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

A Year Gone By...

There goes another year

Slyly smiling, as it passes me by

All I can do is watch and wonder

Do I laugh or do I cry?

I feebly try telling myself

“Many shall come and many shall go”

But then a voice inside my head whispers

“Well, you never know”

And as Joyous people around me scream

“Ring out the old! Ring in the new!”

I mournfully ask myself

Do I have to let go? For I may have so few

-Kartik Shastry

Hope

Several years have withered away

Yet, I recall that fateful day

When I wept, like never before

‘Cause mother, you were no more

your loss forced me a burden to bear

Of immense pain and deep despair

And for this I knew not, whom to blame

So I blamed god, with regret and shame

One night I dreamt, of your smiling face

As you said to me, you're in a better place

From where you have watched over us, long

Throughout, your faith in us, has grown strong

Thence I ceased my future to dread,

The tiresome ordeal, that lay ahead

For mother, you gave me the will to survive

Eternal hope, which keeps me alive

-Kartik Shastry

The Hunter's Bane

One quiet night, as a Hunter slept,

A dream of a wood, in his mind crept.

Wherein dwelled the king of the wild,

No, not a lion, but a wolf reviled.

Shivering in sleep as he writhed in its lair,

Himself shred, he watched in despair.

When he awoke the following morn,

Sweating all over, woebegone.

His damaged courage in order to mend,

He resolved to put the wolf to end.

His family he bid farewell, with sorrow,

And marched a forth with bow and arrow.

He walked along in sunshine and rain,

Seeking the wolf for scores in vain.

So far from home, journeyed had he,

He knew his family, he’ll never see.

And though the wolf was nowhere found,

By his resolve, the Hunter was bound.

And finally the Hunter could walk no more,

For he lay dying on the ocean’s shore.

As he acknowledged his final breath,

Welcoming the cold embrace of death.

He said to himself, with great disdain,

‘The wolf indeed, proved my bane’.

-Kartik Shastry

Dig! Dig! Dig!

“Dig! Dig! Dig!” the master says,

“Dig! Dig! Dig!” while the world revels;

“Dig! Dig! Dig!” this grave right here,

“Dig! Dig! Dig!” ‘til the end’s near;

And all I do is follow orders,

All I do is dig, in fear;

For Digging all day long’s, my bane,

Digging, until I writhe in pain;

When the day dies and the night arrives,

A few hours, there is respite;

And then the morrow, again the sorrow,

“Dig! Dig! Dig!” my miserable heart cries;

Then I pause but a moment, wonder,

Do I pay for a forgotten blunder?

Yes or no, for certain,

I cannot tell;

But this much I know,

This grave I dig, there someday I shall eventually dwell;

-Kartik Shastry

Fly Away

Often, I dream a dream,

That somewhere in another world we’re together.

I awake, but the dream lingers,

Forcing me to hope against hope and wonder.

Aware that the human will,

Can make the most unbelievable dreams come true.

I tell myself,

We can be together forever, if we truly want to.

Humanity is a cynical race,

And, being far apart, I know that it’s harder done than to say.

But, in the end,

To defy the world, all we have to do is hold hands and fly away.

-Kartik Shastry