Poetry Month

#NaPoWriMo 2016 Day 30 #PoetryMonth

I wrote 36 poems
in April's thirty days
It wasn't easy
But it was not so tough
As some may say

I got into a rythm
And the lines came like a dart
Some were thought through
But most tumbled out
from my heart

The running
Had a lot to do with this
An active healthy body
May have led to this creative blitz

Thanks to all
Who regularly liked my fb posts
If not for you
I would have failed,  Mere Dost

I am surprised too
That I didn't miss a day
Now to plan
What I will do in May

(Written by Jibrael Jos)
In case you missed any of it
There is a blog
Where I documented all this

Exam Results

Congratulations, dear students
Another semester up your sleeve
Your hardwork has paid off
And now to enjoy your leave

Happiness is strongly correlated
To the effort and your sweat
Incase marks don't reflect that
Don't be overly depressed

Don't forget to congratulate
Those who did well
Its small gestures like these
Which makes our heart swell

How you got such high marks
Some of you have no clue smile emoticon
Be considerate to those
Whose marks nose dived to their shoe

Some analysis of result is good
How to do better
If you have understood
Exams have served there purpose

Success is sweet,
cherish this day
Failure is also good,
You will be much wiser today

Stand up, you are all winners
I am proud of you
Tighten your resolve
The next leg beckons you
(Written by Jibrael Jos)

Cry for Help

The lies are spinning out of control
dark and dingy is my soul
The happy mask is slipping
God cleanse me and make me whole

I fumble in darkness
 without your light
Sleep eludes me
every night
God take me from wrong to right

People have started adding
Two and two
They have an idea
What I do
God forgive me for what I did

I had my share of challenges
You also know
This depression This addiction
I didn't sow
God give me the strength
to fight every blow

My father's rebuke
Echo in my ears
Without my dose
I cannot cope with all my tears
God grant me peace of mind
To overcome all my fears

The lies are spinning out of control
dark and dingy is my soul
The happy mask is slipping
God cleanse me and make me whole
(Written by Jibrael Jos)

Brain

Rooms within a room
Shelves within a shelf
I open a box
Inside a multitude of itself

Each holding a shard of memory
Some a moment of a day
All interwoven
In a mesmerising interplay

One click here
And a hundred sparks there
A smell A touch A voice
Can trigger a cascade somewhere

Who am I, I wonder
With a billion stars in the sky
But what is mind boggling
Is the universe inside my why

We like to believe
There is a free will in place
But sometimes I feel
I am just its interface

Brain the Lord and Master
Of the consciousness and sublime
Source of Inspiration
Creativity,  Music and rhyme

A wiki of all the past
Story behind every word spoken
An Operating System robust
Whether drunk, drugged or broken

What is even more interesting
Is the WiFi to the divine
An inner voice to help me
choose the right way
I meditate for fifteen minutes
problems dissappear
even as I pray
(Written by Jibrael Jos)

Water

#NaPoWriMo 2016 Day 27 #PoetryMonth

Water simple and clear
Life's elixir
Just an H and 2  O
Can makes us go go go

Not a single specie on earth
Has zero presence of this mix
Human's have 70 percent
Tomato has ninety six

What is romance without rain
Flowers without morning dew
A trek without the mist
No river,  No ocean,  No view

Rivers flowing with milk and honey
Some people wanted in paradise
Try washing your hands with honey
And quenching your thirst with a glass of old milk
Heaven's 7 star rating will fall very quick

Blood is thicker than water
Some people claim
But blood is 83% water
So we are related and quiet same

Drinking,  Washing,  Cooking
Just to name a few
Without water cycle
Life will come to halt
Without much adieu
(Written by Jibrael Jos) 

Much More

#NaPoWriMo 2016 Day 26 #PoetryMonth
The coin has two sides
A square has four
Problems are not just black and white
Solutions could be much more

