Badal – a call for change

July 18th, 2010 admin

बदल

भीडों के धक्कों में खुश रहने वाले,
तमाशों के रंगों को सच कहने वाले,
औरों की बातों को अपना बता कर,
चुराये खयालात अकड से जता कर,
जो डरते हैं पर डर जताते नहीं हैं,
शर्मिन्दा हैं, सर झुकाते नहीं हैं ।
न जाने के उनमे वो खुद ही कहां हैं ।
ढूंढें तो औरों कि परछाइयां हैं ।
जो खुद से, खुदी से, खुदा से ख़फा हैं,
बेखबर, बेहुनर, बेकस, बेवफा हैं ।
बदल दो ये मक्सद, ये मंज़र, ये मंज़िल ।
कफस से कदम पर कफन ही कज़ा है ।

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What I believe

September 4th, 2006 admin

I believe in my religion, not in giving it a name,
I believe in mistakes, and lessons, but not in placing blame.
I believe in doubt and reason, only where that may apply
I believe destiny may overcome reason and not be tamed by “Why?”
I believe also in the destiny one builds, cause preceding effect,
Making the best with what you have, and the most of what you get.
I believe in taking life as seriously, as life does take you,
Working with it as best you can, but expecting a joke or two.
I belive in the magic, powerful, that small things and acts can make,
A few good words, an honest ear, a smile, a forgiven mistake
creating happiness from nothing, dissolving sorrow, fear and tact
This I believe is real magic and better than the best Vanishing Act.
I believe in an honest attempt at excellence in every deed,
Not thinking of the tree to be, just enjoying planting the seed.
I believe in teamwork and community, in compassion and moderation,
I believe also in the individual and the infinite in one.

(Anil Krishna, September 4th, 2006)

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Market Economy

July 3rd, 2006 admin

You’ve reached the land of marketing genius
and of course, “Your call is important to us”.
To continue in English please press one
or you may hang up and miss all the fun.
We’re currently busy collecting “Low Hanging Fruit”
you may listen to music after hitting mute.
I’m away from my desk, “Thinking Outside the Box”,
enjoy you options in the land of stocks.
“Buy Now. Pay Nothing Until…” next year, see
we’ll make you pay more, but we’ll call it free.
“Buy One”, why one, “Get Two Free”,
you hardly needed the first, now you’ve got three.
It’s the “Closing Down Sale”, “Everything Must Go”.
your conscience won’t forgive you if you don’t throw
your hard earned money to the “Economies of Scale”
and the outsourcing and the offshoring and the “Weekend Only” sale,
for once a weekend is gone, it’s gone … for the next five days.
We’re “raising the bar”, “pushing the envelope” just in case
your “Purchasing Power” decides for you, to buy.
Just remember “terms and conditions…”, still, “apply”.

(Anil Krishna, July 3rd, 2006)

Reference: the dictionary of (bull.shit): a shameless opinionated guide to all that is absurd, misleading and insincere. Nick Webb, SourceBooks, Inc.

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A glance away

June 17th, 2006 admin

With a trembling hand I dare to write
of the day we both shall reunite.
Your smile will be but a glance away
sunny and blue, while the sky may grey.
The days of phone calls draw to a close,
long weekend flights and luggage woes.
The end approaches for goodbyes that ache,
and for promised that are easy to make,
yet hard due to the distance keep,
and the constant hunt for tickets cheap.
The day is close, the end near.
Though a beginning it will be, I fear
it shall come and take a part of me,
and a part of you, leaving but a memory.
Sweet beginning, yet a sad day,
when your smile will be but a glance away.

(Anil Krishna, June 17th, 2006)

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Hardened

June 15th, 2006 admin

With hope alone, comes dejection
Only expectations come crashing down,
Sacrifice leads only to more,
Where there is care, strife abounds.

Giving up is near and it teases,
Not caring is not too hard,
Yet love flutters briefly, struggles,
The heart hurts, burned and scarred.

It reminds itself of times gone by,
Memory is an innocent cloud,
Thoughts of promises kept and made,
Return with glimpses of happiness vowed.

The heart enchanted, seeks a fall,
Into what makes it feel alive,
Into hopes, efforts and promises,
Faith, trust and dreams naive.

It breaks again. It mends again.
And breaks a few times still.
Blinding drops of tears well up,
The remains are shards, gone is the will.

The heart once soft, accepts its greying world,
And gives up trying.
A hardened heart lives alone,
But never ends up crying.

( Anil Krishna, June 15th, 2006)

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Undefine me

May 7th, 2006 admin

Does anyone truly know me?
Will anyone ever do?
Will anyone ever care enough
to look beyond what they see,
beyond that which is relvealed
or even beyond what is apparent,
beyond what words can define or defend,
beyond what actions can show.

What I truly mean
can not be said,
for words and thoughts will fail
miserably at best,
to capture intent and inclinations.
The mere attempt, the mere defence
is so sad.

Silence. Quiet. Calm.
The only way to know it
is by not trying, not defining,
not attempting, not defending,
not showing, not struggling with it.
The only way to know it
is to believe.
The truth will then come to you…
softly, silently, undefinably,
yet with the grace of a butterfly,
with the calming reassurance of cool monsoon winds.

(Anil Krishna, May 7th, 2006)

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Rhymeless in Raleigh

January 21st, 2005 admin

I write with a careful pen,
in the cozy cocoon of structure,
in the nest of tested rhyme.

Afraid to step off the branch
Fearful to give myself a chance,
without measuring my meter in time,

to take a leap and catch a whiff
in mid air, to shudder with joy,
and beat my wings to climb.

The ground of rules and structure
draws closer, stops, recedes
The final flight is free, skywards and sublime.

(Anil Krishna, January 12th, 2005)

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Blinded until now

January 12th, 2005 admin

Never have I seen it,
never will I too,
taken aback by how long,
I took before I knew.

Only quick glimpses in the passing,
or conscious visions could I afford,
in tentative mirrored reflections
and photographs impliably cold.

On how it is to know me,
I distantly do divine,
a fresh introspection,
as your eyes look into mine.

True good and bad in me I find,
in your honest gaze,
Through you I fathom meeting my person
and seeing my true face.

(Anil Krishna, January 12th, 2005)

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Valentine Song

December 1st, 2004 admin

To my only valentine,
the love and longing in every line,
te rhythm and romance of every song,
my ache, my cure, for so long.
You’ve been my friend for ever,
funny, caring, daring and clever.
Your smile is like spring for me,
more beautiful than anything for me.
Everything I have has a share for you.
I open my heart, lay it bare for you.
Your hopes and dreams are mine too.
I will try my best to help us through.
Can’t stay mad at you for long,
often right we are, though sometimes wrong.
Times when life gets complicated,
are saved by memories of times we celebrated.
I know I am grateful to no end,
for each living moment with you I spend.

(Anil Krishna, December, 2004)

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Will you refresh my memory please?

December 1st, 2004 admin

I know you’ve told me a million times,
and I’ve asked you a million times since,
My frozen memory seeks warmer climes,
or a quick serving of hints.

I forget not because I want to,
nor do I lack interest,
I conjecture for I have no clue,
that maybe I am blessed.

Blessed to keep out of my mind,
All the clatter that I can,
Upon reflection in there I find,
the teflon of a non-stick pan.

Nothing I shove in sticks around,
long enough to be of use.
The empty chambers are tightly bound,
by slippery strings and screws.

I beseech respectfully that you reweigh,
this painful prolonged tease,
For nocuous it is everytime I say, “Pray,
Will you refresh my memory please?”

(Anil Krishna, December, 2004)

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