The Quest

Image by Helen Korpak on Flickr

an insatiable urge

this enigmatic quest

a calling i cannot digest

profound yearning

gnaws at my core

until i can bear no more

yet this voice i hear

speaks softly like a song

whispering where i belong

a journey of sacred voyage

to the hills yonder and far beyond

i see no drifter nor vagabond

A pocketful of sunshine and

Posted for Poets United Mid Week Motif ~ Hunger

26 January 2014

The Other Side of Happy

Happy and Sad Half Faces by Jim Dandy

happiness beckons...

a choice you have to make

no matter what the circumstances are

at the perfect time

it will all make sense

happiness beckons...

cast that smile up on the shore

the right attitude is your anchor

the best is yet to come

claim and embrace your bliss

happiness beckons…

yet you dwell on the odds

counting the obstacles

instead of the bounty

that passed you by unnoticed

happiness beckons…

yet you live in the past

like a spurned rose

you wither on the vine

and idly wait for Gaia to claim you

A pocketful of sunshine and

Posted for dVerse’s “On the Other Hand” and The Poetry Pantry

25 January 2014

Remembering James… 9 Years Later...

JAMES LAO YAP (JIMMY)

September 11, 1965 - January 25, 2005

I can’t believe how fast time flies. Today, we commemorate the 9th year of our loss. It all seems like yesterday- the panic, the frantic search, the grief, the anger and bitterness, the confusion, that excruciating inner pain… They are still clear in my mind.

9 years ago, our world was covered in darkness. A dark nebula hovered above us- day by day, week by week, month by month that turned into years.

But we (my kids and I) refused to live in murky existence. One day at a time, we took baby steps towards finding the Light again. We resolved that our own lives were not going to end miserably. We decided that having each other was more than enough blessing to keep us going. And so, our journey towards the path of gratitude began…

Yes, it’s true. Happiness is a choice. For us, it was a decision we had to make each day of our existence until such time that it became a habit. The last 9 years have opened our eyes even to the smallest manna from heaven. In everything, we learned to give thanks. Because now we know, everything that happens- whether good or bad- HAPPENS FOR A REASON.