Tale of a Smith

Tears in their eyes they parted ways

Recalling all their times together, all the glorious days

For love had been a sweet bitter wine

When the two souls felt together, intertwined

The journey began a long time back

She stayed in a castle and he slept on the sack

They met in the market on a beautiful day

She came in a carriage as a princess may

Her gown was flowing as she waltzed past the crowd

He watched her agape, dazed dazzled and wowed

Glanced at the red hot metal with a hammer in hand

He carved a ring like only a blacksmith can

The sun reflected dully off the black metal ring

His heart made a promise to make her his queen

Everyday he waited outside her castle for a glance of her face

As she braided her hair with elegance and grace

Then one night as he stared at the window of the tower 

The moon's rays kissed her skin like a meteoric shower

She appeared in white like the goddess of light

The sky lit up as her beauty shunned the night

But there was a sadness in those pretty lil eyes

Her life was a sham, a bed of lies

All he could see was that sweet lovely face 

And then he heard the sound of a falling vase

Curious he moved closer to the gate

It was adrenaline that now sealed his fate

Never a warrior but a blacksmith by day

He knew he had to protect her and he swung the hammer all the way

The intruders were few as the mission was simple

"Kill my stepdaughter so my daughter shall become the princess"

As the last one lay down battered bruised or dead

She stood behind this low-life and hid her head

The tears wouldn't stop as her brain was in a  nightmare

When he held her hand and did solemnly swear

My queen of hearts I am your ace of Spades

And I will protect you from any danger come what may

She knew men are deceitful, schemers and liars

But those eyes were ablaze with truth and fire

Take me away from this horrible land

Where my mother will kill and bury me in the sand

I wish not to be a princess or a royalty any more

I just want to live this life; travel, wander and explore

Together they broke the shackles of the past

And ran away to a land where only love shall last

To him she was always her queen 

He worked he slogged to fulfil her simple dreams

Days turned to months and months to years

The ring shone dully but it's love was hers

As the memories felt bleak and she came back to the present

Only to feel the warm blood of her poor brave pheasant

The mission was incomplete and for years they searched 

Villages were raided and men were torched

The task was to kill her and bring back the corpse.

But they knew not the braveheart who swore her protection

The hammer broke the skulls and spirit of the assailants 

As the sun shone down on the blood and gore

The blacksmith rose and let out a roar

He saw his princess running to him in tears

Her grief pained him more than the bloody spear

That had pierced his heart right through his chest

He needed to lie down, he needed to rest

As she held his head on her lap and wept

Her piercing wail awakened the children who slept

She had given up on life that fateful night

Standing on the tower waiting for her plight

He gave her a reason to live and a heart to fall in love

With arms wrapped around him she saw him smiling above

Up in the sky he was at peace

His face calmed her down and brought some ease

She rested her head and closed those teary eyes

As her soul left her body to the land of the wise

Their union was marked till death do them apart

The bodies were dead but love was in their heart

As they walk the garden of paradise together

Hand in hand their love lives forever

Love and war

Once upon a time not so long ago
There once lived a prince who had a mighty sword
His enemies were a plenty both powerful and strong
They all envied the sword which to him belonged

For this dagger of his was no ordinary sword
Carved from adamantium and plated with gold
What made it the envy of the rich and powerful, strong and weak
Was that it had a mind and brain, and Tuss could speak

Flawless beauty shimmering in the sun Tuss and the prince had many battles won
They were meant for each other but the biggest tension between them unspoken
Was that he was a mortal who'd die and she was a blade who could be broken

The valiant prince never feared his death
He enjoyed the present to have no regret
But Tuss was scared of the future and she said
'A sword once broken can never be repaired'

She wanted to have a present being friends with other swords
So that if the future wasn't bright it wouldn't be the end of the road
But the prince knew he couldn't part with her at any cost
Without her he was handicapped, without her he was lost

They loved each other more than words could say
They spent hours together night and day
She knew she was sharp and he could be hurt
But he was a warrior who would protect her till death do them apart

The final battle of the worlds had finally begun
For days it carried on till the setting of the sun
Tuss was scared of him being hurt and she being broken
But he promised to protect her from the foes wanting her as a token

After days of fighting these foes and demons within
He was hurt he was sore with no sight of a win
His cavalry was dead but chivalry unwavered
But all he feared was losing what he savored

Knowing it was time for his final good bye
But without him she would be broken, even she would die
So late in the night when the enemies rejoiced their kill
He slid in the dark and reached the secret well

Where lay many swords forged from real steel
Nothing as beautiful as Tuss could ever be revealed

