Mid-Way Musings

Mid-way between Home and Nowhere

We got off at a stop called Stranded


Mid-way between Lost and Somewhere

We discovered our world had disbanded

Mid-way between Sure and Don't-know

We didn't muster the courage for a fight

Mid-way between Now and Never

We couldn't take a leap into the light

Mid-way between Arrived and So-Gone

We met up with a friend called Superficial

Mid-way between Truth and Disbelief

We put our faith in a mate called Prejudicial

Mid-way between Swayed and Steadfast

We gave in to everything that seemed different

Mid-way between Left-behind and Let-Go

We decided that we'll push ourselves to be brilliant

And so the wheel of Life has turned

And so our lives have been led

And so we'll go into the blasted light
And still believe we're not dead.

Let's Do This!

I don't have a strategy for fun
And I'm not sure if you're The One

There's a part of me that's feeling distorted

And yet, somehow I stand here feeling sorted

I won't distill my feelings, I won't clarify my thoughts

I'll let the evening play out, I won't connect the dots

This night is not for reason, it's for the ache in our heart
Sometimes the journey is wonderful, when you upset the cart

So let's settle down, send our doubts to the pyre
I've got a steady gaze, what else do we require?
Let's do this, baby, let's make it wow
Epic can wait, let's live in the now.

I don't have an appetite for drama
And I'm pretty certain your middle name is Trauma
There's a little voice that says I should be cautious
And yet tonight, that voice makes me nauseous
I won't look for your back-story, I won't slot you into a category
I won't impress you with my wardrobe or my vocabulary
For what are we, if we haven't lived raw and unfettered
If we haven't understood that not all experiences can be bettered

So let's settle down, tell our phones to retire
I've got an open mind, what else do we require?
Let's do this, baby, let's make it wow
Epic can wait, let's live in the now.

On Turning Older

Over the years, the lines will deepen

The body will lose its dexterity

Wearing my jeans may still be possible

But wearing my shorts will be a rarity

Skin will sag, chin will jiggle

And drooping shoulders will be regularity

And even as they walk behind me thinking

That my bottom is an aspect of hilarity

I'll hold court with gusto, with my news and views

Each laced with sarcasm and vulgarity

My body will give up to age and time
But my wit will still display peculiarity

Old age is coming and more often than not

The mind is a haze of non-clarity
So before I turn comatose and clueless
Let me donate my eyes to charity.

I Believe You're Not There

They tell me You live in that big temple with bigger security

But I believe You're not there

They tell me You'll only see people who walk bare feet and wait for hours

But I believe You're not that unfair

They tell me You like blocking the traffic and blaring the music

But I believe that's not Your style

They tell me You can be won over by keeping hungry on Tuesdays

But I believe that will only prove futile

They tell me You love it when we share praises about You on Facebook

But I believe You're not that pretentious

They tell me You'd rather not meet women who're menstruating

But I believe you're far more judicious

They tell me You're inventing new ways to win people back to You

But I believe You're not that desperate

They tell me You only reward people who're ready to pledge loyalty to You

But I believe loyalty and love are not commensurate

They tell me You send those who do bad stuff to hell

But I believe You display better acumen

They tell me You have a big appetite for the good stuff and the bad

But I believe it just makes You more human

They tell me You have a thing for self-righteous priests and retarded rituals
But I believe You just don't care

They tell me You live in that big temple with bigger security
But I believe You're not there.

Romantically Adept

You've always been factual, not endearing
Your words precise, so persevering


Factual is wonderful really, but you don't understand
Sometimes, all you have to do is hold my hand


And say something that will make me feel less solitary
Rather than console me with a de facto commentary


Yes,I know I'm strong and independent and blessed
But to constantly remind me so, makes me suspect


That you don’t want to say anything undue
Maybe you fear that I’ll misconstrue


But you ought to know that a woman won’t misunderstand
When you say Darling, she won’t think of a wedding band


So I'm just saying this with as much clarity as I can collect
To hell with being factual, be romantically adept.

