This phase of my childhood poetry was spontaneous, naïve, play of words and natural attempt to emote through poetic verses.
And then the next phase of when I was studying english literature at an undergraduate and post graduate level. That was time I was learning the poetics of poetry, and reading Milton, Walt Whitman and other well known English poets from Victorian era to Romantics.
Some of these writers are dead, most of them are absent, but all the poems I've enjoyed or hated influence the way the my each poem unfolds.
Now, when I write, I have the theories about language and about the way language is processed.... the way my mind works upon language, its preferences, predilections and the mistakes it's likely to make. Some of these theories may well be wrong, but they lean on the poem as it is written.
The third phase of my lif eof my poetry writing was rearing up my children to the best of my ability and other than their birthday notes, I wasn't very productive.
The fourth phase , or the present phase is my life is when I started my professional career as an artist, I clubbed my painting with theme poetry which was highly appreciated. Hence i found a purpose for my writing poetry. Painting was a revival of my passion and pen was firing that passion.
Today, for me,the poem has become a deeply personal and cultural artefact when I take my paintings /poetry in domestic and international Art Galleries.

My works have been recently published by sahitya akedimy in the English literature section. IL 238.
Recent Publication

I have tree in my backyard
Clustered with fresh leaves
Olive and sap green
Gnarled branches -knobbly
Umbrella like red flowers
Hibiscus in botany

Its spring again
Freshness in air
My soul inside
With wet mud
Stimulates…

I push open the window
Oblivious of the stir
In all its serenity
Perch a good looking
Lady King Fisher
Plumpy and pregnant
Resplendent and magnificent
In Plumage so colorful
Amazingly brilliant

Atherauptic past time
A blue feathered bird
Beautifully streamlined
Poise and grace
Taking stock of each flight
A visitor to my backyard
It takes my breath away

For reasons unknown
I sit by my window
For hours together
Watching her parked
Whole day long
A musical delight
Just like a song

One fine morning
I wake up to see
A scrawly baby bird
Amidst the bushes of tree
Mama bird assuaging
Her ravenous offspring

Raucous appeal to food
Slowly and carefully
From bill to bill
Feeds the little one
Anxiously still
A delight – so true
Tot to hold
A sight to behold!
Of-course it’s true,

Subsequent day
Mama bird sprightly and swift
Flitting .cheekily twig to twig
I saw the baby about
To take its first flight
Mama bird looking
Bewildered at sight

We watched its peregrinations
With great trepidation
And baby bird passed
Its first flight to survival
Sat me in my window
With abated breath
Saw mama bird
Pride with marvel

Next morning the nest was abandoned
The mama and babe had flown away
The story goes on like this
Each year mama and babe
Fly away just like this.

Next spring will come
They will come back again
Bring in excitement
We wait yet again
In unabashed joyous rain
Can in no way ascertain?
Our kingfisher of old
Is the same bird
Which came last abode?

The tree in my backyard
Is vacant again
A nondescript tree
Is looking for a tenant
From avian kingdom all over again.

The soul,
That is immortal
That goes on
From one body to another

The soul
……that holds
All spiritual joys,
Winds me...
Twists my thoughts
But still hold on to me…

The soul...
That learns more
Evolves better
Under the sun,
In the rain
Strains of music
Love for colors
Penchant for words
I add,
Cheerfully pass it on
From one body to another

The soul...
Whoever it may be…
Crossing endless foamy oceans-
I know next tenement
It finds-–would rest to be
Would be a better poet 00
A better painter
A better designer…

The TTE arrives
I searched my Pandora’s bag
Handed him the ticket
Gave me look as if I was wicked
“Traveling unconfirmed” he said
To my dismay…it dawned!
But rather late

My friend who was traveling too
Quickly handed him 100 rupees
An age old transaction… she said...
Friendly Indian railways!
Pleading him for a comfortable journey...
Without much hesitation
Confirming my ticket for the way
Gave a vacant berth in the bay

His partner seemed disgusted
At this capitulation by the green horn
Leaving for a smoke in the pantry
My eyes closed in tranquility
And soon was snoring peacefully…

Half an hour later
I was roused from my deep slumber
With a man with a yellow teeth grin
”mam, are you fine??”
Rubbing my eyes,
I shot him a glare. Yes, of course!
Thank you...
Pulled the sheet over.
Slumber prevailed once again on me

The third time I was woken…..
This time yellow smile -invisible
I was so mad... clenching my teeth
I could have delivered a couple of epithets
On disturbing my sweet sleep once all over again
Huh!