Rain  can be good
Rain can be bad
At times romantic
and at times tragically sad

After winning a lottery
What could possibly go wrong
Complacency, skewed expectations
Spoilt kids, frustration
The list could be long

For couples who fight
even a trip to Switzerland
is not alright
For a couple in love
a ride in a local train
is just right

Life is not just a bed of roses
A rejection,  a failure, a tragedy
A breakup, a job loss, a malady
But please o please
do cherish the beauty
the fragrance it offers

Hardwork is imperative
Positive Attitude a delight
Welcome the challenges
and you will perceive life
in a completely new light
(Written by Jibrael Jos) 

Stranger, here is the deal

(For a female char in her twenties, in a play in progress )

You look this way
I am tall
You angle your gaze
and I am small

With your eyes closed
You may choose to remember me
And with an open stare
you may completely ignore me

Do you find me beautiful
I do care, you see
If you find me attractive
Please do share with me

I have two sides
I won't deny
At times I am like a rose
With beauty and grace
And at times like a thorn
With sarcasm and no praise

I am pretty smart
but can be dumb if you like that
I am bold and bizarre
but I can cry for hours
just like that

I never planned
for an arranged marriage
But here I am serving tea
in this traditional style

Two worlds can collide
with a nod and a smile
So be careful potential mate
A slip up here
And it will be checkmate

Be open and flip out
 your mind and heart
If we both like each other
"as we are"
I feel we may go quiet far

So stranger, here is the deal
Tell me frankly what do you feel

(Written by Jibrael Jos)

Am I ready

Placement is round the corner
What should I be doing
Should I brush up my concepts
Or practice programming

Operating System I should read up
Look into Data Structures too
Understand OOPS once and for all
Computer Network Unit 1 and 2

Last year's batch
Some stars didn't clear aptitude
Without Round one
How can I reach round two

Verbal Reasoning
and Numerical Aptitude
A bit on my communication
A lot more on my Attitude

Thinking skills would be key
ER diagram and Normalisation
If I cannot write a sub query
What good am I going to be?

Design Patterns could be cool
But with superficial understanding
I will end up looking like a fool
So I should practice
class diagrams and coding a few

But all this will only hold true
If I believe in myself
And speak in the interview
I do badly in viva and seminar too
How can a miracle happen
In a month or two

Time is running out
Don't you see
They getting higher marks
Was okay ... but a larger CTC!!

I spent a lot of money
I now need to make it count
I need to fulfill my destiny
And stand out from the crowd
This time next year
I'll make my parents proud
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Statistically Speaking

(Dedicated to my CMS/Stats students
As only they may truly understand  :-) )

I am an average guy
Medium built, pretty cool
Never topped in school
Weight tending to maximum
Hair tending to minimum

My body is normally distributed
My intelligence and salary
Are not correlated
My career graph
Cannot be forecasted

Research is going on
my bank balance variances
But don't worry I am your guy
Don't judge me by appearances

No Six pack but Six Sigma yes
No standard but deviation yes
Probability is high that this year will be good
My potential generally misunderstood

Teachers always said
I am an outlier
Whenever I gave an excuse
She said , "OUT ... LIAR"

My life is like a scatter plot
You hold my hand
and hopefully
 I won't regress a lot

Our correlation is close to one
Just a step away at zero
If you are interested
I will be your hero

Break up rates are high
83% of relationship fail       ¥
Data Analysis for your soulmate
is to no avail
So statistically we are meant to be
How much error can there possibly be?
(Written by Jibrael Jos )
( Written for a play in progress )
¥ please note 83% of all statistics on Internet is cooked up :-)

So can you

If I can do it
So can you
In 100 days
I wore out the shoe

My heart is pumping
My body seems renewed
Another 100 days
With this new shoe

It's addictive
Just give it a try
I am still running
But don't ask why

Today is rest day
But my leg calls out to me
To run To run
and set my body free

I have sat on the couch
Much longer than you
If I can do it
So can you
(Written by Jibrael Jos)

