I can’t speak up for myself, will YOU

First wrote: January 7, 2016

Updated    :  September 22, 2020

Today is World Rhino Day. When I first wrote this poem nearly five years back, I had no idea such a day existed. I wrote this poem because rhinos are very dear to my heart, specially one horned rhinos. I grew up with their images etched in my heart. They are the symbol of my home state in India. Unfortunately, to satisfy the libido of certain Oriental people, these gentle giants are being poached mercilessly just for their horns. These misinformed people have a belief that rhino horns have aphrodisiac properties, as if the world need more of them. If possible, please visit Assam, India, the home of the one horned rhinos. With sanctuaries like Kaziranga National Park (first one to be established), Manas, Orang and Pabitora, one is assured a view of these magnificent animals from close quarters. Shoot them as you like, but please use your camera only. Your visits may help raise awareness for continued safety of these docile giants and stop the nefarious lust of the people who poach them to satisfy their urge.

I can’t speak up for myself, will YOU

In the dead of night

Came death

Came silently

But finished the work

With loud bangs

Took my mother

Away from me

She tried to save me

With all her might

She fought

But was no match

For their weapons

Her only weapon

Of defense

Mercilessly they cut

From her still warm body

What good it is for them

Mercy

They did not leave me alone

Before they left

The scene of

Their heinous crime

I was finished off

With a loud sound

We were peaceful

Docile

Just wanted to roam

In a little corner of the world

We called home

Their greed

Left us dead and mutilated

Now

I can’t speak up for myself

Will YOU?

Note:  All photos of dead rhinos from the

post http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2896446/Second-one-horned-rhino-space-month-butchered-poachers-Indian-national-park.html

Blogging 101 – Day 9: Get Inspired by Neighbors

The instructions were clear. Write a post based on a comment left on a blogsite as instructed in assignment 8. As fate would have it, mine happened a little differently. I was having a conversation ( what do we call when a conversation that starts with a comment on a blog post – blogversation)with kimberlyqae when suddenly a comment popped up from lovingdolphins . I am still trying to figure out how it happened but it was a happy mix-up. Her comments were very encouraging and she gently nudged both me and kimberlyqae to explore publishing. She shared her experience of publishing with us. This is a very nebulous idea till now, a new avenue to explore. Here I am just trying to navigate the starting of blogosphere and being asked to think about publishing. Talk about being overwhelmed! This is what I am liking about blogging, encouragement and a nurturing atmosphere without being intrusive.

Anniversary coming up

 

My anniversary is coming up. No, no, not that one. That one is private. This one is the one month anniversary of starting my blog. One month anniversary? Anniversary is supposed to be a yearly event. In today’s world of instant gratification, waiting one year to celebrate an anniversary is too long. By that time attention may drift to something else. Anniversary means need to celebrate some accomplishment. What are the accomplishments of last one month (it’s not yet, two more days to go, but that is another story)? Well, started my blog, joined Blogging University Class 101, completed eight assignments, learnt a lot about blogging and still learning, posted fort five blogs. Whew! But best of all, made so many new friends in the parallel universe of the internet and the way they had opened their hearts to complete strangers by sharing their writing, it’s amazing.

Blogging 101: Assignment 5 : Weekend 1

Although today was supposed to be working on trying out different themes and going over blog posts from fellow blogmates, things did not turn out to be as planned.  After watching two playoff football games, not much time was left for anything else.  And now to family movie time.  So tomorrow is going to be a busy day trying to play catch up with the assignment.

Strangers when we met

Strangers
When we met
Many moons ago
Fellow travelers
Seen the world
Happiness and pain
Together

Communicated
Without talking
Understood
Without speaking

Long walks
In silence
Eyes focused
On different horizons
Road diverged
Without our knowledge

Need to talk
To communicate
Understand
Before become
Strangers again

 

Journey

Where it had begun
I left my heart
Where it will end

Unknown

What to expect

In my path

Unsure

Changing landscapes

Take me back

To another journey

I took eons ego

To an unknown land
Heart heavy with pain

Leaving everything behind

That I knew

Expectations beckoning

To start anew

Long past that journey
Made my home
In that distant land
Does it matter

What lies ahead

At the end of

The unknown path

Come what may
Enjoy the ride
Embrace the unknown
At journey’s end
Make the destination
Your own.

