If Love is a Mirage

 Amidst traffic lights, a glare of blinding light,

I was hurled right at your heavenly abode.

A moment we were so close; a moment of delight,

Yet you chose, to throw me back on the road.

 

You blurred the moment in my mind,

Dispelling it with a blinding light.

It was an experience, one of its kind,

I felt nothing, till my blood dripped, red and bright.

 

One fine day, when I swam too deep,

Almost engulfed by a tall, translucent tide.

Monstrous torrents, into the air, did leap,

Threatening me with their pride.

 

The salty water gushed into my face,

I almost gave up, tired to fight anymore.

Thrusting myself into its embrace,

Yet dumped I was, right back at the shore.

 

You must have watched over me,

When I found myself, amidst impeccable white walls.

So many drugs to cure me, you see,

My fingers trembled; every memory now appalls.

 

And when that horrid one time; I almost choked,

Gasping, I clutched at thin air,

I do not know what might have invoked,

You gallantly saved me, at each time of despair.

 

They say she feels too much, she talks too much,

She laughs too loud, they say.

What is my fault that you made me such?

What comes to my heart, I just say.

 

I now seek solace in the cold-hearted winter,

It probes my heart with its icy finger,

It carves it slowly, like an edge of a splinter;

Cutting away any emotions that might still linger.

 

Maybe my heart is too vestigial,

It perceives too much; it flutters in vain.

Maybe this time, hold me for real,

If love is a mirage, then save me once again.

 

                                                                                                                Niharika Prasad

Faith

They call me an atheist,

as I do not raise, nor fold, my palms in a prayer

Well, if palms were engraved with a certain destiny

Why would the limbless pray, in times of despair?

They call me an atheist,

as I do not mark out the days, to dress us both in grandiose

It is just that I do not want to impose

A choice of decorations, that I myself did suppose.

On those days that I did decide to celebrate,

I would not dare fool you, with a pious attire,

I would not ring any bells,

As surely he can't be deaf; the creator of the earth, air, water, and fire.

I feel no need to confess my sins,

Could there be any that you would not know?

I would not sing out my heart's desire

I would not ask you to show me which way to go.

Does one ask for the sun to rise, 

Or does one ask for the stars to shine bright?

Certain things are just meant to be

At their own time; just as the day and night.

If you throw me into an abyss

I would close my eyes and comply,

assuming, that you are right behind me,

I would think that you are teaching me how to fly.

Behind every creation of yours, there is magic

and behind every magic, there are you

And as true faith is believing

I feel no need, to pray to you.

                                                                                                                           Niharika Prasad

   

The Sea

You seem furious today, lashing cold waves at me,

which emerge as tentacles, so menacing,

Like a giant octopus, hidden beneath the sea, 

But then ours is a love, and not just a fling.

I know you are not ruthless, 

It is just your temper, you are so unpredictable,

But that does not make me love you any less,

I would be bored if you were more stable.

I remember the hot and humid days,

when you would gently caress my toes,

with cool tides, braving the blaze,

playfully teasing me; I suppose.

I remember when you were too frisky,

your pounding waves, crashing against the hill.

While others found your depths too risky,

I knew my love, you would never be still.

You would nudge my sole with a broken shell, 

You would splash my hair, across my face,

Blinding me, so I could not see well,

all I could feel, was your embrace.

My heart would almost skip a beat,

When you would topple me with a giant wave,

But I know, you are too sweet,

You would send another wave to my rescue, to save.

I remember your salty taste, as I swam,

As you push me away, I swim closer, 

But you know how stubborn I am,

You know you have to surrender.

For you and me, we are the same,

Mysterious, wild and free.

These wild tides, I would not blame,

These tantrums make you more beautiful, you see.

Niharika Prasad

Just what I am

 

Among the crowded buildings, I search for a patch of green,

Separating dusky horizons; I watch the sunset, that lies in between.

Among the noisy traffic, I watch children selling roses,

I watch as a wrapper flies, a window hastily opens and closes.

Among the many windows, I watch impatient eyes,

In the usual evening traffic, I wait for a surprise.

Among several masked faces, I search for a naked face,

My eyes hunt for someone, who is not a rat in the race.

Among the fleet of cars, I watch fists banging against a horn,

As the lights stubbornly stay red, I watch my driver mourn.

Among the other cars, I search for tapping fingers,

I strain my ears; for a song that lingers.

Among the busy sidewalks, I glance at impeccable suits,

At women exchanging fake smiles, as they hurry in leather boots.

Among the many eyes, frozen between layers of kohl,

I search for the ones, whom a cell phone does not control.

Among the glitter and glamour, I merely search for simplicity,

I seek for the things, that truly provide felicity.

Among this speeding world, akin to this traffic jam

I just enjoy my music; what should I be, but just what I am?

Niharika Prasad

Checkmate

She stood still, towering above the army of pawns,

Smiling despite the chaos ahead.

A master plan slowly dawns,

As the army kneeled and pushed, head to head. 

The plan was not to plot a queen's gambit,

For that would seem so unladylike.

The game of black and white, the game of wit,

Warriors not meant to slay; but to strike.

She was too valuable to be used for a fork tactic,

She was too graceful to jump like a knight.

The end was in no way to be anticlimactic, 

For she was to step out, only when the time was right.

And when she did, she glided across the board

Unrestricted, fearless.

As wrath and vengeance poured,

She devoured among screams of distress.

She was too familiar with the shades of gray,

And once she knew what was to be achieved,

They could do nothing, but to sit and pray,

For the most powerful piece, can never be deceived.

Niharika Prasad

Between our eyes

Words unspoken, hung in between,

somewhere between our eyes,

Your piercing gaze, did you not mean,

or was it my surmise?

Was it just my surmise,

or was it a stare, few moments too long,

moments still short to decipher those eyes,

but long enough to inspire my song.

My song revolves around your complexity,

and the multiple layers you hide beneath,

would you banish me to an eternity

or would you reveal what you hide underneath?

What you hide underneath that impenetrable shell,

and yet, you crave for simplicity,

Or do you fear that it will break the spell

of our newfound felicity?

Niharika Prasad