An Ode To The Common Cold

Of all the worries, of all the woes
Nothing quite matches a stuffy nose

Nasal congestion is pretty democratic

It could strike a child, adult or geriatric

When it hits you, you feel like crap

Your voice sounds whiney, your nose is a tap

If you try to sleep, guaranteed you'll fail

You'll toss and turn, but you won't inhale

The mucus, you see, is a terrible malady

Steam could clear it, or some other remedy

Some use an inhaler like a baby pacifier

Others drink whiskey, but it only gets them higher

As for me, I roll in self-pity

Let my friends all know that I'm in Viral City

Hire a DVD, take tissues to bed

Or crawl to the kitchen, make soup and bread

My septum is on a strike but my stomach is not

So while my nose is runny, I still eat a lot

Then as I sleep, I remember to pray

And surprisingly, tonight there's just one thing to say

Oh Common Cold, I'll forget and forgive

But for goodness sake, just let me live.

You Should Hang On To Him

You keep telling me he’s no better than slime
And all because he asks for more me-time
And just because he goes to sleep watching TV
Doesn’t mean his love for you isn’t sublime
You guys seem good, or am I missing something?
Agreed, he doesn’t visit the gym
He’s worth his weight in gold, what I’m saying is
You should hang on to him.



He lacks ambition and I won’t describe him as driven
The fact that he’s lackluster is a given
But he’s a likeable bloke when drunk and quiet
And when you see that sincere smile, all is forgiven
You love him, unless that has changed – has it?
Then the situation looks kind of grim
But if you think you’re cooler, that’s not true
You should hang on to him.


You’ve got designer friends and a job with a title
Your features are sharp, statistics vital
But you’re a selfie who doesn’t need a camera
Somewhat like a performer always giving a recital
So stand back and stop writing him off
You’re just as forgettably interim
Hang on to what’s best, hang on to my words
You should hang on to him.

Lost My Heart, Never Found It

It was a whisper of a suggestion

And it triggered off a flame

I guess I wanted a reaction

I thought you felt the same

And as I burnt in the demolition
Of love going down the drain
I knew what we'd shared was over
And we'd never go down that lane

I lost my heart and never found it
To be honest I never tried
Because it felt good to have burnt in passion
Which forever, I thought had died

I lost my heart and never found it
To be honest, I'm glad I'm crying
Because it's true that love is faithless
But that shouldn't stop me from trying

You've sold out to the rhyme and reason
And my life has hardly been a clean chit
But there's just one truth left, till the end of days
That I've lost my heart and never found it.

A Mean, Mean Note

You've made it amply known and how

That you're surrounded all the time

By fan mails and admirers and crazy flying objects

I'm not saying that's a crime

But surely you're competent enough to know
And it doesn't take Holmes-type detection
Your updates are packed with fizz and froth

But your toxic persona needs more conviction

One day, I thought I'd have a seizure

When you went on for hours about your phone

Then I heard you talk about some campaign you cracked
And it was as insufferable as a kidney stone

Much like a corporate brochure you sound

Brimming with lofty vision statements
And your pathetic attempts at being humble

Are just as forced as in-film placements

Am I being mean, yes undoubtedly

I'm a bad penny, I feel no remorse

And much as you're bound to be fit and fantastic
In being nicer, I'll take a refresher course.

Good, Bad

The good news is the flame is still there

The bad news is I've forgotten how to start a fire

The good news is that work is aplenty
The bad news is that plenty of the work is terrible

The good news is that people are generally nice

The bad news is that I'm not generally nice with them

The good news is that laughter is easy

The bad news is the laugh is often on me

The good news is the house looks great
The bad news is it's still not my home

The good news is that friends will beckon
The bad news is that I've nothing to hold them back

The good news is that change is inevitable
The bad news is that I distrust change

The good news is that life is decent
The bad news is that I'm not good with decent

The good and the bad
The yin and the yang
On a melancholic morning
A not-so-young poet sang.

