A Monsoon Love Story!

Her eyes, I couldn't take my eyes off them, "Hey Can you Please do the billing fast, I don't have all day", a voice jolted me back to reality. "Oh yes Ma'm I am on it", After a while I looked around again but by then she was gone! I did the remaining billing and finished my shift, by the time I was done it began raining incessantly and the roads were brimming with dirty water, not from the rain God's but from the overflowing drains. I felt disgusted but somehow moved towards my bike trying to save myself from getting even an inch wet with the dirt that was splashing everywhere. I saw little kids bathe in the pools and I felt nauseous. Monsoon wasn't my favorite season, in fact I never liked rains and people who called rains romantic made me feel like putting all the water into their homes for them to get a real feel of it. I was getting late for my guitar class, I taught guitar to kids apart from working in this supermarket, to make some extra money to pay for all the extra coaching I took to do well in academics. People didn't approve of me working but I didn't bother, I never liked depending on anyone for anything. 

Today I just wasn't able to drive well, not simply because of the heavy rains that blocked my vision but because of those eyes that left me mesmerized. Filled with Kohl and shaped like almonds, Uff! I couldn't get my gaze off them to look at her completely. But there was no point pining over something or someone whom I hardly knew. She was just a customer and had left immediately after shopping, the possibility of seeing her again was out of question. So many people walk in and walk out of the store everyday but there was something different about this girl which I'll never forget. I reached my guitar class at 6, all the kids were ready to learn but I wasn't in a mood to teach today. So I just gave a small talk about the chords and called it a day. The rains just wouldn't stop and this was driving me up the wall, I had to reach home by 8, freshen up and study for tomorrow's class. So I decided I'd ride home in the rains since I didn't want to remain stuck at this class all night. I wore my raincoat and helmet and ran towards my bike. Vehicles from everywhere splashed rain water on me and I almost had tears in my eyes. I looked up at the cloudy sky and cursed it! I was half way home when my eyes fell on the bus stop. Let me make it clear I am not one of those lecherous men who'd eye women at bus stops but that moment I don't know why I did that and saw the same girl from the supermarket standing at the bus stand. Her umbrella was shielding her from the rains but she still looked totally soaked. I thought I was imagining things and so to confirm I just turned my head back and the next second everything simply blacked out. I had apparently hit something or something had hit me, I don't clearly remember. Thanks to my helmet, my head was intact but I fell with my bike over me and after a few minutes when I opened my eyes I saw at least 20 people surrounding me. Nobody was helping, everyone just busy talking about what had just happened! Morons! Anyway the lady with her beautiful eyes too had come to "see" the accident but Thankfully some sense prevailed upon her and she hailed a taxi to get me to the hospital. 

On reaching the hospital with two other helpers I was treated for two fractures, one each in my hand and leg, that didn't mean I was handicapped for life but just meant that I was going to be disabled for at least a good part of the month. And what do you know, the girl who caused it wasn't around to check on me at the hospital! Oh well, I cant blame her, I acted stupid, what was her fault in it? My parents took me home and I felt like a vegetable being carried home in a wheelchair. I was asked to take rest for a month but I don't think I could afford that luxury. Riding my bike and playing the guitar with a broken hand was out of question but I could still work at the supermarket and study at college. So I decided to continue these two activities. I went to college the next week and was greeted by my sympathetic classmates who wrote "Get well soon!" on my plasters. Everyone was curious to know how I broke my leg and I just told a few close friends how it really happened and they were so amused. That evening I went to the supermarket to work for the three hours that I did and what do you know! That girl was casually browsing the aisles and shopping for beauty products! "Oh Yeah! Please buy some more cosmetics to injure more people on the roads" I thought to myself and laughed. She was coming straight towards my counter now, "Oh my God!" "Heyyyy" She said a long 'Heyyyy' that stretched  so long, it caught everyone's attention except mine because I didn't want her attention anymore. She snapped her fingers when she saw I was still looking down. I looked up and pretended to see her for the first time, "Hi Do I know you?" I asked. "Yes, you met with an accident the other day and I helped you get a taxi, Remember now?" She looked at my hand and leg plasters and gave a "Tchhh and Awww" sound, the sound I hated to hear from any girl. "Thank You so much for helping out, really it meant a lot. Sorry for not recognizing you instantly, you know I was in shock then." I said. "It's alright, how do you feel now?"she asked. "I am OK." I said and smiled but inside my heart was aflutter and it wanted me to say so much more than just that. "Ok Good, bye" she said and left. I kept looking till she left and wanted to call out to her to stop her but pushed that thought behind and concentrated on my customers.

