a tattoo can say a thousand words

on an impulse
I get myself tattooed
a precise creation of some symbols
the rhythm of the tattoo artist
can only be felt by me
whisperings in the region within my head
resonate with the needle
I desire invisible ink
at the back of my neck
he does his work
with infinite care
while I create a distance in my mind

out of the two fists
one emits designs,
before I can even say
"what hit me?"

erosion

in the inky depth of that pool
I feel safe from immeasurable flames
I yearn for your breath
that breath you stole from me
in the guise of sleep in the waking hours.
oh, it is just a dream-
why did I allow it to erode me?
I pull the sheet closer still,
forgetting myth from truth.
I put on a mask again
throw a clay pebble into that imaginary pool
no one will allow bend the rules-
except you. except you.

that breath I need to keep in hiding-
leave it on the doormat on your way out

"time just moves on with its own pace,
unwavering about the aftermath-
uncaring about what to come."

balance it out

scented tentacles of alluring spices,
do they make your mouth water?

I have built a fence with bricks,
now I hide in that tastefully decorated
tasteless kitchen so that I won't cheat.

nothing is left for me-
everything tastes like gravel-
I seem to wallow in trash.

I precisely measure out portions-
that balance that you gifted to me
occupies a place of pride.

my cooking is an amalgam-
created in a vacant space,
with no spark in sight.

"no one notices the efforts of my dieting
yet when I die, I will weigh much less"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Afterthought@10/21/13: This poem is NOT about me. I am definitely not into dieting.  I believe in keeping healthy by proper nutrition and exercising. I am posting couple of pictures of myself....

doggy tales

my world is inside the binds
it is expected when one has a drunkard owner
I was born outside
thunder brought me in
I want to know
what prophet said that I have to care for a sleepy person
but yes I hold all the trumps
when my owner moves in circles
he is on edge not I
life outside of that fence may be full of adventure
but within the walls I am the master

when he will finally be sober
and mends that fence
I will jump out and seen no more

"yes, you see, I can jump that fence
but I choose not to do it now
because the leaves and weeds keep me enthralled"

erase that wall

image by crilleb50

what secret do the clocks hide-
last I looked they blinked at me
such clever gesture on their part
I want to look at the stars 
but I look down hiding my face
where will I nest in my twilight years
time does not let me know
hour hand of one of the clocks has swept away the cobwebs

I am now a basket case
my flesh ripe for picking
think what you may
I cannot leave the cliches to chance
don't let it be said
I saw all and never conquered

"the weeds will die under my walking stick
I would be left here, my bio carved in stone"

nirvana

photo by Mark Haley 

a lone tree in the sharp hillside-
where clouds spill all over it.
that exact spot where the ghosts gathered.
do they worship the tree
or jump off the edges to be alive again?
that stone-laid path is of no use to the dead-
unbidden weeds swarm all over
helping the red hot ghosts to walk silently.
I wish for the patches in the sky to be covered,
taking pictures with my cell phone.
believe me, there were ghosts
but none in the photos
if seeing is believing, then I am a liar

"that image of Buddha in the clouds compelled me-
the story which has holes has to be told,
someday someone will be enlightened"

crystal ball

The Moth and the Lamp, Cesar Santos 

why are you peering inside
what secret stories you seek to find
I cradle the glass ball
my wings are folded
my shoes undone
this enclosed space is my exile
my tiredness will soon make me into a pile
how I ended up here
I do not have a clue
I do know I have this itch to dance
it is like a rash one continues to scratch
now I want the wall to withdraw its claws
I will rejuvenate in no time

I could have stayed home
munched on apples
with milk and bread
but that was not to be

"I am destined for bigger things-
that french window is my silent partner"

sway that bay

that map is such a vibrant spread
but with a short, vacuous smile
I wish for a sassy, sumptuous feast of words
no manipulative nature will slather out vision
vivaciousness may be lost in violet trappings 
do get me some interesting currency
I wish to buy a country or two
interesting adventures beckon me
although that map is stuck in a place
but my mind wanders everywhere

"there is no single master of the world,
but who pulls the invisible strings?"

reading the menu in the clouds outside

I see magic in this train ride
a dimension lost for the present jet set generation
not so long ago
the intrigue of a simple menu was our center
it was an avenue of change from mundane life outside
in that crisp table cloth
stains had to answer for themselves
it sounds so strange to say it
but we played by the bell

in that kettle I can still taste the tea in one such journey
the blue marks reminds me of blossoming forget me not
his benign smile takes me down memory lane

tabled forever in my mind
the intrigue has been used to soothe me

"if only life was laid out in a small tray with few complications"

atop that tree, I sway to the wind

artwork by Jeanie Tomanek 

let me sway on top for some more time
I feel the freedom of our feathery friends
look at the bird so close to me
I think it wants to chat
in that wet heat
I feel the inky wind on my hair
in the leafless branches I see tiny shoots
it sparks new hope that life will never be lost in the mist
nature has well oiled itself to last forever
I will gather scarlet flowers to make another anklet
that elephant will break my fall from dropping into a hole

"in the grey of our lives,
we will always find red and maybe some yellow too.
I want it all in each and every hue"