Broken Memories

I had some time to think about the past

The smiles,the tears,the unbroken trust;

That time of life when we all were naive

And yet we had the time of our lives.

We had not a care in this whole wide world

Would end up like this,who coulda foretold?

Our lives were simple and our biggest worries-

Were about the heroes in adventure stories.

We should have known it was too good to last

Those days are memories covered with dust

Now even in victory we cannot seem to win

Can’t seem to fight off the demons within.

Perhaps we changed,perhaps we lost our faith

Maybe that’s the reason our love turned to hate

Perhaps all we need to do is find the kid within

Perhaps we need to stop always trying to win.

Maybe if we weren’t too busy hunting glory

We could have had our own Cinderella stories:

Too late for a fairy tale for this world weary traveller

Too late for “and everyone lived happily ever after.”

Letter to the Indian media

Dear Indian media,

I woke up today morning,got the newspaper and a full page advert of the Indian Premier League jumped out at me.The front page converted to a full page advert.This was the case with both the newspapers I read.Same thing happened when I open the TV.Regarding this I have some points for not just the print media but the entire Indian media.

I am not a politically inclined person.I keep track of the  political happenings of the country but I am not much interested in politics.However as living in this country you can’t help knowing some things like India winning the cricket World Cup or an Aamir Khan movie is releasing,Similarly you can’t help knowing about certain things-Like the IPL scam,the Adarsh society scam.Like the 2G scam.Like all the other scams.So I happen to know as any ordinary Indian would that there is something wrong.There is corruption in this country.Now that we have established the fact that corruption does exist,We come to our next point-Anna Hazare.I happened to hear that a man called Anna Hazare has started a fast-unto-death protest against corruption.I came to know from a Facebook note even more about this man and this bill he is proposing.And even to a non-political person like me it seemed to be a very important news story.Much much more important than the Indian Premier League-which is no doubt a showcase event for the country but in all fairness that’s what the sports pages at the end are for.So I want to make certain points.

1)What made you think that the IPL’s advert is more important than not alone the Anna Hazare story but than any other story happening in the country.Can you explain?

2)There has been a tendency to highlight even the most trivial issues related to showbiz and cricket.Like how a certain model promises to bare all if the team wins the cricket world cup.Like how  a starlet experienced a wardrobe malfunction,like how an Indian cricketer may get married,like how a certain actor is experiencing bad luck due to the stars.WHY ARE YOU SELLING NEWS AND NOT REPORTING IT?

3)I notice certain news channels-in fact almost all-try to portray certain political parties in a good light.All the while either taking potshots at the other party if not directly blaming them for so and so incident.Why is that?WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE SPIN DOCTORS?

You may think that since the TRPs keep coming the so the viewers must really like it,but you have no idea.Certain late night news channel anchors have become a mockery on certain social networking sites.Certain regional language news channels are the butt of jokes.That’s what you guys are turning yourselves into.A circus.Of course there are exceptions but they are far and few.If people watch news now that’s  because it amuses them.The same way they love watching TV soaps and Reality shows.Speaking of which some of you actually have programmes to analyze the happenings of the teleserials and bring people the latest inside scoop.You are putting the idiot in the idiot box have no illusions about that.Maybe it’s high time you should stop worrying about earning TRPs and sponsorship money and started worrying about earning respect.

Yours truly,

An annoyed ordinary Indian.

The Night

I stand between the gargoyles , above the tower at night

It’s pouring down and windy-there ain’t  a soul in sight

I think about the good things and the bad things I have done

And all I seem to come up with is how that night I run;

Since then his ghost has haunted me-kept me up at nights

Till he drove me to insomnia,to these dizzying heights.

So now I stand so high above ground-yet my head hangs low

I jump into the dark and silent night, Quietly I let go.

The dark night,

The silent night,

The sympathetic night,

The cruel night,

The just night.

My best friend is the night.

My worst nightmare is the night.

It knows all my secrets.

Wordless

Wordsworth had a writer’s block-it drove him mad

He lost words worth millions-words were all he had.

I never could use words like he could-not even close

Can never express myself beautifully-even in prose

Because the rage in my heart fills me,chokes me up

Much like South Africa at every cricket World Cup.

I’m a coward at heart,a whiner,a wannabe,a rat

I ain’t Richard the lionheart –believe me I know that.