I can’t speak up for myself, will YOU

First wrote: January 7, 2016

Updated    :  Sept 22, 2020

Today is World Rhino Day. When I first wrote this poem nearly five years back, I had no idea such a day existed. I wrote this poem because rhinos are very dear to my heart, specially one horned rhinos. I grew up with their images etched in my heart. They are the symbol of my home state in India. Unfortunately, to satisfy the libido of certain Oriental people, these gentle giants are being poached mercilessly just for their horns. These misinformed people have a belief that rhino horns have aphrodisiac properties, as if the world need more of them. If possible, please visit Assam, India, the home of the one horned rhinos. With sanctuaries like Kaziranga National Park (first one to be established), Manas, Orang and Pabitora, one is assured a view of these magnificent animals from close quarters. Shoot them as you like, but please use your camera only. Your visits may help raise awareness for continued safety of these docile giants and stop the nefarious lust of the people who poach them to satisfy their urge.

I can’t speak up for myself, will YOU

In the dead of night

Came death

Came silently

But finished the work

With loud bangs

Took my mother

Away from me

She tried to save me

With all her might

She fought

But was no match

For their weapons

Her only weapon

Of defense

Mercilessly they cut

From her still warm body

What good it is for them

Mercy

They did not leave me alone

Before they left

The scene of

Their heinous crime

I was finished off

With a loud sound

We were peaceful

Docile

Just wanted to roam

In a little corner of the world

We called home

Their greed

Left us dead and mutilated

Now

I can’t speak up for myself

Will YOU?

Note:  All photos of dead rhinos from the

post http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2896446/Second-one-horned-rhino-space-month-butchered-poachers-Indian-national-park.html

To the Author of the Book I am Reading

All characters in the book

Are fictional

You proclaim

With an enticing cover

Cleverly written Forward

A back cover with tidbits

I am drawn to turn the pages

Between the covers

Soon I am engrossed

Fictional characters turns real

Mind drugged with your emotion

Surrendering to your thoughts

Hijacked

World of fiction grips real life

Tongue starts speaking

Your language

I become one with your

Fictional characters

Fiction becomes reality

Know I can close the book

Imprison your characters

Inside the cover

Throw it away

Go about my daily life

Do tell me

When in your book

You have depicted me

Emotions real

Flowing from my heart

How do I shut thee off

And walk away from me?

 

Blogging 101: Today’s Assignment

Assignment 2: Title and Tag line

The assignment looked very simple.  I thought I will breeze through it.  Little did I know, after leaving my homework days so deep in my past, that I would spend next few hours trying to perfect my tag line. I am happy that I was happy with my title, otherwise who knows how many more hours I would have spent trying to “perfect” my “title”.  Looking at the blog posts from my fellow blogmates ( can I copyright “blogmates”), I am sure that I would have spent several more hours.  But what a wonderful few hours those were.  So many friends in the cloud came up with valuable suggestions.  I also got the inspiration for a poem (Strange World of Internet) that I posted in my blog.  Learning, having fun, meeting new friends, albeit virtually, what more can any one ask for.  Now back to the real world till next assignment. So far so good.

Strange World of Internet

Pressed for time

Days pass by

We don’t talk

We don’t call

All the time

Our fingers fly

They now do

All the talking

Eyes fixed on

The screen upfront

We make friends

All over the world

Anonymous

Hidden in the cloud

Our circle grows

Thrive for Likes

Wait for comments

With bated breath

Words of encouragement

Make our day

We pour our hearts

To unseen friends

Parallel universe we live in

Existence defined by

User names and tag lines

What we post

On our screens

One day fingers

Will be tired

Our posts will

Become infrequent

Till they fall silent

Our unseen friends

Will wonder

Traffic will diminish

Then stop

On screen identity

Still alive

But we are gone

What a strange

World of Internet

We live in