ChirpyQuill

  A reckless mind tries to find the balance, looking for a chance, An aimless day, fights a battle to find the purpose, a chaotic dance, A battle between what’s real and reality, both drift far apart, And I lie here with an unhinged heart.   A will that wouldn’t give up and a feeling that refuses to die, Tied hands, chained feet, clipped wings; want to rise above and fly high, Break it all, break it all, yells the mind. once again, let’s start, And I lie here with an unhinged heart. One moment it’s all noise and another moment, so quiet, One moment a tired soul and another moment ready to fight, Let go, let go, free yourself from what was your past, And I lie here with an unhinged heart.

  The clock keeps reaching for the hour, and loses it in a second; I lie in unrest Hours turn into minutes turn into seconds; I lie in unrest The waves come close to the shore and they fizzle; I lie in unrest That elusive hour, that elusive wave; like a past unfulfilled; I lie in unrest  The walls stand solid; the books stand stacked The naked branches on trees; seem firmly attached; I lie in unrest  The continuum continues offering the hope of time; I lie in unrest  Moments remembered, some take my breath away. They are beautiful Tasks numbered, some engage the mind. They are bountiful; I lie in unrest  The stone takes on a patina; life takes on a skill; the ways of the world find their insidious ways; I lie in unrest  The mountain air wafts past me in my imagination, a longing deeply felt; I lie in unrest Like a swan floating peacefully …; I lie in unrest 

  Table for four   It was a rainy December evening in Napa, as we pulled into a small parking lot of “French Laundry”, the only three Michelin star restaurant in the entire country. Every foodie’s dream is to score a table at this esteemed restaurant run by the famous Thomas Keller. So, we were naturally very excited at the opportunity of dining at this place especially since we were able to score a last minute reservation at this most coveted restaurant, a table for four! Let me go around the table to introduce everyone. We come from the same hometown in south India, Shimoga and all four of us attended a girls high school run by nuns in the same town. But what’s interesting is I barely knew two of them until about ten years ago whereas I have always been besties with the third person in the group. We all now live in different parts of America and the single most thing that has brought us close is the trips we take together every year! Another profound thing that connects us is the lan

Like a taut wire  she was finally herself ready to make music senses strung tight aware available to become music a tuned string singing on touch alert to feel music it had been long forever long since love  had visited yet there he was brimming ready  to play her song and she was the harp in his hands that played music

ਨਾਮ ( Name) ਸਾਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਜਦ ਚੱਲਿਆ ਸਿਲਸਿਲਾ, ਤਦ ਮੈਂ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਕਮੀਜ਼ ਪਾਈ ਦੇਹ ਤਾਂ ਚੰਦਰੀ ਸੜ ਕੇ ਮਿੱਟੀ ਹੋਣਾ, ਦੇਹ ਸੀ ਨੰਗੀ ਆਈ , When cycle of breaths started, I wore the cloak of my name. My body was born naked and will burn to ashes ਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਬਣਿਆ ਵਜੂਦ ਮੇਰਾ, ਨਾਮ ਬਣੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਸਚਾਈ ਹਥਾਂ ਨੇ ਤਾਂ ਕਰਮ ਕੀਤੇ, ਨਾਮ ਨੇ ਖੱਟੀ ਬੁਰਾਈ ਤੇ ਚੰਗਿਆਈ , My name became my existence and my truth My hands did the deeds but it’s the name which earned fame & shame ਪਲ ਪਲ ਜੋੜ ਲਿਖੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਜਿਸ ਨਾਲ, ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਸੀ ਉਹ ਸਿਆਹੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜੇ ਵਰਕੇ ਹੋਰ ਤੇ ਮੈਂ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਬਣਾਈ , Putting moments together, It’s with the ink of my name, I wrote the story of my life More pages got added to my name and I wrote the book of my life ਸਾਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਜਦ ਚਲਣਾ ਬੰਦ ਤੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਦੇਹ ਬਾਲਨ ਲਈ ਬੰਦ ਹੋਈ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੀ ਤੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੇ ਤਰੀਕ ਪਾਈ , When my breathing stopped, my body was put on pyre My book of life closed and they put a date against my name. ਨਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਰੋ ਯਾਦ ਰੱਖਣਾ, ਬੁਗਨੀ ਭਰੀ ਯਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਜਿਸ ਨਾਲ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਸੀ ਉਹ ਸਾਰੀ ਕਮਾਈ II Remember

