Hammocks of faith

Hammocks of faith

On polarities
Of dual understanding
Swings hammock of faith

— shubha

Fishing for stars

Fishing for stars

Bare branches cast nets
Search twilight river of ink
Fishing for bright stars

— shubha

Dusshera

Dusshera

As we celebrate , of good over evil,the symbolic victory
With much pomp, gaiety,
Say goodbye to Mother's deity
With much sadness, piety,
Let us resolve to continue this fight
Within ourselves as a sacred duty,
Set aflame Ravan in  public squares
Burn with it,our greed, our selfish desires
Worship the goddesses trinity,
Continue in our quest,to see all as a embodiment of divinity,
With grace we will succeed
 As we celebrate this Vijaydashami.

--shubha

Gandhiji's legacy

Gandhiji's legacy


In circular arguments, we argue
If Gandhiji's legacy is a free India
That is today bound in her shackles
Of intolerance, corruption, fear

A philosophy of non- violent non- cooperation
That has been co-opted
By the most manipulative to be
Neither non- violent
Nor non-cooperative where the price is right

Is his legacy the dream of self-sustained villages
That broke at the sacrificial altar
Of the industrial revolution
As the population migrates en masse
To cities in search of dreams

Or is it the dream of a unpartitioned nation
Where its' citizens find in their hearts
Enough space for each other
Whose unraveling,broke him

Is it his firm belief that we can all rise
To engage with each other as brothers, sisters?
And use hands in service of others
Not their exploitation for benefit

Perhaps his greatest legacy
Is the one that all honest men leave behind
A living example
That by the dint of perseverance, faith
Goodness , greatness are within reach.

--shubha

Endless outpourings

Endless outpourings

I breathe your songs
In a whisper on the breeze
Who lovingly wafts them
Into nothingness
That they may remain hidden
In the womb of silence


To waft as melody
In the stillness of
Another heart
Rise to their lips
As their songs
And in so doing
Impart sweetness
That is You
Everlasting

And so from You
Unto You
Love flows
In endless outpourings.


—shubha

Be our guide

Be our guide


We know not where we come from
We know not where we go

We weather many a self made storm
Oh! What bitter seeds we sow

We travel this earth wide, tomes thumb
Always baggage in tow

Looking for happiness , oceans plumb
We search high, we search low

Lost children of God’s kingdom come
Seeking You, we learn , we know

Guide us to your lap , grow our faith some
Lead us to You, to us ,ourselves show

We know not where we come from
We know not where we go

—shubha

Kinship lost

Kinship lost

No longer do I chase words
No longer do they find me
No longer do I seek to express
Inexplicable beauty in them
My expression, my release

It is a kinship lost
Yet leaves no bitterness
No regret
For the beauty still speaks
Though not through me

No longer do I chase words
Perhaps they will return
When it is time to find me

—shubha