The Bar

Escorted to a trendy bar
driven down in an obtuse car
greeted by an old grouch,
I see Lazy lying draped over an ample couch
picking on his teeth and a tobacco pouch
looking like he'd just shot up some coke
now making castles with rings of smoke
Lust lowers his shades to check the pretty thing out
and rubs his chest and begins to pout
Pesky little Morals raise a meek little shout
but finally give in to the cheering crowd
while some disapprove and begin to frown
they proceed to do stuff that is not allowed
Vanity has grown a neat little beard
and wants to dance and be raucously cheered
but all the women have disappeared
for of course he looks extremely weird
Cool belts out the best riff played
on a red fender strat while getting laid
smoking an expensive cuban cigar
and sipping vodka with Gatorade
Lonely hangs out with his dozen friends
and throws them parties and lavishly spends
and calls them strange names like 'spaghetti' and 'bread'
pity! they only exist in his head
Greed slyly eyes the food on my plate
what i will eat and what i ate
Courage stands straight but threatens to sit
Nervous is sweating bit by bit
Broke tries his best to duck the bill
Passion awaits the power of the pill
Cheap hangs around for his fifth free drink
Strange walks in with his hair dyed pink
Stupid gets slapped while trying to blink
Crazy pulls out his tongue with a wink
Lost holds my hand as I try to think
why i have been asked to stand by the sink
and why they haven't even offered me a drink
and why the barman's badge reads S-H-R-I-N-K

-Amit

The Cheat

She saunters in like she owns the room
swaying, unsteady, almost trips on the broom
that lies carelessly strewn on the kitchen floor
she decides it best be flung out the door
but other important matters await,
its time for business, the clock strikes four

She noisely withdraws the vessels from the box
and starts to impatiently set up shop
By routine, refusing to take each one out
she overturns the lot with a loud shout
As i enter the kitchen, a little smile forms
she takes what she needs and starts to perform

Delicately picking up the spoon in her hand
she willfully waves it around like a wand
pretending she's making an exquisite dish
clanging the pot with every swish
knowing i watch her every move
as she cooks up her imaginary food

the sous-chef now proceeds to serve
what she'd just made and i'd observed
offering to me a full empty cup
that i proceed to praise and drink it up
her sparkling eyes now eagerly await
part deux of this little act we'd made
i begin to laugh and ask for more
the little cheat happily begins to pour

A Time to Cry

The young lady labours on

another moment and i'll be gone
it is unfair for i'll be free
but will you keep my memory?
though i'll forget
the day we met
for i will be another life
will you still love me, my dear wife?

The young lady labours still

it takes me all my will
to hang on for a little more
of the way you smell, the dress you wore,
your teasing smile that i adored
the stupid names i called you so
the lovely morning on the shore
the secrets only we both know

all of these shall be no more

as the wind drags me to the door
i try so hard to freeze your face
but bit by bit my memory goes
i watch my thoughts of you erased

The lady waits, now i must leave
Bless you, for all the love received
Baby's almost here, goodbye
i take my place
it's time to cry

Six White Birds

Six white birds overlooking a lake
Perched on a tan-brown limb overhead
Silently watching the ripples in the sky
And the floating body drifting by

One white bird turns to look at me
As i hide my knife and turn to flee
Its piercing blue eyes now holding me back
Did it see me play out my act?

Birds dont talk! Oh what a jest!
So i put the little matter to rest
The birds fly away, guess I am done,
All the birds - save the strangled one

- Amit

Withered

Fractured drops of light
trying to hide the pain
broken shards of shadow
piercing through the rain
that falls within her eyes
trying hard to explain
things from long ago
memories flitting through the trees
afraid of letting go
winding through the autumn leaves
putting up a show
holding on to random bits
keeping her afloat
withered mind trying hard
to decipher what he wrote
slowly dawns a hint of smile
wondering if he said hello
unknowing, withered hands
clutch a withered farewell note

-Amit

The Photograph

Matt-finish, black and white
young man, child astride,
trousers flared, collar wide,
a grin adorned by pencil-line

The old man's favorite photograph
not for his child's memories
nor for youth he left behind
yet he stares and stares and cries
to see that faded photograph
the only one he misses most
the one who's missing in that pose
the one who cracked that silly joke
just before the flash and smoke
the one who clicked the photograph
the one who passed on to the ghosts

-Amit

Death of a Liar

He closes his eyes
and stares at a familiar scene
his 6 year old self, squeaky clean,
waving back to his mom and dad
entering school, first tie he had

Scenes rush by
the young child is child no more
a boy aged 13 sitting in at his proud father's store
lady-shoppers fussing over the winsome lad
as he shyly scribbles out their bills on a pad

The years fast-forward now
the boy has grown,
hot job in tow,
all of 43, suave CEO
on a magazine,
a loving wife, 3 kids
complete the scene

He opens his tired eyes
a life lived full, he smiles

and then laughs at the truth
a wasted youth,
born an orphaned lad
always making up his parents,
and the tie he never had
working as a coolie all his life at a store
always pining to move up to the pad
He'd hated his wife and cheated on her,
and guilt-laden, drunk away the little he had
an outstanding loan and a debt he'd incurred
had since broken his spirit and driven him mad

As he lay now thinking of his time gone by
a life of regret and happiness denied
he blocks out the life that was supposed to flash by
for the last time the old man dreams up his lie

-Amit