Love Variants

When you are not with me, I constantly think of you,

Giddy in your presence, I feel vulnerable, its true,

Like a craving of an addict, I long for you night and day,

But afraid of being rejected, I desist from entering the fray.

When you are not by my side, I can still rely on you,

I know you'll be there, when I feel lost and blue,

Adored and accepted, I cherish the close bond we share,

Secure in your arms, I know and trust that you care.

 

When you are not feeling cared, I step in and tend to you, 

I sacrifice my needs for yours -  my needs are but few.

Hoping to help you grow, and become the best you can,

Patiently supporting you, so you can develop as per plan.  

Romantic, attached or nurturant, you may call it what you like,

It causes my heart to miss a few beats, and witness a massive spike.

Never Finishing

I'm an opener, not a finisher, this has been etched on my mind,

I struggle in the middle overs, please be patient, and a little kind.

I usually start off with a flourish, but seldom I manage to end in style,

Sometimes I hit a century, but match winner is not in my profile.

 

I can make an entrance with a splash, and depart with a sheepish grin, 

I can start a song on a high note, and as the chorus starts, get lost in the din. 

Why to finish is so important, is a question I have often asked myself,

Isn't it OK to start a million threads, and leave them hanging by the shelf?

You may say that I lack discipline, you may say that I lack grit,

I am a person on whose fate, starting many things is writ.

When someone plants a seed, one hardly thinks of fruits, 

I take pleasure in that starting, and nurturing solid roots.

Isn't it enough that I take initiative, must I always be closing too?

Maybe you'll end this sonnet for me, maybe you'll say I love ___ ?

Tired And Weary

The middle is the sag, that no one notices or cares,

Most wise men retreat, only the fool persists and dares.

One step after the other, purely from habit and drill,

Oblivious to the dreariness, that could easily kill.

I've traveled ahead so far, no point in backtracking now,

Let me take that step, keep moving forward anyhow.

There is little joy left in voyage, the end still beyond reach,

I cant even turn around, fearing my promise will breach.

Can I rest for a while, maybe skip traveling for a day,

What if that becomes a habit, I fall in love where I stay?

Cant afford to be complacent, or let me off the hook,

Have to meet my daily target, have to go by the book.

What started as a passion, has now become a daily chore,

And you've started laughing on me- Oh! what a drag, what a bore!

Language Nazis

Don't call it work-life balance, lets call it work-life harmony,

We've used work-life integration before, on that I'll not bet my money.

You may call it what you like, but the primary focus is work,

And only secondarily in the shadows, will life really lurk. 

Don't call it a mental disorder, lets call it a mental health concern,

The medical model faltered us, now let it be psycho-socials turn.

On mercy of genes or environment, there is not much we can do,

Apart from labeling one way or the other, and prejudicing the way we view. 

Don't call it an addiction, lets call it a substance use disorder,

We've tried calling it dependency, all in an effort to get a restraint order.

No matter what you call, under the bravado, one is alone and at loss,

You can put in a rehab, and get one sober, but life goes on for a toss.

 

Using the correct language, may not be the deal its made out to be, 

When we are changing words so often, aren't we running away from the underlying reality?

Money And Happiness

How can we lead a happy life, asked a curious guy,

New research suggests that after all, money can happiness buy.

The more you earn, the happier you are, even beyond baseline,

The easiest route is via money, shouldn't coveting it be fine?

There are things that money can buy, maybe how good you feel each day,

How smug you feel when comparing with others, and what other people say. 

There is happiness that lies beyond this, where people grow and thrive,

Tap into their unique potential, self actualize, not just survive.

A sense of purpose is happiness, and so is feeling in charge,

Making choices is happiness, and so is growing at large.

I choose to write a sonnet, than code to earn some bread,

Feeling happy that I'm getting better, not caring whether they are read.

They say you can be strong and resilient, as long as you have some reason, a Why,

I say you can be happy and carefree, as long as to lure of money you can say bye.

Nation First?

We are a divided nation, let there be no doubt,

The fissures run deep, from north to south.

What geographies couldn't do, Social Media has done,

We'll keep trolling each other, no hope of living as one. 

The political opinions, that one kept secret and hidden,

Are now worn on our sleeves, you're either with Trump or Biden.

A neutral, or issue based support, one can just not visualize,

let's create memes, troll the other, spread fake news and lies. 

 

There are good folks on that side, but we will focus on the blind bhakts,

There are reasonable folks this side, but we will focus on the dynasts and their takhts.

There are vultures lurking in the north west, who want to spread hatred leading to strife,

'Civil' movements, 'grassroots' upheavals, 'Farmers' agitation, we've seen it all- took all in stride.

I know you'll hate me for saying this, but being anti-govt, for its own sake, is worst,

Hate a party, dislike its leaders, but for gods sake, stand behind your nation first.

Getting Motivated

Don't want to study, but am afraid that Dad will hurt,

Finally pick up the book, anxious not to bring family name to dirt.

Recognizing that studying is important, else I will surely fail, 

I'm a student who studies daily, wont drown, but sail.   

Don't want to study, unless Dad buys me that new game,

Finally pick up the book, proud that soon I'll be rich- have fame.

Recognizing that studying is important, that's the way I learn,

I'm a student who studies daily, so that I can one day earn.

 

Not all subjects need coercing, some need neither carrot nor stick,

They are naturally alluring, they don't make me puke or sick.

If I could choose what to study, and develop my skills at that,

If someone could tell me how it will help, I would get 100 % flat. 

 

They say I'm not motivated enough, to study all the time,

I say you don't know what moves me enough, and that's why I don't give a dime.