Life, a Circus...

When as a child,
I laughed,
the world transformed into a cheerful circus
and all the people clumsy clowns!

When as a child
I wept,
my life was an overwhelming ocean
whirling waves sweeping me up and down!

The laughter,
the tears
all but temporary hurdles
in my path of innocence then.

Today,
when I laugh
I laugh less at myself
more at others.

Today,
when I weep
my tears drown
others too in my real or imagined grief.

How I wish I was that child again,
laughing and crying all at once
enjoying life as it was meant to be
for all to share, you and me!

for the prompt that appears in an untitled poem inscribed on the face of a clock in Chester Cathedral, England

CARRY ON TUESDAY

I am a Millionaire!

I would be a millionaire

if I had the money -

You won't believe it!

I do!

I have the wealth

of flowing warmth,

of unconditional friendship,

of joy galore,

of peace ashore.

I am a millionaire

of love lost and deservedly gained,

of lessons cruelly learnt and used,

of soaring spirits after calamity borne,

of pen bent, broken and repaired...

I am a millionaire.

I have the money

of Life!

of Gratitude!

Carry on Tuesday: Prompt -Opening Line from Home Thoughts from Abroad by Clifford T Ward

My First -

I remember them all

with loving fondness,

an aching desire

to experience

the pain, the hurt, the touch

once again,

something like hush-hush history

repeating itself

through the ravishing ravages of time....

My first love ache,

my first ache in my pre-teen tummy,

my first break-up with my little friend,

my first prize in school,

my first one liner dialogue in a school play,

my first green cycle,

my first crush,

my first kiss

I remember them all...

Carry on Tuesday: Prompt - "And that is how I remember them" from The 1950 movie, The Menagerie

Let Go!

Between the dark and the daylight

lie my fantasies

of a life

peaceful,

blissful,

lost in harmony.

When the night is beginning to lower

ambitious aspirations

take a well deserved dip,

greedy desires take a dive,

life ascends to the skies

and love merges with nature.

The Children's Hour

teaches lessons

untaught by selfish society,

humane blessings expand

to embrace the entire universe

and the 'I' learns to let go....

Carry on Tuesday: From Longfellow's poem, 'The Children's Hour'

Are We There Yet?

Are we there yet?

I am still asking that,

still to reach the place

I want to.

I need to.

I deserve to.

Are we there yet?

When are we going to stop asking?

Not content with the past,

nor with the present

or the image of the future.

Will we ever reach then?

Are we there yet?

Wonder what would happen

if we stopped asking for more -

Would our desires

transform into reality?

Would we reach our destination?

Would we?

Would we?

Carry on Tuesday: From the movie, 'Are We There Yet?'

And that is how I remember them...

And that is how I remember them...

My memories

of You.

Happy with the joy of life.

Fragrant with the scent of love.

Flowing with the stream of peace.

Luring me to sleep

dreaming of You

and your open arms of affection

that engulf me

in their passion.

That is how I remember them...

My memories

Of You.

Carry On Tuesday: From the Glass Menagerie's "That is how I remember them..."

When wilt thou come?

A child

at heart,

she still has those

wide eyed fears -

of pursuing predators,

of luring strangers,

of thundering lightening

breaking the silence

of a childlike mind.

Talk of darkness

still brings back

wounded memories

of love gone astray,

of joy expected

unsatiated,

lost to the storm

of society,

its selfish sadist existence.

She still awaits

the promise

of no darkness

and no wide eyed fears.

When wilt thou come?

Carry on Tuesday: No more talk of darkness.... from The Phantom of the Opera

Monday's Child: 31

Light At The End of the Tunnel

Somehow, as she left

she paved the way

to pursue what she gave up for me.

Her death, an unbearable loss,

a black hole,

a dark night

from which I can never come out

or so, I thought

yet, she showed me light at the end of the tunnel,

a brighter day,

a path I never knew existed

and, here I am facing a wave

of learning children

who are to be my medicine for pain,

as they distract me, from my grief

with their innocent faces, smiles and actions.

I can see her smile now,

happy to experience her daughter's joy.

Thank you Ma!

Carry on Tuesday: Tupac Shakur's For every dark night there's a brighter day