Escape from Life

Falling in love is no crime
But parents don't agree
Without each other, In life
what purpose can there be

She ran into death arms
As people didn't approve
She wanted solace
So with Yamraj she did groove

He cooked his night meal
But something was missing
So he gave a death touch
To heaven he will be whizzing

By chance they both met
At heavens door
They requested accommodation
On the same floor

Sorry aren't you both early
You need to go back
And serve your time
This time you will be a deer
and she a tiger, I fear

Falling in love is no crime
Her parents will agree
Without you, In their lives
what purpose can there be!!
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Twist in the Tale

(Day 22: Thirty day poetry challenge )
Story Style::( Which ending do you like?)

A squirrel once came upon a nut
And grabbed it gladly
The nut had great potential
And could have become a tree

The nut promised
the tree dweller
If you bury me
One day I could feed you
Every single day for free

Squirrel laughed
It's your karma
And he nibbled
The tasty nut in glee
Just then an eagle
swooped the squirrel
from the tree

The nut landed
in a hole dug
By a gardener
to plant a tree

Squirrel pleaded to the eagle
to let him be
After all he was a child
who has not even
explored the next tree

The eagle laughed
and said he will grant
him his wish
I won't eat you
and I will fly you
 to the other tree

Squirrel was overwhelmed
At the eagle's magnanimity
Little did he realise
She planned to feed him
To her children three

Eagle approached the tree
Her sharp eyes caught sight
of a snake heading west
She dropped the squirrel
before the peril
slytherred close to her nest

The nut was glad
That his day was not bad
He escaped certain death

The squirrel was glad
That he was not had
And got a flight for free

The eagle was glad
That she saved her lads
from death dark fangs

The well fed snake had no idea
about the nest
And was simply finding
a place to rest

Each one thank their gods
For a wonderful day
And prayed he would take care
Just like today
....
....
(Alternate ending)
God in turn had no clue
About this roll of dice
He was welcoming
the snake's victim into paradise

(Written by Jibrael Jos )
( Which ending do you like?)

Denis, My Nephew

I have a nephew
Denis by name
There are very few
Who can play his game

Keyboard and TT player
Magician Amateur
Runner, Footballer
Nimble but sure

Engineer in the making
Ideas galore
Give him Internet
He can pick any skill for sure

As an infant
Fun to play, very bright
Loving, observant
His achan's delight

He has got his dad's strength
And his mom's maths skill
His grandma's discipline
And his grandpa's sheer will

He will reach for the stars
But he will be rooted to earth
One day he will make proud
The place of his birth
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Hide it! Don't tell yourself

(Day 20: Thirty day poetry challenge )
What do I hide
That the world can't see
What do I hide
From my family

There are secrets
That my friends don't know
There are secrets
Which could deal a marital blow

But what is most dangerous
Is the mind games we play
The way we fool ourselves
Each and everyday

Dreaming is healthy
High Self Esteem is good
But the low self image,
Ego, is rarely understood

Playing victim
For an incident long gone
Carry no guilt
For something very wrong

Blaming parents
For some choices they made
Ignoring the attitude
You carried since that day

Ignoring a problem
As if it's not there
Waiting waiting
Till it blows up everywhere

To be true to yourself
Easier said than done
Remove the mask
Half the battle is won

(Written by Jibrael Jos ) 

Jackfruit Tree

( A monologue for a play in progress )
------------------------
I am the Jackfruit tree
He wants to axe down
Don't cry for me
It's your final countdown

I have been standing here
For a hundred odd years
Before this street
And this house was here

Some stupid property dispute
One brother gets the land
The other wants to chop me!
After years of giving. . Seriously !

