Short Story---Normal---3WW

Cope
Revealed
Stick

"Shit!" He thought. Jason was ever so bored with such crowds. He seldom attended parties. Paul, his business partner had insisted and he could not refuse. Now, Jason stood there holding a drink. He looked around and stopped short. She was so breathtakingly beautiful with long silky black hair, dark eyes, and full kissable lips. He felt something stirring inside him. It astonished him.

She was laughing at something Paul was saying. Jason walked towards he, looking deep into her mysterious eyes, said, "I am Jason. And you?" "Olivia," she answered. Though her expression had revealed nothing of the strong attraction, she had felt for him, she too had been watching him all along and was very pleased when he reached her.

"Dance?" He asked.
"Yes. Paul, will you excuse us, please?" She asked turning back towards Paul. He gave a strange look towards Jason and said, "Be my guest."

After that, there was no looking back. Jason forgot his boredom. They were inseparable dancing into the wee hours. He had a gut feeling it was a start of something new in his life. He was confused by his own reactions. However, he wanted to savour the moment. He knew people were talking about him and Olivia. His lifestyle was not exactly a closed book. He had not really cared much before. Now he thought, with her on his side, he could cope with anything.

When the party ended, Jason was reluctant to let her go. He wanted both of them to stick to each other forever. He felt he had found his soul mate. Finally asked, "Would you like to come with me tonight?" Olivia was silent for a moment. Her thoughts somehow echoed his. In the washroom, she had heard enough gossip. That did not bother her at all. "Yes," she answered finally.

In the lift up to his apartment, they could not keep their hands off each other. He was pleasantly surprised. In addition, very pleased with her body's responses to his. Next morning, Jason woke up and stretched, smiling to himself. It had never been so good before this. Most important, he was normal. He could not have asked for more. Olivia was after all, Oliver.

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Please don't forget to read my review of John Steinbeck's The Moon is Down. You won't be disappointed. Another must read book. I recommend it strongly.

Spaced Out

close as close could be,
with no room for privacy
I have lived here
as long, I remember.
go on living
as long as I breathe.
shanties are what is home
shame has no meaning
space is but a word-
what use is it for me?

why do you smirk,
why the surprise-
this is after all my life.
born here,
watched my siblings
conceived,
while they watched
my children being born.
that somehow balances
the untold guilt.

I cannot see the sky
however, I am near the earth.
lived since my birth
would stay until my demise.

would death give me liberty?!










This post was inspired by Carmi Levy@written Inc from his post Density, squared. Do check out his blog. You won't be disappointed by any of his posts.

I have put up pictures of slums from Delhi and Mumbai. Well, I cannot compare with Carmi!

PS: I think I need to polish my free verse! It has rusted over the slack weeks!

Long and Straight of it----Sunday Scribblings

cascading tresses
flow over balustrade
storm cloud brews

When I was a little girl, I used to have fringes. I never liked it. I wanted to have short hair like my three brothers. My father would have allowed me anything but my mother put her foot down. She insisted that I at least look like a girl; even though I did not behave like one! Whenever I needed to trim those unruly ends, she did the deed or was always present if someone else did it. I do not think she trusted anyone with my locks!!

For those afore said reason, I ended up having very long hair. I have thigh-length straight, shiny, jet-black tresses. My hair is SO straight that you can check that out with a plumb line. I used to wish for wavy hair. I had to grin and bear my LONG STRAIGHT mane. I never bothered to comb it. My poor mother had to do it until I was 15 years old.

Somewhere down the line, I started to appreciate my long hair. Due to great genetics, my hair is not difficult to look after. It does not tangle much unless it is very humid. I massage it once a week with warm olive oil and wash it after one hour. I use mostly herbal shampoos….India has no dearth of those. I dry my hair naturally. Hair dryers are big no-no. I have never used any harsh chemicals on my hair. Heat treatments damage the hair and I steer clear of those. I once used henna for conditioning but it dried out my hair. I keep my hair plaited, as Indian climate is not very conducive for keeping the hair open. Another reason I need to look neat too being a teacher and all that…;)

Greying hair is one concern but my 91 years old grand mother has very few grey hairs, my mom has only started to grey now after 70, so I am not much worried in that front. I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

When I have a bad hair day I just knot it and put a wooden stick through it. On good hair days, I feel light headed and elated. Hair does dictate our moods. Brushing is a kind of therapy on those depressing days. One just feels good lovingly combing each strand. Bouncy hair makes us bounce on our steps. Hair reflects our perception sometimes. It hides me from the world too...I just need to change my style. Flowing hair reminds one of a river...

