Loss

Roared the sea into his ears,
and heard the heart which had been seared...
Separation was what he most feared,
And it had come true, snatching his endeared.

Leaves had fallen, shaking the earth,
and there he'd put his heart into the hearth.
Emotions had got him in their girth,
Setting him on a rollercoaster's berth.

The waves to the shore came back,
But she didn't, her presence lacked.
Carrying that weight in an empty sac,
Bearing his heart's worst attack.

He walked and walked on the beach,
And in pain,let out a loud screech.
Realizing she was now out of reach.
He searched for a way to breach.

The hand which ruffled his hair,
He now seemed to find nowhere,
That was the support he could adhere,
They were the world's closest pair.

Tried a lot, the doctors said,
but she could not be saved
He was still proud of her,
for the way she braved;
But he missed her loving touches,
it was what he craved,
Also loathed her for the way
she in the end had behaved.

Hid the very truth from him,
on and on she lied,
Could she now bear to see
from the heavens as her dear one cried?
Recalling the plans they made,
he let out a smile and sighed;
He wanted to take her with him,
but in the end, god defied.

Nine months he had grown in her womb,
And now he stood helplessly over his mother's tomb.
Suddenly, a voice said, "Don't sink into gloom.."
"For mama would always be there and over you would swoon"

- Chinmayee Kulkarni

School years

Where I cried the first time I went,

and again when I left,

I don't want the memories going faint,

Don't want to feel bereft.

The lesson of life there I learnt,

and made so many friends.

And now it brings tears to my eyes

as it comes to an end.

Each grade was something different,

but years later I realized;

All the teachers took care of me,

Always standing by my side.

I wanted to grow up really fast,

and now that it's really happened,

I wish I could relive the moments,

I wish the time wouldn't have hastened.

Now we have all been separated,

and gone our own ways.

But I'm not forgetting anyone,

they'd have a special place in my heart always.

Collected wonderful stories and anecdotes

which my children would hear,

And then ask me the hardest question,

"Of all, who was dear?"

Well, that would be really tough,

but I would choose my mates

With whom I have grown up,

Who shared my love and hate.

Thank you all for being here,

hope you had a good time!

With this sweet goodbye I end

this nostalgic-sounding rhyme

-Chinmayee Kulkarni 

A Little Goodbye

I woke up today to a bright sun,

But the morning wasn't as fun.

No squeals and barks were heard,

And no soon did my vision blur.

For those were the tears you did gift,

Felt like an uncanny time shift.

Nothing I saw while peeking out the door,

Trying to believe it, my heart tore.

On all these years, I reminisce,

and of all, it's you I miss.

We grew up together, how can you forget?

You went without a goodbye, don't you regret?

I know it was painful, I'm sorry I wasn't there

But I swear it worried me, I swear I did care.

I don't know if you understood what I said,

But everytime, you'd just nod your head.

All those afternoons when I stroked your head,

Within minutes you'd go to bed.

Oh, I tell you how pleasant it was,

But, my darling, you snored like a horse!

You always had a bite out of my plate,

Just because of your face was a good bait.

Remember the cloths we played with?

It wasn't for tug-of-war, it was meant for you to sit.

These 10 years passed by so fast,

Was it so necessary to make haste?

Couldn't you have waited for me to come?

Now look what you've done, you've made me numb.

But I understand, I guess you couldn't bear,

Or maybe didn't want the pain to be shared.

That's a good puppy, finally mature!

Behaved like an adult after 10 whole years, no more.

So I say goodbye,doggie, I say godspeed!

Although this was the last thing I'd ever need.

Because you're always going to be watching from above,

So this is from your human, with lots of love!

-Chinmayee Kulkarni

Hot as Hell

The clock ticks off and off for hours

Before my eyes I see a hundred stars!

Eyes ooze off water and want to close,

I want to go home and doze.

Be dipped in my dreams, both sweet and sour

This little boring world I’d debar.

But that’s not possible, so very hard

But waiting like this will make me a retard.

Burning hot is the sun, with no cool breeze

Not a leaf is moving on trees.

The fan is spinning like a merry-go-round

But has no effect on the wall and the ground!