It seems my wood will fetch more
than my annual fruit crop
People are greedy
No logic will make them stop

It's seems he is my owner!
Because he raised me!
For years he ate my fruit
And breathed my fresh air
Suddenly it dawns on him
To make some tables and chairs

I am a home for some
A food source for many
Neither did he water
Or spend on me a penny

I have seen his
Grandfather as a child
He thought I was cool
And played in my shade
His father also loved me
And ate my fruits after school

If you do the accounts
His lifetime would not be enough
To repay my loans
And this fellow has the audacity
To say "he take what he owns"

I am not afraid to die
I have lived a life of purpose
I don't know about him
But I had enough of this human circus

Some of my brothers
Became school benches
Others were not so lucky
Ended up as war trenches

Some were cut down
To make way for the road
Others were not so lucky
Because of pollution overload

Some became holy books
Some became mighty ships
Some became jazzy carvings
Some became simple woodchips

Some were nailed alive
To make tree houses
Others just for
Stapling posters

The day will come
When you won't have air to breathe
Then you will slave
for my children's upkeep

I am the Jack Fruit tree
He want to axe down
Don't cry for me
It's your final countdown
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Working Solo

Working for myself
That day is here
Will I be productive
That is my fear

Now where is that creativity
That was bursting at the seam
It seems without pressure
Boiling water is plain steam

Without the tea break
Work did not progress
Now I realise it was not the tea
But the break after stress
That rejuvenated me

There was an
urge to do a 100 things
Connect, talk and take wings
But now I have the time
Damn, where are these things

If I am working solo
It's not really a holiday
I need to plan, schedule
Make a fire in my hallway

The fire needs to burn
At a steady pace
It needs to cajole me
Scold me at every turn

Long years of service
Under manager kind
Has made me slave
In body and mind

Arise Arise
This very day
You are the genius
Your client used to say
You are the gem
Your boss saw in you
This silence, This solitude
This lack of pressure
Should not get to you
(Written by Jibrael Jos ) 

Flying Kites

(Day 17: Thirty day poetry challenge  :: Story Style)
I saw him flying a kite
the other day
On the terrace
Of my neighbouring house

He seemed to talk to the Gods
As his kite
Glided thru the clouds

He seemed so much at peace
Pursuing a hobby
Which seemed to have
no returns at all

Why do I
Worry so much
Why can I not
Do some idling like
him after all

I took courage
and approached him
To teach me to connect
to the clouds

He smiled serenely
And offered me the twine
I refused saying
I would crash it in no time

He laughed and guided me
by action
When to pull When to tug
When to let it soar

After what seemed like an hour
I learned to handle the ropes
To pull back, guide the flow
and when to let it go

All this while
not a word he had spoken
Just gestures and smiles
as encouraging tokens

Suddenly a couple
rushed in
breaking the moment
Grabbing him Hugging him
Pulling him away

He calmly handed me
the kite string
And gestured me
To keep it flying

I suddenly realised
that he was dumb
and could not speak

On enquiring
I found from his parents
He had cancer
on his tongue
And it was just
a matter of few weeks

I was at a loss and
my knees started crumbling
Why was I living life
With so much grumbling

I wished him well
And promised to keep his kite flying
And in my heart of heart
I willed myself
To throw caution to the wind
Dance without thinking why
Cherish each moment
And fly kites in the sky

When to pull When to tug
When to let it soar
Daily life is like kite flying
My life can be much more

(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Winner in every Loser

Day 16: Thirty day poetry challenge )
When you lose weight,
You may avoid a dead end
When you lose ego,
You may find a new friend

When you lose a fight,
 your wife may love you more
When you lose your way
A surprise maybe in store

Winner or Loser
who can say
It's your attitude which decides
Each and every day

So whenever you lose
Ask yourself this
Am I a winner
Because of this!
     Or
Inspite of this!
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

It's over, It's done

(Day 15: Thirty day poetry challenge)
 It's over, It's done
There goes the sun
The night is upon me
Should I wait or Should I run

The moon gave a promise
To lighten up my way
So why am I afraid
To leave my shadows far away

Stars tell a story
In all its glory
But switch on the sun light
And the night sky takes flight

The light I emit is small
But before next sunrise
I will make it a flame tall

Stand by me as I take this leap
I will have a story to tell
Before you go to sleep

It's over, It's done
There goes the sun
The night is upon me
No waiting, I am going to run
(Written by Jibrael Jos ) 

How Many?