She kept visiting the supermarket regularly, not to check on me but to do her shopping. I'd be foolish to think she was visiting again and again to check on me but why was she visiting only this supermarket, weren't there other places too?! She always tried to strike conversation and I always avoided it by smiling sometimes by just saying "Hmm". One day she asked me "Don't you feel like studying, it's your age to study not work!" I stared at her, keeping a straight face I said "I study". She looked amazed as if I had said something bewildering. "What?" "Yes I am doing engineering, this is only part time" I replied. "Really? You know what, all this while I always thought you were just an employee here and that  you were wasting your life working in a super market." "Thank you for your concern" I said. Now she saw me in a different light. "Thank God!" I thought. The problem with Indians is that there is no dignity of labor here! But let me not bore you by sermonizing more about Indian mentality. So now we met a couple of times outside too, outside doesn't mean at coffee shops or ice cream parlors, outside just means at the entrance of the store when we bumped into each other by chance. She lived just adjacent and so we often bumped into each other. She always looked so beautiful that I never had the courage to ask her out. "Would she be willing to go out with me, is she already seeing someone?" all these questions flooded my mind. So one day, she came to the super market on her so called "shopping trips" and asked me all of a sudden "Can we meet outside this stuffy place too, sometimes?" I stopped billing and the other customers started protesting that so I started again and in her usual manner she snapped her fingers to get my attention. I looked up, smiled (almost wanting to shout in joy!) and said "Yes we can" then stupidly felt like Obama after saying that line! 

I vividly remember our first date, my plasters were gone now, I felt like a free man, I had my guitar and it was raining! After my shift, we met at the entrance of the store and without giving a second thought I ran holding her hand into the rain towards my bike! I was so happy! I didn't care about the dirty water or the puddles or the children in the muddy pools. All I cared was about her! We went to a coffee shop and I played the guitar after a long time for her as she smiled at me. It was wonderful and then I decided I'd end the day by telling her the story of my accident and after I had finished she was in splits, she just refused to believe it was because of her that it happened. It rained everyday after that and I fell in love with rains and her! I finally have to admit rains are really romantic!

Indira Shukla

A new moon night!

An eerie silence envelopes the air

as the night creeps in slowly

Light eventually fades away

as darkness engulfs it completely....

A thick fog descends

covering the earth like a blanket

The night is unusually silent

as if guarding a deep secret... 

The moon tonight is missing
and the sky has no companion
The clouds silently shed tears 
in protest of the separation...

Indira Shukla

Exchange of hearts!

         Ashlesha laughed to herself again, the whole situation seemed too amusing to her. Her bag had been exchanged at the baggage carousel on the airport and instead of getting the bag of a young man like it generally happens in the movies; she had brought home the bag of an old woman. The dentures, the sarees, loads of warm clothing and smell of balm confirmed it. At first Ashlesha was frantic but she now felt sorry for the old lady whose bag she had picked up. Thankfully Ashlesha's important belongings were in her handbag, so she wasn't going crazy about her loss. After consulting her parents she decided to contact the airport authorities to know if anyone had come asking for their baggage. The officials were not very co-operative but said they'd give Ashlesha's number if in case someone calls. 

           Ashlesha had a rough trip to Chandigarh with her friends and now in Mumbai this incident happened to add to her problems. The cold Chandigarh weather had taken a toll on her health and her little dream of finding a nice young stranger on the trip had turned sour since she had to stay confined in her hotel room all the time. Even now she was utterly disheartened when she learnt the bag belonged to a lady and not a handsome young man, no luck here either. She decided to take a nap in the afternoon to get rid of the tiredness from her long early morning flight. It would also help her escape her parents' nagging about her irresponsible behaviour even at the age of twenty-six. 

