Alone

The old lady sits in her window

Looking at life passing from the shadow

Time is weighing on her hands

For all alone now she stands

A long life with husband and kids

She reviews in her head like vids

The road of life well-travelled

The joys and sorrows entangled

The joy of wonderful kids and caring partner

Fate took her son and it all began to shatter

The pain of loss coloured the life grey

Everything was forgotten as grief made her prey

Over the years things got easier

But she had changed and got hardier

Her husband coped but the stress made him ill

Both needed to establish their faith to let Him do His Will

Other children had grown and moved away

And then her husband passed away

She did not give up but faced her strife

She gathered her faith and lived her life

She had freedom to do as she pleased

Getting set in ways that she pleased

Travelling often helped keep loneliness at bay

At other times the memories saved the day

As time passes the new memories fade fast

It’s the old ones that last

The hopes and dreams of a young woman

Seen now in the eyes of an old woman

The fate deals more blows

Death after death follows

Losing more of her kids makes life sadder

As child before parent is against the natural order

Mother should not have to mourn her child

It hurts more than she can say to miss her child

She is still alone as one live child is far away

Circumstances do not allow any other way

Days become empty and long

Nothing is enjoyable while waiting for the end to come along

The lonely vigil by her window

Watching the world go about from her window

The family that once came to visit

Finds it a burden to now visit

The joys hard to remember

The pain a beloved family member

Waiting patiently for that time to come

When the spirit is free for the end has come

A Little Rash

The day was bright and sunny

I was thinking about writing something funny

The radio is on online

The songs I sing along with are fine

Messing about on Facebook

While reading from my e-book

The discussion in my group was all about rash

All the - since when, where, how much itchy was this rash?

What came up on Google when one looked for rash?

What can one do to get your mind off the rash?

It itched so bad that I could have clawed my skin off

As there are big red patches of skin all rough

Even as I refrained from itching

Vision came to mind of monkeys scratching

The lotions and potions that I applied

Cortisone cream will help they lied

The pharmacy cashier stared in surprise

As I lathered on the cream even before I paid the price

Instead of calming the itch and the angry rash

The little nerve endings increased their lash

The weather was cooling and I felt cold

But the itch would not let any sleeves be unrolled

So started the pill popping

Anti-Inflammatories and antihistamines in my system bopping

Off with this cream

On with another oil and cream

This time I was sure my doctor would have evidence

Active rash would back my verbal history with evidence

Then I had a bright idea to dab pure tea tree oil

The itchy waters were calmed with the pouring of oil

Now I have just a few odd reddish spots

Larges patches were now but little dots

My rash has calmed down just in time

To make me a liar for doctor’s appointment time

Typical when your body plays these tricks

They stick in your health’s fabric like little pricks

Now the only cure is to put that cream back

And get that itchy rash angrily back!

Body Rhythms

So my body feels like a musical instrument shop

However this is not an organised op

Tummy can rumble like a base drum

Or like the sitar being strum

The wind can grumble away

Like a brook bubbling on its way

The odd muscle flutters gently

Akin to breeze shifting sand finely

Then the spine creaked when I turned

A crackle of large joints is like piano badly tuned

While small ones just snap like a rifle shot

Making others jump a lot

The rash itches and I scratch like mad

Sounds like using a rasp that is bad

Pain in the muscles and bones can throb

Often this drumming my breath does rob

The prickling of the eye like a triangle struck

By all the Duracell bunnies in the truck

Headaches that feel like a constant drumming

Ears that make their own buzzing

I am sure the rest of the organs in the shop

Would like to and might join in this op

I am my own musical shop from midnight to noon

But I am damned if I can change the music anytime soon

The Oath of the Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi

This is the final book in the Shiva trilogy. A much awaited book I think and probably was having high expectation of the story as well. The last book ended with an apt cliff-hanger where Shiva comes face to face with someone he thought was dead in the blast which destroyed the somras factory.

The trek through the forest and up river in ships have brought the main characters to the land of the Nagas and meeting his old friend Shiva is wanting to know what had happened? He needs to know this before he can let the others in the accompanying entourage to know Brahaspati is alive and hear his story. Brahaspati explains that he was researching the impact of manufacturing the somras and if there were side effects from taking it. He had come to the conclusion that it was a dangerous medicine and being unable to convince King Daksh or the ministers he chose to sabotage the factory and disappear.

Shiva wants more proof of this than just the word of his friend and wants to see himself the evidence that exists. It appears we have come a full circle in the search for the enemy. For now it appears that the Mehluans are the common enemy of the Chandravanshis and the Nagas. The side effect of the somras has given rise to the Naga clan as they are the offspring of people who have been taking the somras. The waste from the manufacturing of the somras is found to be polluting the waters that flow into the land of the Brangas. The Chandravanshis were not all party to partaking the somras. The Maharishi Bhrigu, one of the most powerful sages, is convinced that somras is good and informs Daksh that there is a second secret factory that will keep the somras flowing.

In trying to stop Shiva and his allies from turning on the Melhuans he organises the attack we read about, in the last book. What comes across clearly is that humans fear what they do not know and so view the unknown as the enemy. Shiva goes to Kashi to meet the Vasudevs and find out what is the truth about the somras and all the information he has. There is also finds out about the clan of Vayuputras who have sworn to bring forth Neelkanth when times need him, just as Vasudevs are bound to support the Neelkanth in his fight against evil. For this Shiva has to undertake the long journey to the land of Vayuputras and find out the truth about himself and about the somras. He needs the weapons that will allow him the lever to stop the production of somras and save the people from all-out war.

The story does give some wonderful descriptions and explanations of the strategies and counter strategies of the different factions and alliances. The imagination has been let loose when it comes to the achievements of each clan. The small battles are fought while setting up to win the final war. These are bloody and shows lose on all sides. It is a story that follows my own thinking (for I can always see the other person’s point of view) in that it forces you to see both sides of the coin. It forces you to face both sides of the issue of somras and the positions taken by people. What is to be held in esteem by people, their country, the truth or their God? Therefore, you are forced to acknowledge that nothing is purely good or purely evil. Also that nothing can always be only good or only evil. Both evil and good are necessary to have a balance in nature.

The ending was unexpected but seemed to come too quickly. However, it was a good point to end as it leaves you in a thoughtful mood and anything further would just belabour the point.

Moods of Rain

The earth is parched and dry

Clouds gather in the sky

The breeze picks up

And the dust kicks up

Clouds crash and thunder flashes

Rain comes and thirst quenches

The raindrops dance on the earth

Filling me with joy and mirth

The wet earth smells sweet

From the gentle drizzle it meets

I lift my face to feel the rain

The gentle caress of the rain

It soothes and comforts me

It cools and caressess me

There is mixed mood in a monsoon storm

The energy that sizzles through the storm

Electricity crackles and lightening flashes bright

Raises the hair as if in fright

The thunder provides the drum roll

A wonderful orchestra seems to be nature’s goal

Then you feel the fury in the storm

The pounding rain that comes with the storm

With the strength of a rushing waterfall

Threatening to sweep away all

Driving the rain is gale force wind

Tearing through the rain both lightening and wind

The moods of rain are moods of nature

Often reflecting human nature