He kissed her a final time and to the sleeping beauty he said
"I have loved you all my life and you're all that ever matters
But to keep you safe from the world, it's wild sons and crazy daughters
I must leave you with your friends who will protect you from harm
They aren't jealous of your beauty, they don't envy your charm
So protect her till the next life when I'll be reborn
I'll come back to take her and this I've sworn"

With nerves of steel but tears in his eye
He turned back to the battle field knowing he would die
Without his Tuss he was just a naked man
But the bards sing praises how he fought with his bare hands

When Tuss finally woke up from her deep slumber

She was amongst friends but they all seemed strangers
From a small gap where the rays entered the well
She saw a bloodied face lying very still

It rained it poured the heavens wept her loss
But she was the toughest metal who just lay there in shock
Those dead eyes looked into hers to express his love
But the silence was exploding as it thundered above

To this day she waits for her prince to return
He had promised he would come back and never ever run
Her friends are a plenty and the world is not enough
But the one person who matters is somewhere high above....

Teri Yaad...

Baarish ki woh pehli boondein
Jab dharti ko sparsh kar gayi
Aisa laga jaise ki maano
Tu yahin kahin se guzar gayi

Woh khushboo thi geele zameen ki
Ya tha tere badan ka ehsaas
Bahar khade unn boondon ko dekh
Laga jaise tu yahin kahin hai aas paas

Dhundli si khidhki pe tha kiska chehra
Tha aankhon ka vehem ya yaadon ka pehra
Main jaanta hoon tum ho yahaan se meelon dur
Par yeh pagal mann mera jhoome hai yaad karke tere hi suroor

Geeli zulfein teri jab tu sehlayegi
Har saans ki kasam mujhe tu hi tu yaad aayegi
Dil chahta hai ki tujhe bana loon apna hamesha n forever
Par azad panchi ko quaid kar paana is possible never

Tujhse judaa hoke reh lenge hum
Teri yaadon mein gharonda basa lenge hum
Pyaar se zyada khushi koi de payee tujhe jo
Uss khushi ke liye judaai ka dard bhi seh lenge hum

Feminism or Hypocrisy: Take your Pick

What exactly is Sexism? According to Wiki 'Sexism or gender discrimination is prejudice or discrimination based on a person's sex or gender. Sexist attitudes may stem from traditional stereotypes of gender roles,^[2][3] and may include the belief that a person of one sex is intrinsically superior to a person of the other.'

Recently I have come across articles and speeches demanding empowering of women. Where the women want to stand on the same pedestal as men. But lets just take a time-out. Did we men ever try to create any social awareness when we created our own platform while the ladies were probably busy elsewhere. We have never demanded anything of this society although many a times this society as demanded a lot out of us. A man is supposed to be independent and free to make his own decisions and not hang on to his mother's saree like a sissy. At the same time, not listening to his parents make him a rash and arrogant boy. 

Right from a young age the idea has been infused in our minds that boys don't cry no matter how badly hurt you are. Well girls and boys are all the same flesh and blood and yet we have to control our emotions from that age. I wonder why no woman teaches her daughter to be like us. A girl or a lady uses her tears as her best weapon to conquer the world while we guys have to earn everything.

When I was home this time my mother was describing an extremely ambitious girl she knows of. According to her, the driving force of this female is that she wants to be at par with any guy and achieve everything a guy can. How absurd is that. Have we boys ever wanted to be like you or compete with you? Why do you consider yourself inferior to us and look up to us? We have never shied away from sharing the pedestal with you. We know what we want and the only competition is with ourselves. So why not just try to get a bit of self motivation and drive youself to your goals.

A blog I read stated a line 'At some basal level men will be men'. I agree whole-heartedly. We love our cricket our football our tennis. We love playing computer games and nothing gives us an ecstasy like a gaming console. But most of us refrain from playing with a girl's heart. We know what you are and we respect you for that. We love our pals like they mean the world to us. Most guys will agree that we are ready to take a blow or two for the sake of them. Nothing can be more joyous than a guys reunion and a night-out spent getting sloshed out and recollecting old memories. Girls - Tell me honestly; can you say with a clean heart you have never envied your best friend for her designer clothes, her make-up, her good looks or her drop dead gorgeous boyfriend. Two girls can never bond the way two guys can and that's where lies your problem. If your own gender is not your friend then how do you expect to conquer the world all by yourself. 