            It always upset Ashlesha, when her parents drew comparisons with her two years younger yet immensely mature sister, Anvesha.  Ashlesha wasn't a failure in life but she wasn't a great success either. Her life was mediocre, as an advertising associate she was doing well in life but not as well as her younger sister who was pursuing architecture and was well on the way of becoming a successful architect. Anvesha always had her priorities set right and that's why she was going steady even in her relationship unlike Ashlesha who despite her decent looks failed in relationships. It wasn't entirely Ashlesha's fault, it was just that she never tried too hard to hold on to a guy. So from one relationship to the next she just kept moving without an anchor to hold her in place. 

            It was two hours into her beautiful dream when a jarring sound suddenly stole her peaceful sleep. It was her phone, how many times had she cursed the ring tone that her sister had set on her phone. She just whispered a "Hello" when the voice on the other end began yelling. " How can you just walk away with any bag you see, cant you read? My bag has a tag on it with my name!" Oh how lame of me thought Ashlesha but it was too late to read the tag now, these old Aunties always have tags to identify their bags she thought and smiled to herself. "I am sorry Aunty", she cooed into the phone. The woman not listening continued, "So you should be! Thanks to the airport authorities who gave me your number, otherwise how would I have traced you in this big world?" "Aunty I gave them my number to give it to you..." Ashlesha was cut short. The lady started again "Now what are you planning to do with my bag, I hope you haven’t burned it down." Oh I wish I had, thought Ashlesha to herself and grinned. "Hello! Listen whoever you are, my name is on the bag, and my address is...." Ashlesha jotted down the address quickly on a notepad lying among her scattered things. Before hanging up she asked in a very polite tone if that lady had picked her bag in exchange, the lady said in the affirmative and Ashlesha thanked her stars for it. There wasn’t anything precious in it apart from her favorite dresses and accessories yet she wanted it back whatever be it.

              Then she hung up and wore an old pair of jeans and Tee and took the keys to her bike to reach the address. The distance wasn’t much and all along Ashlesha just feared the old woman who had already given her a sound piece of her mind on the phone. She decided to take Anvesha with her but then changed her mind on the last minute. Anvesha might not take the woman's chiding too lightly and exchange some mean words which Ashlesha being a softhearted kitten, didn’t wish. She went to the address and stood in front of the building for a while, setting her hair right and applying gloss as was her habit. Lightly brushing her hair, she leisurely applied kajal to her sleepy eyes. Then she suddenly glanced in her rear view mirror to notice a young man staring and smiling from a balcony of the apartment. She decided to ignore such ignoramus men who knew nothing about how important it was for women to look presentable while visiting people. Thoroughly determined to get her bag back she strode towards the building. She hit the lift button for 3rd floor and took a deep breath, preparing herself to face her fear. 

              On the third floor she knocked on the door of the flat 301 and to her immense surprise the same Mr. ignoramus who was staring at her had opened the door. "Hello, I am here to meet...." she opened her purse and read from a slip, "Mrs. Meera Sahay" ...she shut her purse again. "Yes, how can I help you?" he asked and all of a sudden she turned and ran really fast down the flight of stairs to the ground floor to where her bike was parked but by the time she reached the spot, the bag was gone! The bag she had come to return all the way had been stolen! She was shocked for a moment, then regaining her balance she ran to the watchman of the building and asked him if he had noticed anyone picking up a black bag from her bike. The watchman admitted he hadn’t been at his seat at that time and Ashlesha gave him a furious look. She was in for a real scare, Mrs. Meera, the lady whose bag had been stolen just now had come down now, with the young man in tow, who apparently was her son. She was raging with anger and Ashlesha seemed to imagine this woman in the role of a TV serial vamp, how good a job she would do. Putting in a lot of effort she pushed that thought behind her mind and focused on the woman's cussing. She was shouting at the top of her voice and the entire apartment had been woken up from their 4 'O' clock siestas. 

             "Look Aunty, I am so sorry, I just left it here and now its gone and I don’t know whom to blame” she said with tears brimming in her eyes. The young man whose name the woman kept calling several times as Nihar, just kept looking at his mother dumbfounded maybe by his mother's public display of profanity. She yelled for ten whole minutes, without listening to a word of what Ashlesha had to say and then just walked off from there to her flat. Ashlesha stood there, not because she didn’t know what to do but because she secretly hoped the lady was going to give her bag when she came back down. But she didn’t come back for quite a long time, Ashlesha assumed she was gone for good. 

