Talking

What a dicy affair this is. Loads of judgement unwarrantedly infused. Of advice on how one could have bettered the conversation and all the gobbledygook that ensues. A bloody prejudiced society we live in. Of all the acts, talking is the stickiest and trickiest. Mincing words, walking the talk, talking the talk and what not? What the hell is wrong in being oneself? But yeah, there is a defence for this. Reticence. Yes. Reticence takes the cake! At least then I’ll be called a woman of few words! Smiling and being genial is a problem too. Oh wait. Then you’d be termed ‘extrovert’ and would be pushed to a category of people who have a placard nailed on their forehead that says- “Hey you know what, you can woo me into anything!” Yeah? If that’s what smiling denotes- then damn- Smile shall be served only upon request and not be wasted. 

Oh boy- there’s one more to be mentioned- whilst one talks- whether you got your grammar right in elementary or not is secondary. If only you get the subject ‘I’ wrongly placed, that’s it! It’s the end of story! I and We get interchangeably used according to the whims and fancies of an individual. If only you get that concept straight- you’re saved. Else, keep battling with yourself- I/Me/Myself or We/Us/Ourselves?!

Ending with a quote of mine- “Hypocrisy is a word that I like of late, for I could be hypocritical about using it!”

Packing & Moving

From one nest to another

A lot lesser than a vagabond though.

All possessions finally anyway get into packed cardboard boxes-

Neatly labelled with what’s inside each box.

Of books, clothes, utensils and miscellany,

The list seemed unending...

Amidst cobwebs and clutter

She saw a verse flow across

And lazily sipped on green tea;

Not to forget flavours- Mint and Jasmine!

With lilting notes playing at the backdrop

Viaduct her medium wave pal!

Occasionally virtual space kept silent company too.

With a few movements already taking effect,

A certain vacuum had formed...

She heard her own voice echo

Soon photos would hang on different walls

Sleep too, on the same bed, yet a different room.

Life will still move on; would say- this will pass too!

The flip-side of Watsap and miscellany:-

That the Internet technology has invaded one and all quite profoundly is absolutely no surprise to anyone perhaps. Addictive, tempting, mania, ‘unputdownable ‘et al are some of the much hackneyed synonyms associated with the Smartphone. Nonetheless the charms of the virtual world are way beyond than what meets the eye. As a matter of fact, most technology could easily be categorised as ‘necessary evil.’ If one really wants to chart out the pros and cons of technology, we could go on with a long rant; yet that doesn’t exactly stop mankind from inventing, needless to say that Smartphones reach a virtual high almost every day- the magnitude of the possibilities in the virtual arena are simply indefinable. All of us yield to its temptation, be it any feature, at some point or the other. Those who limit themselves to the non-Smartphone are still caught in a frenzy of their own- Facebook is still accessible via the good old desktop! They perhaps are slow in liking/commenting/time-lining and all other paraphernalia, yet they are very much visibly present in the gamut. If one really has to trace down addiction to internet technology, then it should first be pointed out to Google. Come on now, does anyone’s day end without Google? How many of us diligently reach out to the Dictionary/Thesaurus (Printed Version strictly)? How many of us genuinely care about Spellings and Grammar, that is do not look at the Word Prompt and have it corrected? Hasn’t technology changed the way we read and write? Of course there is a fraction of populace that perhaps does everything in the same primitive manner even as there is a technology outburst by the minute, but isn’t that how life in general is? There is a flip-side to almost everything. This is perhaps why we have a necessary ‘pros & cons’ and ‘debate’ section at least, right from high-school education! We are simply trained that way.

What we can change though, as an individual is moderate the use of technology. The rationale behind moderation entirely rests with the individual. All of us know that smoking is injurious to health- even with all the gory images on cigarette packs, people continue to smoke. All we could do is try and prevent folks from smoking through public interest ads, if one wants to still succumb; it shall be at their own peril. Alternatively, Smartphone ads are quirky and appealing- take the recent ‘no ullu banawing ads’ which have been a constant across all TV channels especially during the election campaigning for instance. That for sure has accelerated Smartphone sales by a whopping number! The universal USP though is to ‘stay connected,’ that too in a cost-effective way. The concept is so simple, which is why Smartphones are such a hit, attracting all age groups alike! It straightaway hits the ‘loneliness’ factor which when left unattended, can lead to various other problems. Fortunately with watsap now, one has the option of hiding the ‘last seen’ status! So while we still stay so closely networked, we could still choose to avoid contempt by learning when to shut off rather than whining about technology. Isn’t there a turn-off option in everything?

The Perennial Strap

Tightly strapped
They are always trapped!
They beg to be freed;
For they have a life to lead...
Strapped if they are,
In shape they'd grow-
Is a myth beyond compare!
Perhaps they'd dangle about;
May be they'd even jigger,
But doesn't that happen even otherwise-
Whether or not strapped?!
Sometimes a pest-like discomfort,
The strap causes ire
Makes one want to burn them in a pyre!
Yet they choose to remain from teen to death-
Perennially detested, umpteen times!!!

Seclusion of a quaint kind

When would ‘I’ see blood, she asked?

Her grandma replied discerningly-

Wait patiently my child,

Why do you want to go through it already?

All of 14, she hadn’t a clue about what it meant;

Yet an experience, she dearly yearned for!

She now recalls that day and date, privately-

Many monthlies did pass by thus,

Oh yes, with all the accompanying physical and mental stress.

But, something she loved about its arrival-

She nursed a fetish that none would even think of-

Hers, was of a quaint kind;

A wonderful state of seclusion

With the sensation of hot blood

Oozing out of every vein

Every drop, leading to a creative gloom that loomed large:

A strange joy in pensive quietude ensues...

Yeah, how could she forget to nurse that sweet little pimple that emerged each time?!

Perhaps

An overtly abused word it is,

Both noun and verb its forms are,

A word of easy convenience-

Leaving the speaker and listener

Risk-free, no strings attached:

A tool of diplomacy it always is!

The only word that’s both a month and a word;

With multiplicity echoing from deep within:

Happens to be my month too,

Well, may be, may be not!

Yet mayhem it will cause not,

For it is this pretty safely wise word,

MAY!!

A Literate Passion- by Anais Nin and Henry Miller- What it did to me

Anais and Henry, I don’t know at length what bonding you had shared. I know you through your impassioned letters. Such muse and creative juices they arouse that I want to have them released through this amateurish attempt of mine. I admit I have not read you both individually. I only, and only know about your expression viaduct these letters. It is ironic that I am reading you both at an age when all communication keeps reaching a virtual high, almost every day. Nonetheless, it is an exhilarating relief from the virtual walls of information sharing. The anticipation, the anxiety, the expectation, or even the urgency that lie beneath, neatly tucked into the labyrinthine layers of your writing-relationship; leaves me spellbound! It only goes to show the sheer power of words: you emoted only through the world of words, awaiting impatiently, the delivery of each other’s letters. I am heartened to learn that you existed in the past, for if it was now, you would have merely been reduced to a ‘green dot’ of availability or even have dwelled in the ‘outbox’ or ‘sent items!’ Oh yes, again, am glad I am reading you now; for it has set me thinking on a sweltering evening in Chennai...