Tag: Poems

  • The scent of freedom

    The scent of freedom

    A thousand suns may have come and gone
    A thousand moons so brightly shone
    But the lone warrior stands tall and taut
    Stronger than ever, its metal wrought

    For eons it stood the test of time
    A mute spectator beyond the line
    With blood and sweat and tears withholding
    It bore witness to the events unfolding

    I stand here with my head held high
    My heart swelling, my breath alive
    I’m proud of the legacy they left behind
    Iconic; truly one of a kind

    It was here that our fathers from days of yore
    Their blood was seed, a fruit time bore
    The sweet and fleshy orb that grew
    Was freedom; a spark; an idea anew

    And they lay this flag to symbolize
    That truth prevails over a bunch of lies
    A gift of sorts for the coming generation
    Still a unique reminder; some gentle inspiration

    The flag flutters in grace to this very day
    The winds of change are blowing this way
    It gives me hope for the days to come
    For the air is pregnant with the scent of freedom.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by this week’s writing challenge.

    NOTE: I took this picture on top of Shay Palace, Leh, on my recent trip to Ladakh. Ladakh is extremely beautiful, picturesque, and one of the best places to visit in the summer.
    Image copyright of Mihir Kamat.
  • Stateless

    Stateless

    Beware, O keepers of this fine state
    The pot has begun to boil, its contents steaming
    Waiting to overflow and consume everything in its path
    Like a rabid volcano awaiting climax

    These people, your people; the very same
    That voted you in have now had quite enough
    For when I stare long and hard into those quiet eyes
    I see discontent seething in the cold abyss

    Their eyes are filled with great expectations
    And fabulous dreams; dreams of a better future
    Than what their past has had to offer them
    Each day their confidence in government shaken.

    I sense fear in their demeanor;
    Fear of not knowing what tomorrow holds
    Fear of living each day as it comes and praying
    That they can just make it through the long, dark night.

    The days and nights alternate endlessly;
    They come and they go like the soft touch
    Of a light wind blowing, unable to make its presence felt
    But still fueling a fire that burns brightly within

    And as the mercury rises, the heat unbearable
    A day will come when they would tear down the facade
    Of your false promises, and expose your decayed core
    Mocking you for your inability to provide for their simplest needs

    I warn you, open your eyes now and smell the coffee
    For the day is not far when the people, your people,
    Would turn your scepter, your symbol of power
    Into a mere piece of firewood, vulnerable to a naked flame

    And from its ashes, like a phoenix will emerge
    To spread its wings like never before;
    A mind that is free and one that always will be
    Stateless.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by this week’s writing challenge.
    Image courtesy of csmonitor.com.
  • The wheels are in motion

    The wheels are in motion

    It’s quiet outside
    Maybe too quiet
    The mind is restless
    It won’t go to sleep

    It seeks answers
    To a million questions
    Solutions to problems
    Searching, waiting, and watching.

    The heart joins in
    Beating slowly, in a deep rhythm
    Music that pushes the mind
    Forward on its unknown quest

    Yet there is something missing;
    The mind knows it is alone
    But longs for something more
    Than just the ordinary

    The body can’t take it anymore
    It craves for a piece of the action
    It twists and turns
    Spinning out of control

    The wheels are in motion
    The quietness all gone now
    The fire burns brightly within
    A spark is all it took.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by this week’s writing challenge.
    Image copyright of Mihir Kamat.
  • The plot of land

    The plot of land

    The welcoming earth lay vacant in the spring
    Untouched, unkempt, with wild flowers blooming
    With the sunset in the eve its beauty would peak
    A dazzle of golden with bright orange streaks

    A pool of water so silent and serene
    A spectacular dimension to the surroundings so green
    And a large oak tree right near the edge
    Towering over the little shrubby hedge

    The emptiness begged for fruition so much
    A blank canvas it was seeking an artist’s touch
    Like the surge of the sea the ideas were flowing
    With every great thought the excitement growing

    Would it play host to a home cozy and small
    Or give children space to play with bat and ball
    A perch for lovers to rekindle the fire
    Or a place for old folks to relax and retire

    But how could I take away the beauty that existed
    Replace it with concrete; the idea seemed twisted
    How do I steal it from under nature’s caring hand?
    What was I to do with this plot of land?