My Selfie is for You, not for Me

I tried a top angle first, then a side profile
My Sunday overflowing with frustration
Then I got one where I looked thin, but not too happy
Finally, I met my expectation
Now only if you'd like it,my world would be complete
Only if this picture would change your perception
If not I'll change it in a nano-second, you see
I'll do anything to seed a deception


My selfie is for you, not for me
Coz I'm trying my best to distort reality
My world is fun, it's got no glitch
Though up close and personal, I'm just an empty little bitch.


Candid works best, but the pout is essential
Naive is wholesome, if laced with wicked intention
Whether we nail the conversation, matters miniscule
As long as we nail a selfie, we'll fight ridicule
So judge me on my selfie, not my self-worth
And crown me the princess in your head
If not, I'll clutter your brain with a thousand more images
I'll do anything to mislead and be misread


My selfie is for you, not for me
I've sold out to a world debauched on imagery
My world is cool and I'm pretty and rich
Though up close and personal, I'm just an empty little bitch.

The Lady Got Spunk

She isn't the goddess of propriety

And she hasn't lived the life of a monk

She may have a few skeletons in her closet
And a couple more hidden in the trunk

But when it comes to biting the bullet

And speaking aloud what she's thunk

Make no mistake, she'll roll the dice

Coz that lady, she got spunk.

She won't be checking the right boxes
Or walking hand-in-hand with the hunk

She may not look half as graceful
When she stumbles and falls, quite drunk

But when it comes to taking her chances

And making do with joys that have shrunk

Make no mistake, she'll spin the game

Coz that lady, she got spunk.


She won't win the Grand Slam for popularity
And her manner, it's eyebrow-raising funk

She's planned her life to be plan-less

And knows that she's pretty much sunk

But there's one thing about her that is boundless
There's one fact you can't debunk

Make no mistake, she'll show her mettle
Coz that lady, she got spunk.

So Vanilla

Once upon a time, you had a point of view

One that was atypical, but so typical of you

Today it's watered down into 'everything is fine'

Nothing is improper, you never cross the line

Non-committal reactions

Non-frictional interactions

You were a pretty cool fella
When did you become so vanilla?

Your stories at parties are always so nice

They're like beautiful looking dishes, that somehow lack spice

You never have an opinion that comes with a sting

You're scared of being the outsider, or the ridicule it'll bring

Conformist not by choice

Always the reasonable voice

You were a pretty cool fella
When did you become so vanilla?

Some things are wrong, yet they feel so right
Some days are lived, without clinging to the light
Some thoughts should be aired, even if they're volatile
Some risks should be taken, even if they're futile
Go against the grain
Stop being so plain
You were a pretty cool fella
When did you become so vanilla?

The Ordinary Side of Me

I cry easily

Unnecessarily at times

And eat ginger biscuits

Too many for my good

But that's not going to make you like me

Because that's not wild or whacky or wanton

So let me try and say something shocking

I've shoplifted.

I like crows

But I like owls better

And hate lukewarm tea

Not down my throat, no

But that's not going to make you like me

Because it's not clever or cool or catchy

So let me try and say something shocking

I've kissed a girl.

I am clueless

About money and maps and meditation

And I pretend to read some books

When actually, I haven't even heard of them

But that's not going to make you like me

Because it's not sassy or spunky or savvy

So let me say something shocking
I'm done.

Kerosene

One day you're surprising me

Next day, you're chastising me

And when I do something out of character

No doubt, you're analyzing me

Your faults are only human

And mine are close to umpteen

But you're the fuel to my fire

Baby, you're kerosene

There's a blowout in the making

And you know it's coming fast

It's going down and won't be pretty

And we can only hope to make it last

Our life will get all tangled

Like a dish of say, chowmein

But when you come close, much closer

Baby, I'm kerosene

So the moment is here to live out

Much like a glistening, polished knife

And whether you flick it or drag it

It'll leave a scar for life

And simply because you don't get it

And simply because it's not routine

It's still a bonfire in the making

And Baby, we're kerosene.

Simple, Normal Day

The chai is good, my maid has come

The sun is streaming, breakfast is done

I got up late, no deadlines to meet

I have no need to look pretty or neat

No one unexpected has come to the door

I've cooked dal and rice, it tastes as good as before

It's a simple normal day, I hope it stays that way

And this poem is ordinary, but that's okay.

