Nature's Splendour

Oh! How much I yearn, to breathe
The pristine air, of a meadow blooming
Adorned, a plenty, by droplets of dew
Which rest atop, flowers perfuming

In peace, to hear the mellow calls
Of song birds, I furtively long
And to heed the whispering wind
As unfettered, it drifts along

I crave to feel, the satin stream
As it mirthfully, caresses my being
And then to trail, on its course
When it attempts, in haste, fleeing

This and more, my soul seeks
Alas! I but, possess a trice
Such infinite gifts you have to offer
Nature, a lifetime won’t suffice

-Kartik Shastry

Panspermia

So many beautiful wonders we see

As through space, we silently float

From distance vast, akin debris

To a desolate world, still remote

Isles of lights, dazzling galore

Amidst an eternal ocean of void

Stars, planets, moons and more

Though for life, utterly devoid

As that is the duty, we now so bear

Our sole charge, our future to sow

And when young, for it to care

Then our wisdom on it, to bestow

For indeed soon, will come the day

When our abode shall finally wane

And, though we are so far away

Through us, our kind shall remain

Thus, now striving, our utmost to cope

We silently journey, into the deep

Of someday reaching our goal, we hope

So life elsewhere, we may yet reap

-Kartik Shastry

Time and Perception

It is said, that the mightiest is time

For none else are able, to alter all

And as the many clocks restlessly tick

Fortunes change and aspirations fall

Sans mercy, the juggernaut lumbers

Under its bulk, trampling many a life

All servants of punctuality and haste

Their hopes of bliss, begetting strife

Yet, time is by no means, invincible

As its might derives from perception

For man, its inventor, regrettably is

A pitiful slave of his own conception

So if his own ruler, he yearns to be

His view of time, man must forsake

For upon becoming, free of its grip

To an unlived life, he shall awake

-Kartik Shastry

Home

How perplexing are the contradictions

Of ever-changing, personal convictions

All needs fulfilled, one yearns for more

And then, reminisces, his bliss of yore

My beliefs also, were similarly, swayed

And seeking happiness, afar I strayed

Now here, across seas, I aimlessly roam

With thoughts ever, of my distant home

But I know, that it is too late to lament

And meant I am, to endure this torment

For although apparent, I could not see

From what I sought, I was eager to flee

So, the moment, I shall patiently await

When my leaving, is permitted by fate

And until such time, I will play my part

While I preserve my home, in my heart

- Kartik Shastry

Presumption of Guilt

So many years, behind firm bars

My self, ruthlessly laid to waste

And still, deliverance seems afar

Though death draws near in haste

For I’m, after all, an innocent man

Unjustly accused, of a dire crime

Despised so, for another’s wrong

Sentenced to die before my time

I cannot help, but question God

Why I suffer, this undue torment

Whilst many, viler men than I

Exhort me, for my sin, to repent

And then there are a few who hope

That my fate may be undone yet

With faith, in truth’s eventual triumph

On the unfair system, they’ve bet

But what they fail to note, is this

My guilt, indeed, was presumed

And the moment, I was confined

That very instant, I was doomed

So, I shall let them take my life

And embrace death, without a sigh

Knowing well, I am neither the first

Nor the last one, like this, to die

But let me ask the keepers of law

A pertinent question while I still can

Do you not become, murderers all

If because of you dies an innocent man?

-Kartik Shastry

Why the Willows Weep

“Why do the Willows all weep?”