            Not knowing what to do, Ashlesha sat on her bike, thinking of her options, tears now visibly moisturized her cheeks. And then suddenly she heard a male voice "Stop crying!" she looked up and it was that insolent woman's son, Nihar. She looked away and said "Why should I? Your mother insulted me in full open view and I don’t even have the right to cry a little in public?" she asked wiping her tears. "Here take this bag and go take yours from my mother." Ashlesha was confused and ecstatic at the same time! It was the mad woman's bag she was seeing now. "Where did you find it?" she asked "Did you run after the thief and punch him hard?" she asked excitedly. "You seem to be watching a lot of Bollywood Masala films I guess. Well, I am no prince to rescue the princess when she is in trouble.This bag was with my watchman all this time" laughed Nihar. "Wwwwhat? Wwwhere?" asked Ashlesha visibly perplexed. "Well you were so busy getting your 'pretty little princess look' right, that you forgot the main purpose for which you had come here." Ashlesha  gave him a cross look.  "After you left the bag here and went into the building, I signaled to my watchman to hide it inside his room." laughed Nihar. "Oh man! the look on your face was priceless when you saw the bag was gone, I should have taken a picture then." Ashlesha snarled and picked up the lady's bag and headed towards the building. "Won’t you check your makeup again, Miss! It's soiled after the drama" Nihar called out from the back and laughed incessantly. Within five minutes Ashlesha was back with her bag this time in her hands. She gave Nihar a very cold stare "I'd like to say your mother and you could use some manners, she doesn’t say Thank You and you don’t say Sorry!" "Sorry? For what? Bringing back my mother's bag safely from those thieves... haha... then I am definitely Sorry!" 

           Swearing beneath her breath Ashlesha walked with her bag to her bike and dumped it angrily on the pillion seat. She tried to kick start her bike but in vain. Her bike always made her look like the classic 'damsel in distress'; it never started in one kick when required to. "Can I help?" the same voice sounded from the back. "Have you taken the contract of helping women in this colony? Don’t bother, I can help myself!" "OK fine, I was just going" Nihar took the lift and went upstairs. He stood at the balcony watching Ashlesha's stubborn bike throw tantrums. "I can still help he shouted, but this time I will charge" he laughed an evil fake laughter. Ashlesha looked up and grinned, "No thanks". She called the watchman of the building "Bhaiyya can you start this bike, its acting really weird today" Nihar signaled from the top again and the watchman obeyed his orders. That was it, Ashlesha's anger had reached boiling point. She dragged her bike and began walking towards the road and to her utter dismay Nihar was running behind her. She gave a helpless sigh and parked her bike. "Can I try now?!” he asked, she obliged and Viola! With just one kick the bike started!" "Oh my God, What's wrong with me today" she spoke it aloud. "Nothing, its just that your luck is on my side" Ashlesha laughed this time. "OK so what am I getting in return?" Nihar asked. "What in return?" Ashlesha blinked, feigning innocence. "Well I said I would charge, didn’t I?" "Hmm... I hope I can afford your fee...What's the price?" Ashelsha asked sarcastically. "You've hired the most expensive mechanic in the city. So the charge is a cup of coffee." Nihar smiled. Ashlesha laughed "OK! But not today; here's my number; we can meet tomorrow. Bye!" she drove off. She smiled all the way and met Nihar the next day and they kept meeting several times. Ashlesha had finally found her anchor! 

The fallen knight

The leaves rustled as a gust of wind blew,
under the blanket of the lonely night, wanderers were few.
A stray grasshopper fell prey to a set of feet,
the feet of a man, drawn outdoors by the indoor heat.
The heat not of the summer night but of immense horror and fright,
A face he saw in the mirror tonight
the face of a man who couldn't keep up the fight!
That of a warrior who fled from war,
who was subdued by the mighty enemy's power.
Now his own reflection he felt ashamed to face,
For him this was a long night of shame awaiting a dawn of disgrace!

Indira Shukla

There she goes!

Her little wings were wounded
by the ire of the winds,
Her courage to fly higher than her limits
had pushed her to the brink of ruins.