In a nutshell...hair can be so sensual..

More hairy tales...

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Another review posted here, this time a collection of short stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Innocent Erendira. Do check it out. Another great read.

Manacled-------Terza Rima----Poetry Thursday

Manacled-------Terza Rima

I refuse to extol that rationale to sell
foremost thoughts, erstwhile desire
half-truth world knows yet too well.

attenuate slight air, and faltering fire;
crawl back, cut short that demolition
of character which survives quagmire

of satire, that has caused destruction
of spirit, cultural values of inherent
magnitude in the surrounding action.

barrage of acidic comments are cast
almost uprooting my afore said decree
however, I pause, upholding steadfast

to my beliefs, I forge ahead, mind free
of confusion, breaking those shackles
clearing cobwebs, not giving to spree.

nothing should keep spirit in manacles
nurture it such it reaches the pinnacle.
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At times one has to write for oneself. I think this is one of those moments. It might not make much sense. Nevertheless, inner conversations are necessary.

PS: I need to get back to free verse...:D

Celebrating Frivolity------3WW

Another book read and review written. A thousand Years of Good Prayers By Yiyun Li is a collection of short stories about contemporary China and its recent past. A much recommended book. Do check it out.

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Private
Crossed
Rinse

Celebrating Frivolity----Pantoum

against that period I entrench myself here
with private moments, I am thrilled to dote
on curiosity of dead, which at once appear
from frivolity which help in holding me afloat.

with private moments, I am thrilled to dote
on awkward persistence with by far disdain
from frivolity which help in holding me afloat.
construe not on your heart while mine is slain

on awkward persistence with by far disdain
rinse your hatred with such recurrent haste.
Construe not on your heart while mine is slain
nonetheless crossed, onset comes with waste.

rinse your hatred with such recurrent haste
wipe the slate and commence everything new.
nonetheless crossed, onset comes with waste
managing requires skill, bestow upon its due.

wipe the slate and commence everything new
which looks on turmoil and in no way shaken,
managing requires skill, bestow upon its due
in no time, peace would prevail, to be taken

which looks at turmoil and in no way shaken.
against that period I entrench myself here
in no time, peace would prevail, to be taken
like curiosity of dead, that again reappeared…

Feeding Pessimism-----Sonnet

Finished reading yet another book. This time Fury by Salman Rushdie, a birthday gift from my nephew. I think reading it has affected my mood. I am kind of pampering my brooding mood with this sonnet. I do know I am going to be on the top of the world tomorrow. Hence all those who want/try to sympathise, do so at your peril!

But of course, you are welcome to comment and critique the sonnet...:)

#Update: Today(10.07.07) I have been in a upbeat mood. As you can see from a comment by Dewey, I won a book, Murder on the Menu. Thanks Dewey!!


Feeding Pessimism-----Sonnet

descending death, dispirited with melancholy
make one’s blood boil with excessive rage.
glimpsing on dimness which blind do see
and ominously mocking their own presage.

mind at earliest in temperament was done
contemplation is, as a death cannot choose.
but have dominance to hurt, and will shun
all words of encouragement most of us use.

angst would rather take a life, fetching a tomb
closing out from all but taking death on a flight.
cursing this world out to the end of its doom
possessed to go in pursuit of antithesis of delight.

Each altering place, which was never seen before
like those waves generate near encrusted shore!

Taciturnity-----Sunday Scribblings

I suppose this week, Sunday Scribblings slipped over! No wonder they want us to write on Slippery!

I have had my share of slipping and slippery people. I wouldn't like to dwell on that right now. Here I offer a poem which formed in my mind out of the blue moon! It might seem incomplete to a few. Nevertheless, as for as I am concerned, it is complete. Again posting it straight out of the mill- raw, rough and unedited!

Taciturnity

how did i slip, not acknowledging
the obvious- how did it happen
with me? blinded by sheer feelings
i plunged with my eyes wide open.

there cannot be any justification
for my actions. i was sucked into
the vortex, without rationalization
knowing about blind alley thereto.

however, the mind refused to see
spirit being relatively insensitive.
hollowness persisted within me,
permeating, hence accumulative.

convictions burned, dehydrated
all the pores- resulting in vacuity-
numbing moratorium culminated
into withdrawn state of taciturnity.