A drop of water seems like heaven,

But we are drowning in hell’s rings, all seven

Sweat is pouring down like a waterfall,

All this summer vibe’s creating a brawl.

Mangoes and the cooler are the only solace,

Like god’s little short-lived bless.

Someone save me from this summer, and take me to monsoon

I swear I’d dance like a happy baboon!

-Chinmayee Kulkarni

Death's little game

I wake up and see, it's a usual day
But something intriguing seems to be at bay...
Upon the blue skies rises thunder
All the merry it was about to plunder.

Said a thick voice with utmost joy,
"All life I'm going to destroy"
"Run and come out of your hives,
for 'tis the last day of your lives!"

Frightened we were at that moment,
The world everywhere seemed frozen
Ate all we could and packed our things,
But realized there's nowhere to cling!

"This is all bogus!" we had a feeling in the heart,
But death wasn't someone you'd outsmart.
Dams broke, rivers flooded, houses collapsed
More people disappeared as time elapsed.

Trains broke down, so did buses and the cars,
Began coming down from the sky all stars.
"Save us, oh dear lord" we prayed all along,
But havoc didn't stop its song.

We were sorry for the mistakes we'd all done
Starving for the slow wind and the sun.
Came upon us the nightfall, but fires didn't light
And continued its way, the bloody blight!

Wanted it to go back to sleep,
This storm that caused death in heaps.
Wish they could lower down, these painful screams,
And this could be a nightmare, just a bad dream...

Thankfully it turned out I was right,
I just had had a rough night.
But was is just a dream or a warning sign?
Are we really running out of precious time?

-Chinmayee Kulkarni

Aspirations Come True

The day was cloudy and so was her mind

She thought how could she live so, her life was a grind.

Waking up early and reporting to the office,

Was according to people, very much suffice

But she was a different person, made of another mould

One of the very few, mankind's platinum, mankind's gold

Not made for presentations or hunching in a cubicle,

Not made for the luxury, was happy with very little.

All this routine work gave her a tumour!

Amidst all the seriousness, hid her humour.

What she truly was only knew her heart

Only if her parents agreed, she'd had had a good start.

Plucked up her courage and went on to ask

It wasn't that easy, was an onerous task.

Not only the parents,but herself she questioned,

"This does look suited, but was I for this destined?"

Left her routine and went out on the streets

Everyday she performed but was asked to retreat.

But mankind's gold swore never to give up

Soon she started gaining money in her cup.

Today she stands on a stage very high,

Wondering about how the time flew by.

Had she not realised her true potential,

She would still be struggling around, with her credentials.

Many jokes of hers receive not only applause,

But she was said to be everyone's happiness' cause.

Hard times had disappeared soon, said she as she inspired

Millions to live their dreams to which they aspired.

"When life gives you lemons", she comically said,

"Get a squeezer and have a tasty lemonade!"

-Chinmayee Kulkarni

Her Soothing Minstrelsy

There were several twinkling stars
and one crescent moon;
Above a small creek,
Upon which she did croon.

Her melodious voice like a storm
influenced the forest as such,
Everything was amazed by it,
Had only silence and not much.

High and low, up and above
her voice traveled afar;
Till where the soldiers lifted
their guns, but it silenced the war.

And as she sung she realized
how much her life was worth!
That how many lives would be
saddened, if she herself would hurt.

Tears of joy trickled down,
and she elated became;
Something within her sparked
so strong, for it was a fierce flame!

She rowed away singing her songs,
and the forest in ecstasy;
And saw the thing she'd
never thought she'll be able to see.

The forest loved her and caressed
her not-so-rosy cheek;
For it knew what she had endured
before she came to the creek.

Sleep came in her bright eyes
and took her in its lap;
When the sun with morning dawned,
all she heard was claps.

Voices pleaded her to sing
and with it give them grace.
And that if no one wanted to,
they wanted to see her face.

She thought this as the only way
for a new life to begin,
Where she would be revered
by the forest if not her kin.

So she sang her beautiful songs,
at its highest was minstrelsy,
Ended her serenade, not so soon
and this tale ends forever happily.

-Chinmayee Kulkarni