Yet her will to take to the skies
didn't allow her to die,
Her battered wings and bruised ego
still nurtured the dream to fly.


Staring silently at her enemy
each day she prepared for the flight,
the thoughts of soaring high
gave this little bird sleepless nights.


And soon a day came when
the strongest ever wind blew,
when even deeply rooted trees
the wind in its rage threw!


That was the day when
she spread her wings to test them again,
it was the ultimate test of grit
and the only answer to her heart's pain.


Aiming higher than her little eyes could see
she pushed herself to take flight,
and straight she went against the winds
soaring this time to life's greatest height!

The roaring winds suddenly calmed down
in admiration of her courageous feat,
an eerie silence descended upon the world
it seemed like the winds had accepted defeat
and the clouds were all under her little feet!


Indira Shukla

Be Mine!

Your beauty enchants me
and sends me into a trance,
My heart skips a beat
whenever you give me a glance!

When I look into your eyes
I can see your faith in me,
You give me the courage to rise
and the strength to break free.

When I hold your hand
I can conquer the world I feel
All troubles I can withstand
and with every problem I can deal.

You are the one who has brought
happiness into my life
All my sorrows I forgot
when you stepped into my life!

My life has taken a path new
from the day I met you,
My feelings for you are true
I think I really love you!

Indira Shukla :)

He hypnotized Americans
with his perpetual charm,
he won a million hearts
with his appeal and warmth.

The color of his skin
didn't matter more,
for the reason behind his win
was his unmatched candor!

He made no bogus speeches nor
did he make dubious claims,
putting America to the fore
he promised to usher a change.

He held helpless hands
of the poor and the old
and placed their issues
at the very threshold.

With a vision for his nation
and immense love for Americans,
he pledged to make a difference
in the lives of billions!

Obama defied history
and made his place,
he is one man to whose tune
the whole of America sways!

Indira Shukla.

Happy Father's Day!

From the time I learnt to walk

to the time I learnt to talk,

From the time I first read abc

to the time I first called out 'daddy'
Papa you've always stood by me!

When I ran my first race

you were there to tie my lace

and when I fell down on my way

you gave me strength to stand again!

I still remember all your stories

of ugly goblins and beautiful fairies,

Even when I asked a million questions
you answered each with the same patience!

You bought me dolls and cars
Just for my smile you could bring down stars,

You always made sure I got the best

my every wish you've first addressed!

You taught me to be bold
you taught me to endure,
To always walk with my head held high
and look into the enemy's eye!

I know dad even if the whole world

disowns me some day
you will still by my side stay!

Papa I solemnly vow
To always make you proud
Give you all the world's happiness
and always stay your little princess!

Indira Shukla.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY PAPA :)

Love You Mom!! :)

My Mother…..
She’s like shade in the scorching heat
She’s like breeze to the autumn trees
She’s like rains to a barren land
She’s like an oasis in a sea of sand
She’s like a ray of light in a dark cave
She’s like a flower on a deserted grave!

She knows me in and out
She guides me when in doubt
She walks with me through thick and thin
Holding her hand every battle I win!

Without you mom
Who would have for me cared?
Little joys of life
With whom would I have shared?

All my sorrows I forget in a zap
When I lay my head on your lap
Your touch makes me
still feel like a toddler,
I wish you never ever leave me
and stay by my side forever and ever!

Indira Shukla:)

PS:Dedicated to my Mom...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY:)

Where is love?

"Where is love?" I quizzed the trees

"In our sweet berries it lies" they replied merrily

"Where is love?" I asked the sea

"In my sapphire waves" it roared proudly.

"Where is love?" I questioned the azure

"In my pearly raindrops it" thundered

"Where is love?" I asked the breeze

"In my gentle stillness" it decreed.

"Where is love?" I asked the fire

"In my golden flames" it answered with ire

"Where is love?" I questioned the earth

She said "It dwells only in my children's mirth."

"Where is love?" I asked a baby

"In my mother's arms" he replied naively

"Where is love?" I questioned his mother

"Where else but in my baby's titter"

"Where is love?" I asked a young girl

She returned "In his heart is my world"

"Where is love?" someone asked me

Confused I snapped "Love is in whatever I see

Love is everywhere around me

Love is available for free

Yet why do I feel so lonely?"