For how long could I stay slipped?

For more slips...

An aside: I have posted the review of Defy the Eagle by Lynn Bartlett. It is a historical romance. It made a good read. All of you, especially my women friends, can chk that out on my Reading Room!

Update: I am so happy that the Taj Mahal too has been elected to represent global heritage throughout history.

Baking Words-----Terzanelle-----Poetry Thursday

I have been on a reading spree. Best Sellers, Historical Romance, Whodunits, Animal related etc etc. So much so that I was confused for a while. This terzanelle is an outcome of that. Again posting it raw and unedited. It might appear vague to some.



Baking Words-----Terzanelle

Reading all those books gave me a headache
myriads of character spinning within my mind.
It would have been better if I had baked a cake

where in all that chocolate meringue one finds
nuts with glee, which can’t compare with books,
myriads of character spinning within my mind.

Plots thicken, cases solved, police chase crooks
with no avail. They too preferred to search out
nuts with glee, which don’t compare with books

of law, which, judiciary deals for weeding louts
out of the system. Sometimes police work hard
with no avail. They would prefer to search out

bakeries, where pastries don’t taste like card-
board pieces, baking is a pleasure- gloom dies
out of the system. Romances too, are so hard

to be anything but tender, seeds of hatred sigh.
Reading those books, no wonder gave a headache
so strong. Baking is sheer pleasure - gloom dies,
replaced by such hunger that can never be faked!

Killing the Dead--Terza Rima

I was reading a work of fiction set in 62 AD when Britannia is at war. My pen started to flow and I wrote this. This terza rima is about a Roman slave and her Icenic master....

Killing the Dead

Driving the knife deep, turn it side to side
blood won’t be spilled, tears won’t be shed
to gloat over, to claim as victory of mind.

Numbness has set in as weighty as lead.
Tatters of heart lay on the feet, ignoring
it- go your way. How can one kill the dead

again? Why sense of loss is so foreboding
that it ceases to impinge on. Departs present,
future does not exist, neither past affecting.

cadavers cannot feel, however they resent
mutilation of the spirit. Exposed raw pores
refuse to singe, feeding revulsion- extent

of which not to be quantified. Spurting sores
promise damage, creating extensive mayhem,
however eating away discretely at the spores

well guarded by you. Yet sanity stops bedlam
she recoils, pausing demise, leaving out sham.
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Update: I posted a review of The Bafut Beagles by Gerald Durrell on my Reading Room. A must read book if you have not done so by now. It is not easily available though. I got a collecters piece!

I will post soon the review of "Defy the Eagles by Lynn Bartlett"- a historical romance, from which this post was inspired. Keep checking this space!!

Tagged---Eight random facts about me

My summer vacations ended today. It seemed like a chore going back to school after two months' break. Not that we got much break. We had in-service trainings and I was doing admissions for class 11. It will take a while to get back into routine. Sigh!

Is it me or everyone feels this way after vacations?

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Eight random facts about me

I have been tagged for this by three people Kai, Beaman and Kamsin. I was not very keen on doing this but if you are tagged by three bloggers, you have to do it!!

Rules: Each person posts the rules before their list and then they list eight things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people; then visits those people’s sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.

Nothing sensational in there:

1) I do not like wearing high heels. I prefer sneakers any time. I have been known to wear those with saris!

2) I have always had very long hair. When left open my jet black hair comes down to mid-thigh. I keep it plaited.

3) I love all kinds of tea. I can drink it by gallons.

4) I never stopped biting my nails. Now I have moderated it into biting only my thumbnails!

5) I strive to learn new things. That's because I get bored doing the same things over and over again.

6) I never learnt to ride a bicycle. I do regret that.

7) I was a very bad pupil. I could never sit still. In other words, I could not concentrate.

8) I have the ability to switch off completely from the world if I so desire.

There are more but you can't expect those to be revealed or do you...:D?!

Now to tag eight others. Hope you all play along.

Clare
cocaine jesus,
homo escapeons,
ozymandiaz,
puerileuwaite,
steve,
/t mo'po,
within without

Those who don't want to do the tags..... you would better!

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