The Prompter

I visit a moment,
a familiar blur
or a frequent dream
that is yet to occur

A dark stage is set,
an unlit concert
and i play out the part
of the prompter, unheard

from the curtains i peep
and watch a strange man weep
besides beasts with masks
who roll their heads and ask
to sing them a fable, and run down his past

but the strange man appears to have forgotten his lines
and the wild beasts continue to feast on their crimes
and his cup overflows as they start to dine
and ambition falls a drop at a time

Should i help this man, from the curtains i stare
undecided i watch in despair,
and, waiting, impatient, comes the end of his strife,
by death of will, and a beast with a knife
as he crumbles down and falls to his knee
the dying man turns to the curtains and me
in horror i watch the blood flow like wine
the strange man's face starts to look like mine
and that's me on my knee and my blood flows like wine
as the strange man peeps from the curtains behind

and black fog rises, and soothes the eyes,
and his teardrops fall,
apologise
for the parts he turned down
for the stage he ignored
when he needed to act
he played the prompter, unheard

-Amit

A song i wish i wrote

'Everywhere i go' by Willie Nelson
If you listen to it, i bet the first word that comes to your lips is 'haunting!'

Everywhere I Go
- by Willie Nelson

I’ll take you with me everywhere i go
I’ll put you in my pocket who will know ?
Right next to my heart at every show
I’ll take you with me everywhere i go

No matter where our trails will finally wind
Our paths will just keep crossing yours and mine
Until then and in my pocket you must go
I’ll take you with me everywhere i go

No matter where our trails will finally wind
Our paths will just keep crossing yours and mine
Until then and in my pocket you must go
I’ll take you with me everywhere i go
Until then and in my pocket you must go
I’ll take you with me everywhere i go

King of Rock

Entrusted with the important task
but how do i, i ask
it is simple, i am advised
just hold her close,
hum a bit, rock side to side,
in a sweep

that's all, i inquire?
yep, that's all
i am told
and though i grow cold
and pale
at the thought of it
i psyche myself
be brave, nightingale,
king of snooze,
prince of drowsyland,
chief sandman,
master caretaker of forty winks
harbinger of naps,
etc etc
with such thoughts i proceed
to put the baby in my lap
and start the deed
to rock her into a daze

i set up the scene
on the bed,
and prop us up against a pillow
then,
hold her close - check
hum a bit - check
sway her with a sweep - check

she yawns
good going daddy!
i pat myself on the back
and step up the pace
hum
sway
sweep
hum
sway
sweep
(this is easy i say
ha! who needs sheep)

hum
sway
sweep
hum
sway
sweep

and in a minute or two
bliss
i am fast asleep

An Ode to Haiku

Overheard,
"Jalapeno and pineapple, please"
i spin

like men
i take it on the chin
and fall

to charms
and peculiar taste
within

i stare
surprised to find another
like me

and what
should have a haiku been
is now poetry

Welcome Home

You enter the room
the smoke, it chokes
you cannot breathe
you try to find
what you already freed
for reasons unknown
and the tv sings
"welcome home"

you need a seat
real bad
but the circus is out
and swords are rats
and the audience grows loud
in their cage all alone
and the tv sings
"welcome home"

the joker, he smiles
and takes what's his
the queen of spades swoons
and begins to quiz
the king of the ring
but he's out cold
and the tv still sings
"welcome home"

the pencil points
you want to follow
a broken window
and words so hollow
you miss the music that speaks
to your black tears on cheeks,
for the tv's now stole, who will
welcome you home?

My Favorite Demon

I sit
quietly inside my head
observing demons that i've bred
un-reacting, i choose to stare,
but you go by, like everyday,
and then i blink instead

i follow
everything you do
and every word you've ever said
cos i am just a child,
and you're my favorite bedtime tale
and even when you're not around
i dream you up instead

addicted to my private hell,
the place where all my nightmares dwell
my favorite demon chats me up
and tricks me with a brand new spell
as i watch on with unseeing eyes
fixated, i remain spell-bound
while you're exchanging quick high-fives
and buying my demons another round

and when you're done
and i've returned to oblivion,
and hunting crumbs to happy spaces
my rambling, incoherent mind replaces
all the pain with emptiness,
as bleeding wounds leave clueless traces
my weary spirit yearns to rest

i close my eyes to make my peace

and i find myself,
sitting,
quietly inside my head

observing demons that i've bred
un-reacting, i choose to stare,
but you go by, like everyday,
and then i blink instead

The Deal-Maker

One sun in the sky
and a million others shining up
from the railway tracks
that lead unto me, everyday
like the million lines on my face
each line for the million times i have prayed
exhaling a million plumes of smoke
that fill the million braids of my hair

You ask me a question,
I close my eyes,
I crease my brow, and nod my ashen-face
as though I've always known you'd come
but all I do
is take a long drag
and stare at you
as your faith stares back
and snares me between the million lies, tracks
that lead away from what is true

I quietly put my conscience away
"Son, you have sinned!", I say,
And you grow pale
"Maharaj, is there a way?"
you ask,
as you tremble with the memories of that frightful day
Another drag; you wait,
as i close my eyes and negotiate
"Sure, but there'll be a price to pay"

And you are happy
to trade your guilt for a hundred rupees
and thank God for deal-makers under trees

As i hoard my own guilt,
and pray to find a deal-maker for me

- Inspired by the powerful 'Immersion', by a friend, Ayan