An Fb update I recall stated something to the tune of 'Can a man and woman be looked upon at the same pedestal or is it all a magical bluff.' It probably is a bluff that was created in your own heads. A male and a female are two completely different creations of the Almighty. Both have a separate purpose in life. Both have their own equal powers at birth. It's what you do after maturity that defines a human being. Just crying out foul all over the internet doesn't solve any problems. In the words of the great M.K.Gandhi ' Be the change you want to see in this world'. So don't fight to be the same as men. Leave that to us. Be your identity and one day every one will applaud you for who you are.

We guys have never asked or been given a Men's Day to celebrate manhood. We don't need such things to prove our existence to the world. We know our place and we are proud of it. No matter what the situation, a guy is always considered to be the bread-winner at home. We never had an option like you, my dear ladies, to be a home-maker instead. He is the one who takes loans from banks and repays them all his life to get a good education, then build a good home, buy a new car and also satisfy the whims of his wife, his children, his parents leaving little or none for himself. When was the last time you heard a guy crying over all this. The answer is never. We have our own share of problems but we know how best to handle them. The social media is not the answer to them.

 If you really want to change the thinking of the society and show your standing in this world, start by eliminating the women's quota in schools colleges and work places. Why do you need reserved seats on buses and metroes or a completely reserved compartment for ladies on trains? Why don't you take a stand against these facilities that the society provided you with. If you really believe you are as strong as us, then why be afraid to share the platform? I agree that there are many mischief-mongers and anti social elements present in the society who disgrace us as men. Ministers and politicians alike who have little or no respect for women; who treat rape as a mistake by young boys. On behalf of the entire men's fraternity, I apologize for these scums of our society. But the modern day man is way more receptive to your thoughts and feelings. He would love to father a beautiful angel rather than killing her in the mother's womb. He is open to your every needs and he will do anything to earn that smile on your face. All he yearns for is your whole hearted love as a mother, a wife, a sister and a daughter. 

P.S. - I think every guy who reads this article will validate my arguments. But there will be some who will blast at me for arrogance and hypocrisy and for probably being a male chauvinist. These are the sissy's of our society who try to earn browny points from girls by being in their good books. Beware of such individuals. Maybe I'm wrong in some parts so feel free to correct me with proper justifications. This is not a personal attack against anyone but just the ramblings of a mind pained and tired of seeing the same articles over the internet. 

    

Dreams, Sacrifices, Life and Love

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani!!! That's what is the name of the movie. It literally translates to 'This youth is crazy' and crazy it was. But wait... for those who think this is a movie review, please look some place else. This is about how it helped me rewind my own life within two and a half hours and look back at all those crazy things I did, those dreams, those aspirations, those loved ones and then how it all took a wild turn.

I am more of a dreamer than an achiever. My dreams are like a view through a kaleidoscope-plenty of
colourful pieces with barely any link with the other piece and yet a beautiful view.
I too wanna travel the world like the protagonist of the movie. I too share a passion for photography but,unlike him, I don't pursue it as a career option. Maybe I'm not too good for it to be paid or maybe I'm just too afraid to drift from the proven path of monetary inflow. Other than that, I too wanna kiss in the sunset, dance with her in the rains, climb the mountains holding her hands and live a simple uncomplicated life.

But life is never a bed of roses. The colourful pieces can never be fully achieved. To achieve one dream, you might have to sacrifice a dearer one. Life is all about compromises. But above all, life is all about living in the moment.

Look back at your life right now. Do you miss your ex-gf/bf, do you miss partying with your old friends, do you regret not having smoked a joint in college, do you regret not having a night out with your friends just to defy the rules, do you miss your parents, your family and regret having wasted that opportunity to bring a smile to their faces. Do you regret having that ugly fight with your mom and not talking to her for days. You were sure you dont need her in your life anymore coz you now lead a life of your own with your friends and she shouldn't bother either. But only when the haze of wilderness is cleared, do you realize what family really means in life. Only when you believe you have moved on, but those memories just flash in your head, do you realize that you made a mistake.

Only a simple man with barely any dreams or wants from the world, can say he has achieved whatever he ever wanted in life. Coz the more the dreams, the more the sacrifices, the more the pain. If only I could travel around the globe and capture it all with my cam, if only I could rewind my life and tell my younger immature self that betrayal hurts more than those years of love, that love maybe blind for you but not for the one you loved. That true love came in a beautiful package but you were too busy wrapping yourself up from the past that you let go of the present. That the if's and but's will only keep accumulating with every passing day. The only way out is living your life this very moment. Living your dreams like there is no tomorrow. And then at the sunset of life, you will have a much lighter baggage to carry, along with a helping hand to share it with. And the regrets of unfulfilled dreams will just faint into the darkness as you move into oblivion, but the memories live for eternity in the minds of those who had a chance to experience life with you.

