Poem: Mother's Wrath

Oh! Egotistic, brutal creature
Will you ever return my green saplings

who faced your tyranny and torture

and those, which were killed?

Or should I call it a sacrifice 

on which your tears are forging 

behind the concrete pillars and edifice 

and in our souvenir, the graves you build.

You squandered all my waters,
 choked the pure with chemicals and cadavers 

and now you rely on these self-made gutters.

How can you be proud of your guild?

Smoked toxicants through gigantic canals,

Pierced my lungs and left me unfit for breathing

I say, cure the reeks from those pipes and funnels

And count for me, the countless holes you drilled.

Or should I call it a war 

and awaken another cataclysmic uproar,

which the raging earth and furious seas shall avenge

for the man-made void, too costly to be filled.   

Oh! Egotistic, brutal creature
Will you ever return my green saplings?

Written Under 'The Nine Flavors'
Flavor: Anger/fury (Raudra Rasa)

Your entries are welcomed:

-Ashish

The trees of Bangalore

Hello Reader,

One primary reason why people migrate to Bangalore from all over the country is certainly the amazing cool weather. Compared to all other major Indian cities, Bangalore is considered the most Eco friendly. It is proudly called the garden city, air-cooled city etc. Unfortunately, the city is losing its luster. 

Never has the greenery of the city allowed the sun to heat up its citizens like this year. Clearly, this is the effect of killing the trees in the recent past. A large number of trees were sacrificed for development of the city and inception of Namma Metro. 

The summers were never so hot. People never had the necessity of installing a cooler or an Air conditioner in their houses as the cool breeze never gave up. Even if the days were a little hot, the city had a tie up with the rains for an evening shower. Certainly, the clouds have refused to help the citizens anymore as they see the cruelty being pressed on the environment and their greed of making new friends such as Metros and Wide roads. And now, the citizens are missing their old friend.

About three years ago, the picture of Bangalore city, seen from a Satellite view, was the answer why it is called a ‘Garden city’. Now, the green patches have diminished. They are grey now.

Also, you see, in most of the parts, the water tankers supplying water. 

Okay, we want this city to be like Dubai doesn't mean we too must have water scarcity problems!

More than 50,000 trees have been cut in past one year. How many have been planted to compensate that is still a question. Large numbers of old trees were cut down near Lal Bagh which has been giving city’s romantic couples room for spending their unforgettable times for more than 150 years. Known as city’s heritage, may the souls of these trees rest in peace. And, hope that the development authorities don’t construct concrete gravestones in their memory. 

Now, the good news is that the city is giving us time to expiate our mistakes for old friendship’s sake. 

Let us not kick this chance away. What each and every one of us can do is very easy and we all know it. Sow two plants for every one tree being cut. Make the people aware who are still sunbathing outside. Spread this news (tell it to gossip girls for quicker results).  Repeat.

And soon, Bangalore will have its greenery back and it will sing to you, “Hum pe yeh kisne hara rang dala?” and you will answer proudly, “I did it.” 

A small request from our friendly birds:

“Dear Humans,

This summer, help us by keeping a small bowl of water outside your houses, on window panes, terrace, balconies so that we don’t faint to this overheating temperature. Also, chirping and tweeting all day makes us damn thirsty. 

We hope you love us.”

-Ashish

Poem: A walk through the future

Hello Reader

This evening I was in my hostel and near a washroom I heard the sound of water flowing out of a tap. Someone might have left it open. So, I just went and closed it. Then I realized that there would be so many taps in different corners of this world which would be leaking, left open or even tap-less wasting a huge amount of usable water.
And one day this will lead to a huge water crisis.
Then we also have, to make the scene more uglier and intense, air pollution, deforestation, CFC gases killing ozone, etc

So here is a small poem on the same.
My recent researches on Time Travelling have helped tell you the tale from a sci-fi angle. :)
here it goes...

When it began,
it certainly was a dream,
but now he knew, it wasn't.
He was witnessing the tomorrow, today.
Travelled to the future,
where everyday was a doomsday.
No rain since ages and impotent soil,
all he could see was chaos and turmoil.
The world war three was about to trigger,
and nations debated over the last drop of water.
To peep into his future, he was so keen.
'Is this what I wished to see?', he thought.
What a waste of a Time Machine.

When it began,
it certainly was a dream,
but now he knew, it wasn't.
He saw a fish in the pond,
too much stoned to respond.
He explored, but negative.
There was no butterfly.
Everything was blue, except the sky.
Nothing was green, expect the Battleships and Military.
On the positive note, smokers stopped taking tobacco puff,
the corrupted air was poisoned enough.
The count of holes on the ozone were now umpteen.
'Is this what I wished to see?', he thought.
What a waste of a Time Machine.

When it ended,
he knew, it was a nightmare.
But now he is wide awake and well aware.
It is time to save water, petroleum,
and the endangered ones.
Unless they are to be kept at a museum,
for the generations to learn about their heir.
World should unite for it's longevity,
as fighting over nuclear issues, isn't fair.
The Mayan's prophecy can still be jinxed.
The holes on the ozone can still be fixed.
The forests on the earth can still be green.
"Not my past, but I can write my future!', he thought.
For showing me my future, Thankyou, Time Machine.

Ashish