Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(Thirty-first) Final small stone


skipping stones
I learn to croon
like the stream


YAY..I'VE DONE IT! Finished writing thirty-one small stones! Haven't missed a single step throughout the month despite such a crazy schedule! I think i really deserve a pat on the back and congrats also to all the other fellow stoners who have finished this challenge successfully. It has been a fantastic experience, to say the least,enlivened by Fiona's inspirational newsletters and now on to February which promises to be another interesting and busy, busy month writingwise, starting with February NaHaiWriMo...the original haiku writing month.The prompter is ready and the participants are raring to go! NaHaiWriMo completes one year today. I wasn't there last year; i joined much later; but this time over I wouldn't want to give it a miss and i know you wouldn't either. So in case you haven't joined yet, how about joining me here on Facebook? It's going to be fun!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Thirtieth small stone -a love story


Simba is smitten with Berlin. Whenever he looks into those limpid brown eyes, Simba's young heart goes aflutter in the wildest possible ways. As Berlin goes for her evening stroll, he bounds off from corner to corner of the roof (where he is stationed most of the day hoping to catch a glimpse of her), not wanting to let her out of sight even for a moment; calling out to her to glance once in his direction. He believes one day, someday, they will be together...

Simba doesn't know that Berlin is slated to meet Rocky, a handsome hunk weighing a perfect 88 lbs, living two streets away who has been hand-picked to mate with her because of his impeccable pedigree, in order to keep the line pure...

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Twenty-eighth small stone



Over the rough stones the gurgle of a green brook. Hillsides covered by flowers with white muslin petals loosely draped around clusters of fiery red stamens...flowers that I've not been able to identify.
But why must we give a name to everything?

Friday, January 27, 2012

Twenty-seventh small stone.




The blackbird keeps calling its mate. Darkness is dotted with hasnuhana (night jasmine) buds. I can almost hear the sky throbbing with stars tonight.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Twenty-sixth small stone


On some days, the world goes by unobserved. By the time, I come out on the balcony with a cup of tea, dusk is already settling in with chirps getting fainter...from tweet to twe to ttt...

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Twenty-fifth small stone


He stands next to the trash-cans, his back to the busy road, talking to the lamp-post all day.The stray dog cocks its ears and listens for a while.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Monday, January 23, 2012

Twenty-third small stone


She has at least three fine lines creasing her forehead, two vertical frown lines between the eyebrows, innumerable crows' feet around the eyes and two more very conspicuous lines around the mouth. I also can see the beginning of a double jowl as she stares back defiantly from the glass windows of a souvenir shop. I avert my eyes and walk away.

craters on the moon...
I give a serious thought
to Botox

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Twenty-first small stone


The shimmering highway curves, stretches, then disappears into the hills. Two low-slung cars try to outdo each other. A clumsy red bus appears from nowhere and glides past them effortlessly.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Twentieth small stone


Dusk blue, sunset red and paddy-husk brown edged with tiny fuchsia flowers. Finally she settles on the brown one hoping to offset it with the bleak evening outside.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Nineteenth small stone


I try to walk fast, but still cannot catch up with others. I am overtaken by all the other walkers on the track. Not wanting to be left behind I quicken my pace even more. Now I am panting.I walk even faster. And then suddenly I am flying! I am airborne! I desperately try to touch the ground, but cannot do so anymore.
My recurring dream for the past few nights.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Eighteenth small stone


Above, a smattering of stars through the leafless branches.
Below, the trampled petals of markhamia.
Only a few days remain for her to leave.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Sixteenth small stone


Yay...!! Almost done! Halfway through the river of stones! Or, that's what I thought. Till I remembered there are 31 days in January! But no matter...all I need is a little attention and I'll still make it.

Each one of the perfectly round peas that rolls from my fingers into the gleaming steel bowl holds a tiny dot of light on its tip.

I know, I know...I'm writing a lot about peas these days, but my life is currently revolving around these 3 'P's
- peas, pots and pans! Poetry (the fourth P) will have to wait!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Fifteenth small stone


Twilight lingers a while on the rock at the cliff's edge making it grow more and more luminous with every passing moment.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Fourteenth small stone


that's the way
the cookies crumble -
New year's resolutions

Friday, January 13, 2012

Thirteenth small stone


Three monkeys chase each other along the rooftops. The mama monkey chews on a neem (margosa) branch and watches indulgently as her little one swings one-handed from another branch.The crows are not too happy with the goings-on and curse loudly.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Twelfth small stone


Sometimes, it roars in like a giant wave, sometimes just a gentle tide. Sometimes , it hovers around the horizon like a cloud without raining.Yet again at times, it drifts in ... leaf by leaf.

This sleep!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Eleventh small stone


He stands poised, the catapult trained high up where the resident squirrel is crouching among the leaves, when I burst in upon him with a full-throated yell. He lowers the catapult and retreats, but his eyes say he is going to be be back.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Tenth small stone




moon-washed path
and this long trek back home...
lonely snail

Monday, January 9, 2012

Ninth small stone


The blue-grey hush of dawn, the bluer sound of azaan (prayer calls) from the mosque. I lie listening and wondering if the sound of the milkman's footsteps are going to be of a different colour.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Eighth small stone


They sit side by side, in monk-like silence, staring straight ahead at the trees and beyond, a strange kind of peace on their faces. Though I am known to both of them, neither acknowledges me. A wisp of smoke hovers above them, two red-tipped stubs glow between their fingers.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Seventh small stone


Disappearing dots in the dark.
Is it necessary to catch up?

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Fifth small stone


shelling peas and dropping them in the bowl, things begin to fall in place at last.





Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Fourth small stone


Afternoon. The crow and the squirrel eye each other from opposite branches in perfect stillness. Who is going to blink first?

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Third small stone




A profusion of tiny white stars now. Soon some swollen green heads will start poking through the leaves, asking to be picked. My green chilli plant.

Monday, January 2, 2012




"Things with Wings and other poems", Aubrie Cox's compilation of selected poems along with her doodles, which we had done for "I doodle you ku" on her blog Yay Words back in March, is finally online! And what a delightful collection it has turned out to be! I am so happy to be featured there with 15 of my poems alongside many other poet friends of mine. Download the pdf copy here if you want to feast your eyes on Aubrie's awesome doodles and some equally amazing poems.






Over the next few days, I plan to feature in this space, all my poems that have been included in the collection (and also a few that have not been included) paired with Aubrie's awesome doodles. I begin at the end on March 31st, with a poem of mine that is not there in the collection, but which I loved writing all the same.

The image here is not one by Aubrie Cox, but something very similar to what she had doodled on at day!

Second small stone






I fill the terracotta birdbath with fresh water and float red flower-petals in it, hoping to attract the birds. But the birds still prefer to congregate near the cracked plastic bowl atop a mossy wall.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The first small stone, January 1




I just decided to take the plunge and join the January-mindful-writing challenge going on in a river of stones by committing myself to write one small stone throughout the month. A small stone is all about observing one moment everyday mindfully and trying to capture that moment in words. I don't know how I'm gong to fit this in my schedule that's bound to get busier and crazier with each passing day for the next two weeks, but I'm going to give it a try anyway. Many of my friends have already joined in and if you haven't done so already, why don't you? I am sure it's going to be fun! You can find all about a river of stones and a small stone here.

And don't forget to get a funky badge like the one above from here.

Now to my first stone for January 1, although i know it's a bit late in the day to call it that.




Wind-tousled hair.The blue shirt, worn loose over a vest, flaps wildly around his waist and the sun glints wickedly in the blue glares as he races the bike across the bridge and
straight towards me.

The credits start rolling in over his left shoulder.