Many a folk, have asked around

So I shall tell you, aft its sorrow

There is a story, truly profound

There was once, a young Willow

Who all day, persistently wailed

For the woods it longed to leave

But its roots, were firmly nailed

All the different Willows nearby

Were quite weary of the sound

Yet the Willow, pledged to wail

Until to the earth, it was bound

One day, there came a torrent

Its flow setting the Willow, free

Nothing left to restrain its roots

It fled the forest in utmost glee

The rest but, not nearly as lucky

Remained stuck, doomed to rot

Thus they weep, for they mourn

This misery, that fell to their lot

-Kartik Shastry

The Last Flight

Slowly approaching, the broken window

With leaping flames, in relentless pursuit

I am now faced, with a desperate choice

For, my form of death, I’m forced to moot

Engulfed on all sides, by smoke, billowing

Tears of despair, spring forth from my eyes

As I steel my heart and resolve to scorn fire

Judging the plunge, to be a better demise

To defer the inevitable, for as long as I can

Trembling all over, I clamber onto the ledge

And as the inferno, starts to scorch my skin

I suppress my dread and jump off the edge

As I plummet, I've left, some dear thoughts

Being seconds away, from the end of my fall

So I choose to think, of my family and friends

Wordlessly bidding, a final farewell to them all

And just an instant, before hitting the ground

For the last time I mourn, my loved ones, losing

Nevertheless, I take true pride in the fact that

I, on this day die, a death of my own choosing

-Kartik Shastry

The Conqueror

Trouncing odds of the greatest scale

For decades on end, journeyed had I

Conquering realms, wherever I went

Becoming a man, none dared defy

And yet this day, before me, it stands

Seeming to goad, with an unblinking eye

Undaunted, I return, the stare of my foe

The zenith of a mountain, proud and high

With assured resolve, my mount, I urge

Knowing full well, of safer ways, in sight

Solely with an intent, to inflict vengeance

On the insolent peak, for trying my might

As we advance, it unleashes cruel wrath

Veiled tentacles of frost, venture to Bite

And still I press on, unwilling to succumb

Though my beast suffers severest plight

Eventually, its trembling legs giving way

Down a deep chasm, I begin to tumble

And as the bottom of the abyss, appears

I realize, I die a man, far more humble

-Kartik Shastry

Sleep Cycle

Having tried and tried

To set my sleep cycle right

I, finally giving up hope

Resolved to somehow cope

So now I stay awake all night

Dream while outside it’s light

And when friends see me, they often thunder

“Your style of living is a serious blunder!”

But what once seemed a problem, to me has become a boon

For no longer do I love the sun nearly as much as the moon

-Kartik Shastry

Castle in the Air

For many a long years, sans, any pain or despair

I tried and tried again, to build a castle, in the air

For bricks, I sought to use, dreams of mine, which soared

And them, to firmly cement, unswerving hope, I poured

But each time, the castle, would crumble to the floor

And it seemed to require, a tinge of something more

Early, one beautiful morn, upon building a castle, tall

To my surprise, I discovered, that this one, did not fall

As high above, it hovered, I couldn’t help but wonder

Why did this castle, endure, when others fell asunder?

Suddenly, upon me it dawned, why I had finally, prevailed

For, to add ample labour in the blend, I had, hitherto failed

-Kartik Shastry

The Three Wishes

Gone astray in the desert,

Perishing of hunger and thirst

On a quest for deliverance,

In a place so desolately cursed

I happened to come across,

Half buried in the sand

A lamp of gleaming gold,

Which I stroked with my hand

And from within, arose a Djinn,

Heralded by a few swishes

Terrifyingly, to me, bellowing,

‘Master you have three wishes!’

Pretending to seem unperturbed,

I sternly said aloud

‘Djinn, at once, cure my famish’,

To which he merely bowed

Lo! I found, before me,

A feast and a beautiful Oasis around

I drank and ate to my heart’s content,

As the Djinn stood sans a sound

Then for my second I wished,

To be conveyed to the nearest city

Though I noticed the Djinn’s eyes,

Replete with puzzlement and pity

The very next instant transformed,

My dismal surroundings utterly, I found

As I Stood in the heart of a metropolis,

Which, did not fail, to greatly astound

As I stirred, to make a wish,

This one, my third and last

I was interrupted by the Djinn,

For a question, he politely asked

“Why, when dear Master,

Anything, you could have sought

Did you wish for a mere banquet and,

For yourself, to a city, to be brought?”

Reflecting over his query,

I said “Djinn! Quit trying to Balk!

Now, grant me three more wishes,

Then, maybe, we’ll talk”

-Kartik Shastry

The Traveller

On my way, one dreary morn

To a place, of little import

I came across, a traveller, lorn

My company, who, ventured to court

Exuding a demeanour, gently polite

And seeming, to be headed my way

I promptly expressed, with keen delight

“I’ll tread along, until I may!”

Soon my choice, proved itself wise

For my spirits were stirred, galore

Exulting in laughter, lamenting in sighs

As we talked, of life and lore

When the Sun, prepared to set

There arose, a fork in the road

Where the traveller, halted and said

“Farewell friend, yonder’s my abode”

As we parted, within, I sensed pain

And a wish, for a chance meeting, grew

But, never would I see the traveller again

In my heart, I already knew

- Kartik Shastry

Rise!

Years before, we struggled for her

And, in her cause, lost many a life

Yet now, we let, her present, rot

A blatant cuss, to our noble strife

Her beauty lost, her grace defiled

Seeds of decadence her leaders sow

And alas! We stand like forms of straw

Feebly watching, her misery grow

Unhindered, they stand tall

Branding her, an epitome of shame

Ghastly pests, despised by all

Harvesting for her, tarnished fame

Yet people, with apathy you suffer their wrong!

Blind, that this is your greatest failing

For unless you rise and wreak their fall

Your nation, shall forever, remain ailing

-Kartik Shastry