    The answer was clear, it began to make sense
    It was so simple, nay just commonsense
    A beautiful garden, the plot would remain
    A place for nature to blossom again

    The birds and the butterflies would flutter once again
    The grass would look greener when bathed by the rain
    With the cool summer breeze calling out as before
    To see man and nature together once more.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt – A Plot of Earth
  • Worth waiting for

    A gentle rose
    Waits for you
    Your touch, your caress
    Your gentle care

    Its scent intoxicates
    Mesmerizes
    Throws me off balance
    Just like you do

    It asks to be placed
    In your hair so silken
    It begs to adorn
    Your radiant beauty

    The rose is simple;
    It wants to fulfill
    Its purpose in life
    To be an object of beauty

    But it cannot wait longer
    For it will die;
    It simply cannot live
    Staying away from you so long

    But I believe, against hope
    It would live till you came back
    Because I know for a fact
    You’re worth waiting for.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt – Cupid’s arrow
    Featured image courtesy of Google.
  • Second chance

    Second chance

    I lie here wide awake yet
    I feel like I am dreaming
    All I can hear outside are
    Loud wails and excess screaming

    I see death smiling in the corner
    He’s waiting at my door
    He says he’s here to take me home
    To offer me much more

    He says I lived a mediocre life
    A life full of plans and caution
    The life I lived was not worth much;
    A life easily forgotten

    He promises to take me to heaven
    He appeals fervently to my heart
    He offers me a brand new experience
    He paints pictures of a fresh new start

    But then I see all the faces around me
    Loved ones gathered, saying their goodbyes
    And while I was taking my last few breaths
    I looked into their eyes

    I made my decision; I wanted my old life back
    I made a difference to all these people here
    So what if I lived a mediocre life
    I must have spread some cheer

    This was my world; this was my heaven
    This was where I was needed
    My life may not be worth much
    But it looks like I had succeeded

    Death admitted defeat and walked away
    He left me to my fate
    I had just received the gift of life
    With death walking out the gate

    And with that I snapped out of
    My stupor; my deathly trance
    It was my time; my fresh new beginning
    My second chance.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt – Karma Chameleon
  • My happy place

    My happy place

    I wished for a place, my happy place
    A place where I’d be myself
    Where I’d be alone, yes all alone
    My mind left to itself

    My dream came true, and one fine day
    I had my wonderful place
    It feels like my cocoon, my bubble
    Yes, my own happy space

    I have a desk, a chair, a lamp
    My books, some paper and a pen
    A cup of coffee, pictures on the wall
    To look at every now and then

    Add to that, my comfy bed
    A place to take my beauty nap
    Where I’d be one with my dreams;
    My fantasies I’d unwrap

    The view outside is breathtaking
    And the clear cool air feels nice
    The peace and quiet make a perfect mix
    Like a mix of sugar and spice

    I love the fact that it has a lot of light
    It keeps me thinking good
    It simply keeps me happy all day
    And brightens up my mood

    And I love to be there all day long
    Not a second left to waste
    I thank my stars for letting me have
    My own happy place

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt – Writing Room
  • Lost in the ashes

    Lost in the ashes

    A horrific blaze
    Engulfed my home
    Reducing my life
    To ashes and dust

    Those ashes were once
    Things that meant the world to me;
    Memories of childhood, now
    Reduced to cinders.

    In the smoky haze
    I search frantically
    But all I can see are embers
    Part of a horrific design;

    Burnt pictures lying everywhere
    Pieces of my childhood lost
    Half burnt faces lie around the floor
    Smiling no more

    The fire lay waste
    To all my belongings
    They were simply objects, insignificant
    Never meant to last –

    Like the pieces of broken glass
    Now crumbling beneath my feet
    They were made to be destroyed
    They were made to be replaced

    But in the blaze that night
    I lost something more
    That I could not find in the ashes;

    It was irreplaceable;
    And more than just my belongings,
    Much more than memories,

    I lost something dearer –
    A part of me.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt – Burnt
  • Music to my ears

    Music to my ears

    It feels wonderful
    To be so close to you
    To feel your warmth
    On this cold, winter day.

    Listen closely
    I can hear our hearts beat
    In unison, like they’re one
    And not in two different bodies.

    Your breath is like
    A sweet whisper;
    And the soft quiver
    In your lips
    Feels like an echo
    In my mind.

    Your every nuance
    Your every move
    Is a delight to me
    And music to my ears.

    © 2013 Mihir Kamat
    Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt – Musical
  • A journey called life

    A journey called life

    Hello, fellow traveler
    On this journey called life
    You seem to be living on the edge
    Of a sharp, cold knife.

    You always seem to have a plan
    And in such a desperate hurry
    You want more done in lesser time
    But then you sit and worry

    You have no time for yourself
    Or for your family or friends
    Your watch drives your every action
    Hell, your day starts but never ends!

    All you think about is profit
    Or awards you must receive
    But you ignore those little things in life
    That you worked so hard to achieve

    It’s all about the little joys
    That makes living worthwhile
    It’s those little things you care for
    A hug, a kiss, a smile!

    You can’t go on living like this
    The madness has to stop
    Because one day your health will go
    And your energy will drop

    And all that will be left
    Is an empty shell, surrendered?
    Someone who did a lot in life
    But never got remembered

    No one will see who came first
    At the end, it’s all the same
    Life is a journey, and not a sport
    Or a trophy you can claim

    Live life one moment at a time
    No need to keep accounts
    Because life is not a start and end
    It’s the journey that counts.

    © 2012 Mihir Kamat