The television is on, and love is in the air

My favourite show is serving predictable fare

My mind is wandering, and I love that it does

There's nowhere to go, so why make the fuss

My friends call, they're staying up late

But by going to bed, I've sealed my fate

It's a simple normal day, I hope it stays that way

And this poem is ordinary, but that's okay.

Then I close my eyes, and expect to sleep

But what I see, takes an astonishing leap

And normal becomes strange, and strange becomes crazy

And crazy gets crazier, my thoughts are a bit hazy

And my roller-coaster mind, it takes a long-haul flight

And simple normal days turn into not-so-simple nights

It's a simple normal day, I hoped it would stay that way

And this poem is ordinary, but nothing else is okay.

Today's not a Day like Everyday

I walk out into the morning

Do the skies seem a little bluer?

It can't have changed in a day, I mean

But can it be that today is truer?

Today's not a day like Everyday

Today's not like Everyday at all

Today's not a day like Everyday

Today, I don't feel all that small.

A crow looks beautiful on the wire

The traffic is dragging, but what's the hurry

And when I feel the sun skim upon my skin

It doesn't feel like this day is so ordinary.

Today's not a day like Everyday

Today feels a little inside-out

Today's not a day like Everyday

And I know tomorrow willl be filled with doubt.

Random Observations of a Hungry Mind

You Sir, you're a Flirt

And it's quite known that you chase the skirt

And while you pretend to deny

 That you've got a case of glad-eye

 Be warned, you won't escape unhurt

You Madam, you're a Tease

And while you can do as you please

 You can't cry foul

 And then begin to howl

 When you lead them on and then freeze

You Mister, you're a Quitter

What's worse, you're a fence sitter

 You're not sure what you want

And despite the machismo you flaunt

You're as lost as a pup in the litter.

You Girl, you're a Keeper

Problem is, men don't look deeper

So while you're all homely

And decidedly comely

There's a high chance you'll end up a weeper

You dude, you're a Show Stopper

And by god, your looks are a jaw dropper

The gym keeps you busy

You send girls into a tizzy

But as for wit, there you're a pauper

You lassie, you're a Whiner

No obstacle is ever minor

Tears are your tool

But nobody's a fool

So brace up, life won't get any finer.

Oh weary world, don't stop reading

Just because my words are bleeding

With sarcasm and acid

And nothing close to placid

I think I'm hungry, I need feeding.

The Fix

Fix me a drink, will you

Make it strong, two cubes of ice

I’ll laugh while you tell me a joke

Or we could just stop being nice

  

You could tell me of your travels

And I could pretend to ask more questions

But the night won't be charmed by our chatter

Or with our best intentions  

You’re charming, I’m cute and all that jazz

But that never makes for an igniter

So should we shut the lights and go our ways

Rather than make it an all-nighter?

And just as you start to light a smoke

And just as I look at the ceiling

The unsaid gets spoken, the spoken gets bite

And we discover a nice, new feeling  

So give it time to brew

Fix me a drink, will you

Make it strong, two cubes of ice

Settle down, let's make this nice.

But Stay?

You're done speaking and yet, you've got something to say

You're done blaming yourself and yet, you have demons to slay

And while others are figuring out your life

It's been cutting you up like a knife

And you just want to go

You just want to go

But stay?

You're done holding on and yet, you're told to keep doing it

You're done paying for your lies and yet, you can't help undoing it

And while others are talking of healing

You've got this empty feeling

And you just want to go

You just want to go

But stay?

You're done with the smiling and yet, you wish there was a reason to smile

You're done with the philosophies and yet, you wish they weren't so futile

And while hope is in the making

Your resolve is kind of breaking

And you just want to go

You just want to go

But stay?

Sold

Out there is a world

That's opening up to your story

And just when you stand at the brink

You trip and fall into glory

It takes you for a sweetened ride

And you devour it in haste

One bitter pill of failure down,

You choke on the after taste

The road has ended, the ride is done

And the sign on you says 'Sold'

And all you have to show is this

That you're weary and rich and old.