I use anger as a shield,a disguise to cover my fears

Shout at me,you never know-I might well be in tears

I wish I had courage-courage to face my demons.

I wish I had words-A nice vocab and some puns.

I also wish I was a rich playboy-superhero of  the nights

Fighting crime,scaling rooftops-dressed in revolting tights

In the end i wish I could write something to make you cry

But hopelessly wordless as I am-am just gonna say goodbye.

P.S:Pray for Japan people.Pray that God gives them the strength to overcome these adversities and emerge stronger than before.

The Dying Star

I am too tired to banter with you -I am too tired to fight

I am tired of judging you-Judging what’s wrong and right

The night is young,but I am old-a hundred and a score years old

We have been raising the stakes all night-now’s the time I fold.

You can keep my pride and fire

You can keep my fight and desire

I fell so hard and fell so far-I can’t get back up again

My best friend is the dying star-I can’t stand it’s pain.

I wish I could ride into the sunset-into the wild wild west

But this war ain’t over by any means-ain’t no time for rest.

Superman

Superman Superman

High in the sky above the skyscrapers.

Looking like a costume-clad Don Draper.

Saving the earth daily and Lois Lane too

Superman-all of us down here love you.

Superman Superman

Batman’s awesome but he can’t inspire

The way you do-we can only admire

The way you fight for us-billions of strangers

Putting yourself through a thousand dangers

Superman Superman

You don’t need to be brooding or dark

You don’t need to growl or bark

You do your stuff with a smile on your face

Up,up and away-in your red and blue dress

Superman Superman

He has a crush on the beautiful Ms Lane

His best pal is the young Jimmy Olsen

Lex Luthor may try in a thousand ways

But Superman thwarts his plans always

Superman Superman

Ages go by and people grow old

Philosophies change,hearts grow cold

But look up at the sky whenever you can

That’s not a bird or a plane-that’s Superman.

Disclaimer-This is just a tribute to one of my favourite superheroes and my first childhood hero-Superman.I don't own any of the mentioned characters.This is just a fanboy expressing his love.

A Kolkata Tale II

This is the second part of A Kolkata Tale.You can read the first part of A Kolkata Tale here- A Kolkata Tale

Amit’s diary-

08 February 4 am

It’s  4 am in the morning and  I’m up writing.I am usually a late sleeper but I found it very difficult-scratch that-impossible to sleep last night.Usually when I am up all night it’s usually watching a game of soccer or doing work stuff.But last night-well last night I just couldn’t sleep.Would you believe that?So many years gone by man and I still can’t help remembering her on this day.Maybe I wouldn’t have if I didn’t run into her last year with that Hrithik Roshan look-alike toy wonder arm-candy of hers.But still,Hrithik or no Hrithik I shouldn’t be thinking of her.Not today.Not after so many years.Heh.Maybe if I had the brains I could have opened some hotshot website in the aftermath of her pain and become a billionaire by now and had a movie made on me.Maybe I should call her.Like right now.Tell her I miss her.No no get a grip on yourself you moron.Don’t even think about that.Are you nuts?She is happy in her life now why do you wanna spoil that?Isn’t it enough you hurt her badly once?I am gonna go get some sleeping pills now.Try and sleep it off.Maybe if I am lucky tonight’s the night I will OD and it will all end.

08  February 12 noon

Ok that was weird.I finally fell asleep and dreamt that I had become a footballer.A striker at that.I was approaching the empty net with the ball at my foot but when I kicked it,it went out over the post.And I suddenly heard her voice calling from the gallery-“You are a failure.You have let me down.” Soon she was joined by my friends in the gallery,my teachers and many people I knew.They were all chanting “Failure!” at me.I tried to run but no matter how hard I ran I was rooted to the spot.And they were getting closer.Kinda like zombies.Just then I woke up sweating all over.Wow that was just like a sequence out of Federico Fellini movie.Surreal.Damn I really gotta get her out of mind.Maybe I should call her.Clear things up.No no NO!!!Things like those happen only in movies.That too crappy bollywood movies.Damn I so hate that Hrithik Roshan wannabe!He could open a business.Hrithik Roshan-stealing girlfriends since 2000.DAMN I CAN’T BELIEVE I SOUND SO CHEAP!Well fuck it.Am off to see if there’s something to eat in the fridge.

