Poem published - Walt Whitman Bicentennial Anthology- 2019

Sharing one of my poems that was selected for publication in the "Poets to Come" Walt Whitman Bicentennial Anthology in the year 2019, at Long Island. This particular poem was inspired by (and also dedicated) to a small unassuming fish that is in reality a true artist, almost sculpting its art at the very bottom of the ocean floor.  The creature is a puffer fish and there are many insightful links and videos on how it achieves its marvelous creation, but that is ephemeral, only to be washed off by ocean currents.

I was in awe and deep admiration of this tiny creature when I read about it and that inspired me to pen down. The info on what it actually does are available here:

A Pufferfish's Masterpiece | Big Pacific: Mysterious | PBS LearningMedia

Meet the Fish That Builds Works of Love on the Seafloor

In my poem, I have mentioned of Arjuna (the great warrior of Hindu epic Mahabharata), particularly as he was known for the complex Chakravyuh formation (a tactic used in battles), which for some reason to me resembled the structure the puffer fish made at least, in part. Plus, I mentioned of the fish-eye as there is a famous incident that Arjuna's prowess and focus of archery was so unparalleled that he could shoot at the eye of the moving fish while only looking at its reflection in water, which is a feat impossible to do by ordinary souls....(The Eye of the Fish: Customer Obsession in the Kurukshetra of Entrepreneurship | by Sashank Dara | Medium)

A published poem: Bards Annual Poetry 2019

 

I am sharing a poem (titled "The Trap of Eyelashes") that was published in the Bard's Annual Poetry Book Collection in the year 2019. This particular poem is a satire that is typically different from the themes I typically write on.  A very interesting aspect is that I had never actually seen the specific plant (Venus flytrap) in real life, as mostly I remember reading about it in my school days in biology or drawing the plant diagrams. However, one fine day before writing the poem, I did stumble upon that plant as it was for sale in one of the food sections of a department store in Stony Brook. I have to admit it was one of the most blissful moments of my life, as at first, I could not believe it was a real plant, but it indeed was (and was not that big as I used to think; it was small but must have the ability to capture its preys or insects (although I never put that to test :)).

Anyhow, here is the poem. The sarcasm in the poem is at the fakeness of the modern society (and also perhaps the cosmetic companies that do manufacture products (which then land up with the consumer) that have the ability to extend the eyelashes using specific compounds).

Bards Annual 2019 by Bards Initiative | Goodreads

Here is the photo of the plant:

P.S.I understand that eyes and the eyelashes are a gem in poetries and shayaris and are extolled, however this is the only poem where I made an exception but that was subject to the context....

Two of my published poems @ Bards Annual Poetry 2015

I thought of sharing two of my poems that were already published in the Bards Annual Poetry (poetry organization in Long Island, NY) in the year 2015.  (Bards Annual 2015: The Annual Publication of The Bards Initiative by Bards Initiative | Goodreads)

The reason being that interestingly, both of them have the element of Fire in them, which seems apt given the turn of cold winter weather (which I for one dislike) going on. 

One of them is titled "The Phoenix of Longing" and the second one is titled "Fireball":

 1569514.jpg (1920×1080) 

1. In this particular poem without giving away much (which a poet should usually avoid as a poem should be subject to interpretations by the reader), I would say that the central theme is actually that of Sufism/ mysticism, and so it's actually longing of the spiritual love/ Beloved, and because the soul can never be destroyed by fire (similar to the Vedic shlok of Bhagwad Gita which says : नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः, meaning that soul cannot be cut by weapon or destroyed by fire), it keeps on rebirthing itself or rather its longing and desires keep on taking birth again and again in an endless cycle.....

2.  In this second poem, I would say that this was written out of a deep place inside the soul when the soul feels handicapped (reference to the metaphor of being seated on a wheelchair) and is a spectator to the world (the dunya). The immense longing and pains cause the soul to turn the gaze inward from the cold world (both literally and figuratively) and realize that the true power and warmth lie beneath in the soul which can be made into any form one likes and is the only true Sun.