Indira Shukla

Hungry puppy

One cold winter morning
as I stepped out yawning,
I noticed a little puppy
who seemed homeless and hungry.




He roamed about my street
sniffing for remains of food ,
The food which I didn't wish to eat
those leftovers he so much valued!!

He didn't stop for rest
even though it was cold and freezing ,
He tirelessly continued his quest
maybe he was accustomed to this drudging!!

As he moved past me
I noticed he looked tired and glum,
but his weary eyes suddenly lit up with glee
when he noticed me holding a bread crumb.

He playfully ran towards me
wagging his tail delightfully,
Snatching the crumb from my hand
he ran away making no more demand.

He joyfully ate those pieces few
which put an end to his endless search,
Maybe he hoped he found me the next day too
to save him from the tiresome lurch.
Indira Shukla.

Let's be kind to these innocent and speechless creatures.Adopt a street puppy or atleast offer food and shelter to him.Try not to harm them if not protect them :)

Mute dreams !!

A girl played in the mud
she was a yet to bloom bud
blessed with naive innocence
her face defined silence.

Her hands were soiled by sand
her face was suntanned
and that smile quite mild and bland.

Her lips were desperate to speak
as tears quietly sneaked
To my shock she was voiceless
but this did'nt deter her
from telling me tales endless.

She expressed with her eyes
which substituted for her voice
even her heart clamoured and made noise
but everything was mercilessly devoiced.

Deep love for music she displayed
and desired to sing some day
If she will ever be able to sing I'm not sure
but for me...from that moment she had become
the best singer in the world!!

Indira Shukla.

~Come hold my hand.....Give me a chance~

Come hold my hand and give me a chance
to take you to a place....you've never seen
....where birds never perch silent
.....and beasts are not violent
Nature this fresh and nascent
you'll never elsewhere see.....Come hold my hand and give me a chance
to take you to a place.....you've never seen
.....where rivers are steady
.....skies rarely display fury
and the days are never cloudy
Always under the sun.....a day does begin and cease

Come hold my hand and give me a chance
to take you to a place....you've never seen
.....where trees in joy sway
and cheerfully wind's messages they convey
.....where flowers are forever in bloom
wishfully spreading their fragrant perfume.....

Come hold my hand and give me a chance
to take you to a place..... you've never seen
.....where dreams are never small
.....where hopes are always tall
.....and where there is enough love for all

~Come hold my hand.....give me a chance~

Indira Shukla

Slave of time

I've lost my long battle with time .....
every 'unbeaten' emotion has been subdued
and almost every 'brave' thought tamed
in my insane pursuit to stay prime.

It was my folly to challenge
the one who is hard to fixate
and even harder to locate
I should have guessed sooner
defeat was written in my fate.

For long I kept chasing it
but it constantly raced ahead
what time made me realise was
either I walk with it or just be led
but never should I dare to
either overtake or dash ahead!!


Indira Shukla

Beauty lost....Everything lost ??

A'withered flower', that's what I am
I've lost my beauty I've lost my charm,
my life's become a shallow sham
as I near my senescence in this farm!!

My reflection now lacks lustre
it shows no radiant shine,
The pearl like droplets of water
no longer on my petals they align.

My youthful blush has faded in a week
the sun's fury hasn't spared me,
The color which made me once unique
no more makes me a delight to seek.

The pretty birds which once
fluttered close to me all day,
to silently steal my fragrance
no longer now that love they display.

The bees have turned away
the butterflies don't come my way,
They've all displayed greed
is it only BEAUTY that everybody seeks?

Indira Shukla

Mindless humans !!

The land which once belonged to me

is no longer my territory,

It's been grabbed by some settlers
who claim I was their ancestor!!

The trees on which I used to swing
they don't exist anymore,
they've been replaced for housing
these selfish and greedy hordes.

Now I'm leading a life of misery
for no longer does my home exist for me,
I'm homeless......I'm hungry ......
but these mindless humans on my plight show no mercy.

I've got no means to live
I have no place for shelter,
I've been made captive
just for their ruthless pleasure.

