Monday, January 26, 2015

Mirage

Infinite, stretching land,
that glitters in the searing heat,
clashing to form an ocean of sand;
sun rays fall as continual sleet
The swelter is unbearable, the sand like gold,
vigor escapes, leaving her fatigued and old,
the dunes are incandescent- every rolling fold
shimmers with sunlight so unforgiving and cold
Thirst gnaws at her throat, parched and dry,
her path is infinite, seeming never to end
She glances helplessly at the crystal clear sky
which is a pale blue and azure blend
She cuts through the air, weak and frail,
leaving behind a wavering trail,
exhaustion has left her countenance pale,
she swerves with the weakest and mildest of gales
And then suddenly, inexplicably, in her heart,
hope blossoms like a bud- intense and strong,
a steady, consistent path she begins to chart
Hope, instead of wind, carries her along
Sustenance, she sees, right before her eyes,
cool, invigorating- towards it she flies-
a tiny speck against the unclouded skies
too naive to comprehend this deceptive guise
Her throat pounds, water she craves-
the refreshing, life-giving Adam's ale,
longing crashes like stormy waves
falling prey to nature's gale
Yet she can never reach it, to her despair,
as she combats the sun's relentless glare
Even as she feels closer to the moistened air,
it's as far as before, all the way over there
It's sparkling blue, a tantalizing source of pain,
to the weary creature, its unnatural and absurd,
but her effort and optimism are all in vain-
towards the mirage, flies the bird

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Orbs of Light

This is an old poem of mine, which I had written a few years ago...

During the dark, silent night,
the stars would glow proud and bright
They would emit light and shine,
into constellations they would align

They were the treasure of the night sky,
they were inspiring without having to try
Although they were distant and miles too far,
nothing could compete with the beauty of a star

And then came the unavoidable day,
which led all the stars away
For there was a much more powerful king-
a fierce, dominant golden ring

It was also known as the sun,
which was supreme, which was the one
to light up the entire world,
providing life to each boy and girl

The stars lay sorrowful and ignored,
cross at this omnipotent lord,
that stole away their light and beauty,
in order to do its important duty

Their light combined was much too feeble
to be appreciated by the people
And so, for hours on end,
the stars, with the day sky would blend

But when the sun began to leave,
the stars decided not to grieve
The sky was then a lovely pink,
as the orange sun began to shrink

The stars rose up in the sky,
and their self-esteem began to fly
They shone in the dark with joy and pride,
the harsh light of the sun was cast aside

And so, the stars continued to glow,
appearing to exist a mere stone's throw
Free from the domination of the sun,
providing happiness to everyone

Friday, January 16, 2015

Flight

'It's wonderful, isn't it?'
His voice sounded oddly distorted in the forceful gale. I could detect a sliver of apprehension in his rather indifferent words. My whipping hair prevented me from seeing his face, but I could tell that his feelings mimicked mine.
I looked down once more, and could feel myself going pale. We were poised at the edge of a terrifyingly precipitous cliff, whose sheer drop was unlike any other precipice I had encountered. However, the view was exhilarating- I could see the massive mountains lined with conifers, growing fainter with distance, the subtle shades of the rivulets that cut the valleys, the blanket of mist that coated my surroundings, and the soft shades of the rising sun. The ambience was frosty, and I could see my breath billowing out with every exhalation. But it wasn't the temperature that was sending shivers down my spine.
I tugged at the heavy equipment I was tethered to, ensuring that they were secure. Finding it difficult to gather my courage, I was mildly irked that my adventurous spirit shyed away from a new experience. I frowned at myself, and recalled the times I had gone deep sea diving in the sparkling waters of the Maldives, or trekking up the slopes of the Himalayas- I hadn't been afraid then. Perhaps my intrepid streak was leaving me, I thought with despair.
I looked around, and then looked up. Birds were soaring in an immaculate V formation, fearless and self-assured. What I was about to do wasn't much different from what they were doing now, and I felt a twinge of envy.
The sun had risen higher, and beads of perspiration rolled down my face. The yellow light was blinding, and the layer of haze disappeared just as rapidly. My thoughts and bravery remained landlocked in my mind, and did not reflect on my actions. I simply stood at the edge, entirely aware of time ticking away, but doing nothing to slow it.
My brother had already jumped, and was on the other side of the valley. My searching eyes had spotted a minuscule red dot on that side, which then blended into the trees, on its way back to the cabin.
Time passed, and the hours grew longer. The heat became stifling, and I found myself longing for the refreshing water springs near the cabin. But I would have to get there, first... Sitting on a rock, I charted the path of the sun as it arced across the sky. I delighted myself in little sights and occurrences- a pebble with blue markings, a bright, green butterfly fluttering aimlessly, the clouds that raced each other in their haste to cover new territory...
The sun's vigor began to dim, and an invigorating breeze began to flow, cooling my flushed cheeks and renewing my excitement. The rays of sunset slashed the sky, turning it a mixture or orange and magenta.
Making a split-second decision, I stood up, adjusting my paragliding equipment. I had already gone paragliding before, but in a much friendlier environment. Being with an instructor, I hadn't even considered it as a memorable exploit. Impatient to relive the feelings of thrill and pleasure of the previous excursion, I mustered my courage for the thousandth time that day.
The sky was purple, and the sun had begun its venture across the horizon. A perfect, strong wind was blowing, and I released my parachute into the air, and jumped.

Before I knew it, I was flying.