(Day 14: Thirty day poetry challenge )

How many layers in an onion
How many pearls in the sea
If the world was predictable
How boring it would be

How many pebbles on the beach
How many stars out of sight
If the universe was finite
Would our dreams have taken flight

How many friends in a lifetime
How many laughs in a day
If happiness was pre defined
Would we have enjoyed earths stay

How many tragedies will strike us
How many failures on our way
If life had no downs
Would we have the inner strength
we have today
(Written by Jibrael Jos ) 

Emotional Safari

Some days I am like a hungry lion
Some days like a well fed spider
Satisfaction and Ambition
I balance like a water strider

Some days I sing like a nightingale
Some days I wallow like a whale
The joy and happiness
Can be detected on the music scale

Some days I follow you like a dog
Some days I ignore you like a cat
But don't rate my Love and Loyalty
based on that

Some days I laugh like a hyena
Some days I cry like a crocodile
Emotions are under a mask
But you can read it
if you walk with me a mile

Animal's have emotions
But I come with a whole range
My mood swings are a bit crazy
And for many it may seem strange

I am not that pretty
      I am not that shy
But if you join me on this journey
      It will be an amazing safari
Just You and I

(Written by Jibrael Jos )
( For a play in progress ) 

Onam Sadya

(Day 12: Thirty day poetry challenge )
(As I love cooking my daughter asked me to write one poem on food)

A meal so sumptuous
that the nostalgic memories
Are etched in your parietal lobe
As soon as you sit down to eat
And place your hands
on the banana leaf
A trip down memory lane is in store
To Kerala's streams and rice fields
To the boat race and the sea shore
Your family, your home and much more

Aviyal with its diced vegetables
Blended with grated coconut
With an aroma of coconut oil
Pervading your olfactory senses

Sambhar dances on your taste buds
The bharathnatyam by the spices
With the tangy tamarind juices
Garnished with mustard seeds
Red chilies and and curry leaves

Pappadums and pickles
Leave your taste buds tickled
Pachadi and the Upperis
Lead to a mouth watering trickle
Pradhaman and the Payasam
Leaves you happy
with a chuckle and a giggle

Kalan and Eriserry
Olan and the puliserry
Crispness of the banana chips
Tango of Inji-puli on your lips
Textures of the dishes on your finger tips
If this is not a gastronomic heaven
From God's own kitchen. What is ?

If cooking is your passion
This is your final test
If eating is your passion
This is your final quest
(Written by Jibrael Jos ) 

True Love ! Seriously!

(Day 11: Thirty day poetry challenge )
(Facebook creeps love proposal, part of play in progress)

We both are made for each other
You are the broom, I am the dust
You are the bolt, I am the rust
You are the bread, I am the crust
You may have doubt, but I am your trust

Opposites attracts is what they say
You are the fire, I am the hay
You are the sun, I am the day
You are so young, I have a few grey
You want to leave, but I want you to stay

If this is not true love, What is ?
       Sit with me, chat with me
         Enlighten me, I pray
( Written by Jibrael Jos )

Knife to the Heart

(Day 10:Thirty day poetry challenge )
A knife pushed into my heart
Twisted and turned
To tear me apart
Done by somebody so close to me
This is one tragedy
I so didn't want to be
Details of this story
You don't want to hear from me

We shared a home
Dammit also the bed
We were so close
Like butter and bread
But now he so heartless
He does not care if I am dead

Men can be so selfish
Oh! Why didn't I see
Make him his special dish
And serve his morning tea
It is always about him
His work His day
Never asking what I have to say

I should bounce back
And get a life
Do something creative
I am not just his wife
My father raised me well
To face any strife
This night will pass
Even if I have to pull out
this bloody knife