I realized may be he wants more...
So he is bothering me again & again
He extended his hand
Depositing 100 Rs on my berth

I stared dumb folded
As currency lied there
Wet Crumbled note
As if in the fist all the while
I looked up to him
He was almost in tears
“I have never done this before”
My consciousness doesn’t allow me…

I was touched
‘I felt guilty for wronging the right
Before I could react
The train screeched a halt
He soon disappeared in the crowd
My eyes kept searching him
He left me guilt
Grossly making systems ill.

The twitter of birds
Melody of loyal singing sweet
Squirrels running around
Looking for treasure hidden
Under the ground
The azure blue sky- above
The winding path –
Beneath the banyan trees

My morning walk
I look forward to….
As a pilgrimage
I take every day
Importantly most
To be with my beloved
Walking hand in hand
Souls united
He says his bit I say mine
He talks more I listen...
The only moments I share
With him when we r both to ourselves
I look forward to
My morning walk together

I have many things to do
I write them on paper
All Things to do
Run to school
Run to shops to buy
Paints & fabric loose

I pick up my brush
start to paint
That flies random
Jot them in my own way
Or note them in paper tray

Quickly, get ready
Time to go
To visit my embroiders
To check things in a row

Summers are round the corner
Voiles are bought
Designs created & sampled
And rushed to the store

Rush back home...
Time for kids to
Reach back home...
Have lunch take a nap

Fresh as dew
Wake up
Energy renewed
Space my treadmill
For minutes few

An evening cupper
With my kids
And some guppa

Time for dinner
Husband to come
The cell phone rings
My work is done

Dinner together with lots of fun
All narrating their bits
Some stories, some news bulletin
Watch the star news
The sleep brews…
Almost falling
For forty winks- dozing
Down the staircase.-hiking.
Good night we say
And cease the day …

I ponder and ponder
Over my words
Many a times
I think of a verse
Yet I feel
I am talking to my soul
And as I talk
The words flow
In poetry or prose.

I wonder and wonder
How words ball
Bouncing like water- fall
Ever and always
Here and now
My body and soul
Sing a song
Like a lyricist
In full form...

The sky looks beautiful
Overcast
with Swarming clouds
These clouds above
the blue sky
whisper as they gaze
down the humanity- 7

wake up ! you man!
You citizens of earth…
You may be divided by
land , color or deed
Any caste or creed
But first

you are a human being -7
And then whispered loudly..
Awaken your conciousness,
open your hearts
Bring one another to love
share joy of one
and sorrow of othe
lets dream a life beautiful
for all- together

An outburst…
mobs crying aloud.
looting And arsonoing….
But Mahatma didn't stop spinning!-4

They vent fury on building..
Pulling window frames..
Out of the walls…
Smashed the doors..
But Mahatma didn't stop spinning,-4

Instability..Endless bickering…
Monumental Political failure
Administrative atrophy..
But mahatma didn't stop spinning!-4

His head hung in shame
His land is not what he dreamt of..
His people are not who he instilled faith in
His eyes shut --- as if bleeding with tears
His ears shut - with the communal cacophony..
His mouth sealed- - an orgy of -silence
Like his three monkeys on my table
I feel, mahatma doesn't stop spinning-8

spreading a cult
Of violence and Domination
self righteousness(ferocity) and retalliation
Potraying repression of some
aggression of others----5

But in the heinous act of Godhara…
A pogrom- Gory massacre
-a well manipulated,
A skullduggery,
the dance of death,-5

Followed another annihilation
An aftermath
Of tempers high and emotions flying-
Intolerant society
Arsoning, burning & looting-5

Growing fanaticism,
Tearing humanity apart,
Creating fissures in
human minds-capricious
Imbalance society,- barbarism -5

An appeal! An appeal!