Over and Out

                 We're Over... We are so Over... Just get out of my life you psycho b*^%*... 

Inner Peace... Does it always have to be so dramatic?? Why cant we see things with a calmer insight?? Because we tend to trigger the panic button too quickly. We act in the heat of the moment and not think about the repercussions it will have on the future. At the end of the day, we are just left crying over spilled milk.


  Closure... That is such a relative word. For some closure is just about meeting the next cute guy or hot chick round the corner. For some its about tearing and burning up all evidences of the past, slowly deleting all memories from the mind and eventually moving on. While for a few,well, they just cling on... That song in your playlist, those scenes from your pet movies, those infinite letters and mails and chats and gifts. They just need a hint to make them delve deep into the abyss and then make themselves feel miserable. They treasure every moment spent and recollect those lost moments when its over. The reason for a break-up could be many but the hurt they feel is known only to them.

  Who is Happy... In today's world where everything is temporary,momentary and materialistic, do you think true love does exist? People fall in love but soon enough fall out of it too. The cyber age has shown its evil face to the world.Mobiles,chatting,internet,FB,watsapp; these were supposed to connect us to the world and make it a smaller place. Make our virtual presence felt.  But it has only disconnected us from what really matters in life. It has made our real life existence pretty virtual. Today, even a toddler knows about love and a teenager has had sex. Thank you technology for enlightening our kids.

 

So friends, I believe its time we re-enter the real world. Its time we analysed our lives again. Its time we relived our dreams again. Its time we spend more time with the people that really matter.Its time we learnt to forgive. Its time we learnt to love again.  Only this time, lets make it forever. Only this time, let there be no Over and Out.

Separations, Partings and Losses in love

   When was the last time you had that strange obnoxious feeling that you were losing someone in your life! What if you were to lose someone special this very moment! But what if you had never ever imagined losing that someone special only to wake up alone one morning!!! When you are woken up by the noise of the irritating alarm and not the sweet tender voice of your beloved. When you manage to snuggle some free time in your over-hectic schedule and then realize there is no one waiting for your call anymore! The battery of your cell phone nowadays refuses to drain out, the nights find you waiting for the darkness to take over your senses rather than wait till the wee hours of the morning for the conversations to stop. When days become months and months become year but after that point, a day becomes a year.

   Love comes in each ones life in different packages and intensities. As a kid you are attached to your parents and your siblings. Despite all the sibling rivalry, you realize you cant live without each other. You protect your youngers and seek loads of gifts from your elder bro/sis. It is a bond deeper than any other bond in life. A bond written in blood, signed by the years of togetherness. A mother sacrifices a lot in bringing up a child - from his diaper days to his XL days - and does so out of sheer love for the most prized possession in her life. Hence it is the duty of the kid to reciprocate the love when he has the means to do so. You need not shower her with gifts - keep them for your girlfriends - just a loving gesture or seeking her approval before making big decisions is more than enough to melt her heart.

   But the strangest form of love comes much later in life - when you have almost lived out 20 odd years of your life - and then turns your life upside down. You start dressing up properly to seek her approval. You no longer need to be told to eat or sleep properly because you have already lost these two elements in your life. The long everlasting fights, the kiss-and-makeup, the long phone bills, the secret letters and gifts, sneeking out to meet her, feeling elated at the simplest of praises, sitting by the shore holding hands, watching movies together, promises of never ever leaving each other and then BANG!!!!! There comes the strange part.

   All these years you were leading a happy single life. All that mattered was just YOU. Two years of being in someone's arms and then you just cant get over it. Why is it that these two years leave an indelible scar for life? Why cant any other form of love ever ever compensate for those times? Why does it make you feel so hollow inside that you start questioning your being???

   This is the time for self-introspection. Was not those twenty years reason enough for living just to see your parents smile? Was not the love your sister more important than the female who never understood your love.  
No matter how hard you try, ties of blood can never be equaled by any other form of love. And no love is worth dying for if it wasnt worth living a lifetime. Love was never meant for the weak-hearted - its a challenge even for the lion-hearted. And only when you manage to rise and shine despite these losses in life will you become a true warrior. So all those who have loved and lost - once or more - never give up. Coz if those twenty years of love was not reason enough for you to live, then you had no purpose being brought to this world by them. Live for them, to bring a smile to their faces, to feel joy at their pleasures and only then will you truly understand the meaning of LOVE. And who knows - maybe your next true love is just waiting round the corner, waiting for you to find her, lift her in your arms, and walk into the golden horizon of life...