08 February 4 pm

Well that was time well-spent.What a fuck-all movie!Why do they even bother making movies like this?And no sir it didn’t help me take my mind of her like Aniket suggested.Aniket is a good friend isn’t he?I mean he’s an absolute idiot but he’s got his heart in the right place and that’s what counts I guess.He won’t dump me surely.Or won’t he?Nowadays I can’t be sure.Okay that was kinda gay.Not that I have anything against gay people.Damn I am really going into a melodramatic overdrive.I really should call her.Maybe in the meantime I can auction off my self-respect and dignity as well.But what’s self-respect and dignity in case of love?Nothing,nothing I tell you,nothing!Ok seriously I don’t think I love her.I guess Woody Allen was right.This really is painful because she’s unattainable.Yes I truly want to be a member of the club which doesn’t want to have ,me.I am neurotic now.I know.Off.

08 February 10 pm

Ok seriously I shouldn’t even be writing at this point.I have been drinking for an hour and things seem very shaky all around.Like I’m on a ship.Aniket fell asleep talking about the numerous flings he had recently.Sometimes I envy him.I wish I could be like that.I once met a couple of Ani’s  lady “friends”.To use Sheldon Cooper’s expression-dumber than a bag of rocks.Maybe I shouldn't judge.After all,what am I?I guess I am not calling her tonight.I might.I don’t think I will be in complete control of my faculties for long the rate at which I am drinking.Anything that happens after that I am not responsible for.Well that’s it I guess.Signing off now.

“You've got a way to keep me on your side
You give me cause for love that I can't hide
For you I know I'd even try to turn the tide
Because you're mine, I walk the line”

-Johnny Cash,”I walk the line”

The Greatest Performer

Come gather round him everyone

Saints and sinners,

Losers and winners,

Sisters and brothers,

Forget all others.

Come gather round him folks

Highwaymen and sailors,

Prisoners and jailors,

Noblmen and commoners,

Forget all others.

Come gather round him people

Spies undercover,

Newlywed lovers,

Scholars really clever,

Forget all others.

For you’re gonna see tricks that will make your heart stop

You’re gonna see wonders that will make your jaw drop.

His tricks will leave you gaping,his act will blow your mind

An evergreen showman like him-You know you’ll never  find

Introducing

Harun Al Rashid-Boghdad-er khalifa,juggler-er badshah

(the Caliph of Baghdad,the Badshah of jugglers)

P.S-This post is a tribute to the character Harun Al Rashid from the timeless Phatik Chand-a novel by Satyajit Ray,one of the greatest cultural personalities of the world ever.

Fernandez

Fernandez was a guitarist

Fernandez was a jolly lad.

Fernandez lived an easy life

Satisfied with what he had.

Fernandez liked simple things

Fernandez didn’t like to fight.

Fernandez liked staying home

Than going out late at night.

Fernandez was dutiful

Fernandez never shied away

Fernandez always gave his all

“A  darn good fella”  as they say

Well  everything was going fun till one day...

One day...

Fernandez fell in love.

Now Fernandez does all the things he’d usually never do.

It’s almost like a different Fernandez-not the one we knew.

His friends got annoyed with him and his guitar got ignored.

It seems a long long time ago that he played the last chord.

I told you this tale to show how Fernandez got destroyed

You can see love destroyed him-you don’t have to be Freud.

So all you merry fine young men-all you jolly jolly lads.

Try and stay away from love-be sensible,don’t be mad.

Wishes

I wish I was a cowboy

In some forgotten western flick

Riding down a valley

Wowing gals with tricks

Playing an organ in the night

When the stars are out

And the town is quiet

Pouring out my troubles

To my friend-John,the barkeep.

I wish I was a farmer

Living in the countryside

A peaceful life

A beautiful wife

And Rex,the labrador

By my side.

Work in the fields hard all day

A delicious meal later

Hitting the hay.

I wish I was a country singer

In a long black overcoat

Travelling from town to town

Singing songs I wrote

Not a care in the world

Pleasing people young and old

I wish I wasn’t me

Struggling to come to terms

With my reality

Insecurities killing me

Sorrow anew filling me

Unkind words leaving me

A little dead each day.