Asking for Help

Drained beyond redemption, broken beyond repair, 

I'm losing my marbles, I'm gasping for air. 

One more death by suicide, all in a course of a day,

No one appears bothered, but on my mind it seems to weigh.

The common man doesn't care, not his circus, not his monkey,

Its I who gets embroiled in lost causes- am I just another adrenaline junkie? 

Does the quest to go after the nearly impossible, drives me and gives me kicks, 

Am I mourning the one whom I couldn't reach, or the next one for whom the clock ticks. 

 

My #ZeroSuicideMission looks good on paper, each new death mocks and makes its fun,

If I don't succeed in making a dent, who will raise hope- where there is none. 

There is neither hope for the drowning, nor for the savior- nor for any wannabe, 

I've put all my energies in this project, I'm at a stage where I just want to let it be.

Me, I, Mine, I have made this mission, more about myself than about them,

If we really want to put an end to this scourge, I'll need your help - together we can.

 

 

The Time to Sweat is Now

What happens when you spend your life, near a stormy and tempestuous coast, 

Do you prepare for the hurricanes that may be in store, do you remain on your toes or do you coast?

Won't you make the shelters well in advance, and be on the lookout for Nature's fury clues,

Or will you sit complacent, closing your eyes, and wait for the time when disaster lets loose?

What happens when you need to build a house, in an earthquake prone seismic zone, 

Do you lay pliable foundations and isolated bases, and watch closely for cracks in the stone?

Do you change the choice of material, shifting to wood, and minimize the damage if an event occurred,

Or do you remain nonchalant, and continue to build skyscrapers, ignoring safety norms, is that what you've heard? 

 

What happens when you choose to build your house, near a river that is known to flood,

Do you ensure an elevated structure, with proper drainage, or are you ready to pay the price in blood?

Do you do a soil test, and refrain from filling the rivulets, so that the foundation during flood won't sink,

Do you keep a safe distance and watch the river level, or do you build your house on the very brink? 

You chose to work with aspirants, under pressure and drenched in hormones, a disaster that is always waiting to unleash, 

You don't prevent suicides by acting on the last minute, you have to sweat and lay structures in the times of peace.

25th Year Reunion ( revisited)

I won't miss for the world, the reunion and all the fun, 

Can surely spare 3 days for friends, out of the total 9131,

That much is the number of days, we haven't met since Convo,

And for those we didn't connect then, lets start our bond de novo. 

 

The other day I literally dreamed, of reunion and all my friends, 

Meeting everyone, near and far - restoring bonds and making amends.

It was fun and laughter all around, old memories and old vibe,  

We vowed once more to remain connected- till segmentation faults divide.

PJs and fattas once more cracked, it was nostalgia all around, 

Gandas and lingo that only we understand, keeps us forever bound.

I was shaken out of the reverie, when the dream was rudely broken, 

And it dawned on me that I was going to miss, that I was the unfortunate one. 

I have to be there for my son, he means the world to me, 

I'm sorry I won't be able to come, let bygones be.

The Fall

A million people fall silent, there's a hush in the ground, 

As the opponents march to victory, there's despair all around.  

Titan's brought down to their knees, despite their earlier winning streak,

That in the crucial moment we will crumble, looks like an accident freak. 

You ask why we are not applauding, when the others won fair and square,

When all around people are mourning- to suggest we clap- how you dare!

A billion hearts are broken, we are grieving what we thought was ours,

I know the pain will be dulled, as the days pass, if not the hours.

Only a few will be angry, most disappointed and hurt, 

We didn't win when the stakes were high- are we chokers, I blurt. 

We gave our best- the moral support- I'm sure they gave their all,

Whether to dream again, and risk getting hurt, is our collective call. 

 

We live in an unfortunate world, where winning is the be all and end all, 

If we only carry on shoulders when they win, who will catch when they fall. 

 

Hedgehog's Dilemma

All we pine for deeply, is the simple and warm touch, 

Yet quills are what we get from others, can't help much!

It's in our nature to hurt and pierce, when we get too close,

We may think it otherwise, but we are more thorns than rose.

Behind their tough exteriors, lies a sensitive skin,

The turtle is made for endurance, slow and steady they win.  

Limited by their mutual shells, they can't get close enough,

I wonder if what lies underneath, is equally hardened stuff.

A hedgehog meets a turtle, the match is made in heaven, 

One can be aggressive and sharp, the other retreats in safe haven. 

The need for warmth and company, makes them stick around, 

That there are no better options, keeps them forever bound. 

Lets shed our quills and shells, we need to be vulnerable, naked and not shy,  

We all need others at one time or the other, so lets get together, huddle and cry.