I'm a troubled chimpanzee.......
but I don't want to "ape" their nasty actions,
I just wish to tell them politely
that they have no right to meddle with God's creations!!
Indira Shukla 

In search of new adventures

From my cocoon today I emerge

to explore a whole new life,

as on an erratic journey I surge
to become a beautiful part of the wildlife!!

Indira Shukla.

The smile revolution :)

Life is extremely short
try and make the most of it,
happiness you must spread
to make a blissful end to it...

Joy comes in a million shades
but sadness is simply dark,
life often runs into darkness
to brighten up it just needs a spark...

The spark perhaps is a beaming smile
which brightens up every soul,
its a curve that stretches more than miles
to reach every heart is its only goal......
Indira Shukla:)

Who are you ?

I'm often lost in a world so new

with thoughts so wild, they speak only of you,

Who are you, I often question myself

are you just a figment of my imagination

or are you someone true.....?

When I open my eyes you instantly vanish

and reappear to disturb me when I'm asleep,

In the stillness of the night just like a thief

in my dreams you stealthily creep.

You've stolen my sleep and looted my peace

You come like a gust of gentle breeze
that makes all emotions freeze! 

Indira Shukla

Sail away

My life has taken an unknown path

to lead me into avenues new.......
everything will change henceforth

as I bid my childhood adieu!

Indira Shukla.

They need our help

Look at this little girl...dont you feel pity for her?...dont you think she needs a better living?....she is a mere ragpicker .....her job might get her money but only at the cost of her childhood....she deserves to go to school like several of the other girls her age but she is forced to lead a childhood in misery ......who do you think is responsible for her condition...her parents?...the government?.....her owners...?.....i would say God.....!....atleast we are not leading such miserable lives....so why moan at what you do not have instead celebrate for what you already have!.....these kids need your help or to put it rightly our help....children like her need to be educated in schools.....let us all join hands and pledge not to employ such kids in our houses as domestic helps or as employees in stores ,etc...instead do a favor to them by enrolling them in government or NGO run schools...so that they become capable enough to read and write and find better ways to earn than doing menial jobs .....help in making a child's future and not breaking it!
Indira Shukla.

Lost

Tears rolled down that innocent face
those scarlet turned eyes depicted grief,
In words she found little solace
but her aching heart got no relief .

She longed to see her mother again
which was the only wish on her mind,
Standing amongst crowds of strange men and women
she hoped her mother among them she could find.

Her tiny eyes looked desperately around
to get one glance of her beloved one,
she sadly sat down on the ground
hoping for a miracle to happen.

A stranger to her rescue came that way
and lent his hand to where she laid.
He had noticed the girl stray away
and swiftly approached to her aid.

Her tiny hands stretched for that gentle touch
of affection and motherhood which told,
She expected an affectionate clutch
but only obtained a sturdy hold .

The stranger drew her from that alien locale
towards the gate of the huge fair,
and Behold!there stood her angel
in similar grief and despair.

That one look filled the lil one with glee
smiling she leapt towards her mom,
hugging her tightly around
she felt free from all her qualms.
Indira Shukla.

Hunger

A little boy I met today
shabbily dressed in rags not cloth,
He wore no shoes to my dismay
as he trudged on a stony path.

His face reflected long starvation
as he hadn't eaten for days he swore,
Being in such pitiful condition
surprisingly still a smile he wore.

His grief in that smile he drowned
the depth of which one couldn't tell,
For little food he only begged
for which instantly at my feet he fell.

He only wished for grains handful
so that his hunger could suffice,
The boy's struggle for one mouthful
had me the importance of food realise.

His miserable plight moved me to tears
and I offered him a novel meal,
He feasted over with great cheer
thanking God for that deal

Indira Shukla

Life

When hope leaves your hand
and walks away unseen,
When darkness conquers your land
and threatens to forever reign.
When ignorance clutches your wits
and your mind pays no heed,
When courage calls it quits
and lets you down in need.
When you begin to fear the crowd
and long to be alone,
When failures begin to echo aloud
and makes your plight forlorn.

Then its time to knock the door
of the one you love the most,
whom you can count on for sure
to direct you from rough seas to the coast.

If your loved one cant help either
you are still left with one resort,
on whom you can always for help anchor
and that savior is God...

Indira Shukla.