  ਨਾਮ ( Name) ਸਾਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਜਦ ਚੱਲਿਆ ਸਿਲਸਿਲਾ , ਤਦ ਮੈਂ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਕਮੀਜ਼ ਪਾਈ ਦੇਹ ਤਾਂ ਚੰਦਰੀ ਸੜ ਕੇ ਮਿੱਟੀ ਹੋਣਾ , ਦੇਹ ਸੀ ਨੰਗੀ ਆਈ , When cycle of breaths started, I wore the cloak of my name. My body was born naked and will burn to ashes ਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਬਣਿਆ ਵਜੂਦ ਮੇਰਾ , ਨਾਮ ਬਣੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਸਚਾਈ ਹਥਾਂ ਨੇ ਤਾਂ ਕਰਮ ਕੀਤੇ , ਨਾਮ ਨੇ ਖੱਟੀ ਬੁਰਾਈ ਤੇ ਚੰਗਿਆਈ , My name became my existence and my truth My hands did the deeds but it’s the name which earned fame & shame ਪਲ ਪਲ ਜੋੜ ਲਿਖੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਜਿਸ ਨਾਲ , ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਸੀ ਉਹ ਸਿਆਹੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜੇ ਵਰਕੇ ਹੋਰ ਤੇ ਮੈਂ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਬਣਾਈ , Putting moments together, It’s with the ink of my name, I wrote the story of my life More pages got added to my name and I made the book of my life ਸਾਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਜਦ ਚਲਣਾ ਬੰਦ ਤੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਦੇਹ ਬਾਲਨ ਲਈ ਬੰਦ ਹੋਈ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੀ ਤੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੇ ਤਰੀਕ ਪਾਈ , When my breathing stopped, my body was put on pyre My book of life closed and they put a date against my

 

Sharing something I wrote in the moment this morning in my attempts to “capture” the rising sun on my phone —————- The sunrise is teaching me today; an experience can never be captured All other attempts are just, the machinations of the ego  Emanate like me from the truth of your being The rise and the set are just the machinations of the ego  Birds they fly, grass they grow, from the truth of who they are they flow All other attempts are just, the machinations of the ego In the seed lies then grain, in the stone the flame All other attempts are just, the machinations of the ego  🙏🏽

During one of our India visits, while walking on the street one day with my daughter we noticed a woman laying still on her side on the sidewalk, eyes shut ... Puzzled, Riya asked me 'Is she alive" and I told her "I don't know".  Somehow living in the US is like living in a bubble. And when reality strikes through someone laying still on the walkway, it moves you beyond words can ever express. Dressed in Rags, Wrinkled Face In Hunger, Despair lay Forlorn A morsel of bread, some rice, Some pennies in Disdain & Scorn People pass, people stop Some bend down to give an alm No one has the time to see A mortal no more but a soul gone……….

कल   ज़िंदगी   से   बात   हुई मैंने   कहा   उस   ने   सुना गुफ़्तगू   सारी   रात   हुई   उसने   कहा   मैंने   सुना पूछ   लिया   मैंने   उस   से ये   आठ   रंगों   की   चोली   क्यूँ सात   तो   भाते   हैं   सबको   फिर   काला   रंग   संजोती   क्यूँ ना   ग़ुस्सा   हुई   ना   हैरान   हुई बड़े   शांत   भाव   से   बोली   वो काला   रंग   जो   हटा   लिया तो   सात   भी   भाएँगे   क्या   तुझको  ? दुःख   की   पीड़ा   ना   झेली   जिसने क्या   सुख   का   उस   ने   सम्मान   किया  ? भूके   पेट   ना   सोया   जो   भरी   थाली   क़ीमत   वो   जान   सका  ? मैं   हूँ   ग़र   तो   तू   है ,  फिर   बोला   मैं है   तो   तू   बस   परछाई   मेरी फिर   लगती   इतनी   भारी   क्यूँ फिर   होती   मुझ   पर   हावी   क्यूँ हूँ   निर्भर   तुझ   पर ,  ये   सच   है   आँखों   में   देख   की   बोली   वो जिस   रंग   मैं   तू   रंगता   है   वैसी   ही   हो   जाती   मैं   मेरा   अपना   अस्तित्व   नहीं मैं   तेरी   सोच   की   रचना   हूँ बन   कर   तेज   या   सलवट   बन मस्तक   मैं   तेरा   सजाती   हूँ