What if my mom realises
What her daughter is going thru
There is a deep wound
Where a throbbing heart
Used to groove

Wait a second
I am a mother too
I have handled labour pain
And raised two kids too
I will get my lips to smile
Though it's been a while

I will live this coming year
Without wasting a tear
I will love selflessly without a fear
Life is so much more
The controls are in my hands
And from today this ship
I will steer

(Written by Jibrael Jos )
(Part of a play in progress )

Selective Fretting

(Day 9 : Thirty day poetry challenge )
It's funny
What all we fret over
Most of which
Don't need our attention

Whether it's
Dhoni batting in the last over
Or Messi converting the pass
Chances are they will manage
without us
Unlike the dripping tap
Or noisy fan in our house

It's funny
What we fret over
There are things
We cannot control

Whether it's
The rising fuel prices
Or slow moving traffic jam
Chances are they will not move
inspite our curses
Unlike our increasing weight
And fast emptying purses

Mind you
There are things
Which are not at all funny
And need all our collective attention

Global warming,
cutting of trees,
recently the rhino's extinction
Our education system
addictive consumerism
and the ever increasing corruption

So fret selectively
and bring about change
To avoid man's extinction
So act immediately
to avoid future stress
and live a life of satisfaction
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Life is a Journey

(Day 8: Thirty day poetry challenge )
Sometimes journies are for miles at end
Some journey stretch for days
But the journey to reach another's heart
Is etched in your mind and it stays

If s/he accepts
The road will be pleasant
Birds will sing love songs
Miles will just fly by
World will seem more right than wrong

Scenery is almost same
Roadblocks may slightly vary
But the joy of the trip
Depends on the perspective you carry

You may hold your hands and walk
You may look into each others eyes as  you talk
But together how you face your struggles
Will make the relationship truly rock

Sometimes you wait for the train
Sometimes you wait for your station
But the ones who live without waiting
Are journeying thru life in perfection

Incase you are running solo
And get bitter looking at a pair
Stop whining and feeling hollow
There is a whole world out there

Incase you see a terminal illness
Staring back at you
Realise that you are the lucky few
Who can see the runway rushing towards you

Others will not know what hit them
Their journey will come to an end
Loose ends that they planned to tie up
Will be dangling in the wind

So enjoy this leg of your journey
And cherish each moment and view
Share and laugh with your fellow travellers
Because days are numbered
for both me and you
(Written by Jibrael Jos )
( Verse two on hindsight is not true
    But don't let the pessimist in me
        get to you :-) )

What's Important

Dear Anu & Adi
Exams are important
Results are too
But how hard you worked
Should be the measure for you

Success is important
Money too
But is the world happier
because of you?

Some are good in Social
Some in Maths or Science
But by chance you are not
Don't get distraught

You will find your true calling
As times passes by
Just believe and keep asking questions
What, Where, How and Why

What kind of smart are you
You will come to know soon
So don't let your head tell you
You are not good

The world needs smart, hardworking,helpful children like you
I thank God everyday
For having such wonderful loving kids like you
Mama and Dada are very very proud of you two

(Written by Jibrael Jos)

Positive Thoughts

(Day 6: Thirty day poetry challenge )
Positive thoughts
focused on a clot
Can get it flowing

Positive strokes
applied on a full stop
Can get it growing

Positive vibes
On a flickering light
Can get it glowing

What you are inside
Positive or Negative
It's actually showing
Given time
It starts spreading

So take heed
You're the seed
Which when popped into a river
Will send ripples for miles
Belief and Smiles
Through the waves forever

If by chance you the seed
Gets its share of positive strokes
Then you will become a sapling
Sapling will become a tree
But more importantly
You will be surrounded
by confident, radiant,
circle of optimistic beings

So go forth
spread your positivity
in this negatively charged atmosphere,
May you be vibe
the world wants to subscribe,
Now and Forever
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Inspiration by the Sea