We are the citizens of earth first
Irrespective of what beard we sport
And what God we claim to pray
Not you,
divide us with color,caste or creed
or by any name,land or deed
my dreams are shattered
and many along with me weep…8

Can we individually cobble together
our values straight…..!
Can we individually put our
perspective right…
can religion be our private domain…!-5

Are we not children of same god!,
Living in the land of KARAM BHOMI
Where teachingof
Mahatama&Buddha are taught..
Where tolerance is a virtue.
where civilasation galore melted together once,
Where secularism is our political slogan, ---------8

We all need to meditate,
To look within.
To introspect
, adhere to the religion of humanity,
Believe in the faith of mankind,
Love of brotherhood
, peace & harmony,
Restore faith of oneness
---------

I see a ray of hope
Time is a great healer,
We can individually be ' civilised',
,instead of hanging heads in shame
,Lets all wake up
and pledge,
toStitch the fabric that burnt the society yesterday,
to make a better tomorrow…----8

( shepherd is refered to political & religious leaders of our country)

Shepherd O' shepherd
where Dost You Wander…..
O' shepherd
where Dost You hide……

The Country needs you
O' shepherd!
at this hour of need,
we all trapped in the cobweb of greed
Intolerance indeed

The nation needs your attention
O' shepherd!
the country is in flame
inexplicable
unpardonable hatred prevails
some voices insane
some barbaric
Others invain

Shepherd O' shepherd !
where dost you wander…
O shepherd!
where dost you wander hide…

Your eyes shut
playing the flute
the magic of music
no longer soothes
Too much flute and
stoic silence
is disturbingly
disconcerting....

Wake up ! O' shepherd!
we are no more basking
in accolades of peace & harmony
your lambs are in danger
and you have daunting task
in the labyrinth of mistrust
To build the faith
Engineer trust

Wake up! shepherd !
O'shepherd!
Come out of the labyrinth
of music & silence
And unite us together.

But Buddha, Mahavir and Mohammed
Only promoted peace
Never they exhorted
to build mosques ,
temples in street..
"Let there be no compulsion in religion ''
they stridently preached..

Then came the twist in religion
When ulemas & priest
Declared in sun
"THE WILL OF GOD"
Intimidating common breed
For their vested interests
To serve their material greed
tospiritual human need
…
Gospels of christainity
Mark and luke declared
Even though never had they
met jesus all the way..
,and yet deleting the gospel
of 'Doubting Thomas'
though Thomas and jesus
were true buddies

Quran came on paper decade later
Following prophets sad demise
Zaid-Ibn-Habit wrote Islam
by customary judgment
Islamic laws were constucted thereof

Rigvedas never wrote
of shivas,ganesh;s & lakshmi'
Hindu religion evolves from vedic roots
ram & krisna were only raised heroes
from legends to deities
as resurgence of hindu scriptures
came as late as end of mughal era
but sadly and unfortunately
scriptures were far beyond the teachings of founders

the priests became powerful
so did clergy men
metamorphisis
from pious to activists
using religon - a weapon
of fisting
the poor , the uneducated were the easy targets
as rationale for them was fizzy
from business of boring
looting, raping & burning
indeed was exciting
and such mayhems
the ulemas supporting
their personal gains\
in the name of religion
the godly game..

I request all and thee
to believe in the religion of humanity
no human being
for any caste or creed
to adere to the priests
who at the behest
of their interests and patrons
make religion a violent mockery.

I met a seer in my dreams…
a seer of art and learning..
Who blessed me
And said,
" your chants are melody ,
…sweet and sway
Put all your efforts hour and day
learn as much..as you could
with all your say..
your kowledge would show you the way..
the seer said and went away

I gathered myself
Whole and large
I summoned my soul for being a bard
The present is now ,here and today
My words,
are here to stay

all the reigns of kings across the sea..
of all sailors voyages
of mountains, sails, rocks and giant trees
far born, far dying, living long and everlasting
joys and ceaseless happiness
thy yearning for muse is at its best
the only puport of being today
is acquiring wisdom more
and more in every way
to finesse the art of the muse
my words , my songs are a reality
as I experience life in actuality