(Day 5: Thirty day poetry challenge )
---------------------
Waves were impressed by the rocks
which stood strong
against their onslaught
Rocks were inspired by the lighthouse
which guided ships in the open sea

Lighthouse looked up at the sun
Which gave light to the whole world
The sun warmed to the coconut tree
Who converts his light into food for free
Coconut tree loved the waves
Who travelled the seven seas

On this beach as I stand
I am at awe of God's hand
Creation in its intricacies
Makes life a platter of visual delicacies

Dragon flies glide above the waves
Living each day as it flows
Crabs worked clinically
Each time the wave goes

Fishes living happily in rock's small crevice
Oblivious to the adjoining big blue sea
Birds enjoying the seafood snack
Each time the waves rolls back

On this beach as I stand
I am at awe of God's hand
I can get inspired by things around me
And shrug the negativity that hounds me
If God made me
He wouldn't have got it all wrong
I need to make my Self Belief strong
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

Bumblebee to Butterfly

(Day 4: Thirty day poetry challenge )
-------------
Shoulders are weak
Burdens are heavy
Long journey I seek
But legs are weary

One medical bill
and mind has lost its will
Lightness Swiftness all gone
Butterfly became a bumblebee

This illness has taken a grip
Money flowing in a steady drip
Bread winner has become bed ridden
Support has become the burden

Heart wading thru stormy sea
Life no longer calling me
Do they wish that I go
Or do they really love me
as much as they show

I am ready to die
But if I don't give a fight
Who am I?
All these years what I believed
Would be for nothing
But a heartless lie

Everyone is dying anyway
So why not live ....
.... even in this final driveway!
.....
I will be stronger
I will be lighter
I will be colourful
Bumblebee to Butterfly
That's me, mE, ME

(Written by Jibrael Jos ) 

Cut and Sell

(Day 3: Thirty day poetry challenge )
-------------
We buy or inherit
a piece of land
Do we build a house,
a shop, a school
Or do we build a fence
and wait for
property price to rise
Or do we leave it free
For cows to graze
and kids to play

Do we till the land
And labour for it
Do we sow
So that one day we can reap
Or do we reap
What we did not sow

Do we plant trees in this space
To save our world
Or simply to exploit
the land of the last drop of water
to cash the wood for white paper

Is this land ours
to cut and sell
To pollute the lakes
and trees to fell
We are here for a blink
But somehow we think
We are here to rule
this earth

Trees which stood
for a hundred years
Who bore sweet fruits,
Provided shade and shelter
For man and beast alike
Is chopped down in a jiffy
With a cold axe's clean strike

Lakes which served for a million years
to various fishes and flora
Adding to the villages
ambience and aura
Refuge for migratory birds
is flushed with waste and sewage
Leaving the lake
Seething with foam and rage

Is this land ours
To cut and sell
To pollute the lakes
And trees to fell
We are here for a blink
But somehow we think
We are here to rule
this earth
(Written by Jibrael Jos )

A hundred deaths

With hundred eyes on him
It was a jungle out there
His mind told him
To run from there

He ran he ran
As fast he could
But he found himself
Right where he stood

He closed his eyes
Hoping it would pass
But chill down the spine
Told him there was no chance

He open his mouth to speak
What to say he was at a loss
His throat became so parched
The blood pressure went for a toss

Now why did he take such risk
Why did he volunteer to start
With all these laughing hyenas
Waiting to tear him apart

His palm could sweat
He just now realised
All these vultures waiting
For his imminent demise

Like a man from the grave
He held the mike with a sigh
He wondered instead of
the welcome speech
Could he on this podium
Just Die

(Written by Jibrael Jos
For all those who dared to speak
On a podium before a large audience
And for all those who didn't )

Ready Steady Go

You stand at break of dawn
Getting ready for what you were born
The bow is bent and ready
Your aim is holding steady
Your eye sees the multiple targets
Your heart wants it all
String is stretched and taut
The arrow ready for the shot
Universe is with you,
give it all you have got
You are the sunrise
the world has long sought