Sure to get someone burning!

(This poem is dedicated to a very special person... Though rustic in language, that's how we are with each other!)


It was a sultry afternoon when you first approached.
It was a pleasant surprise when we began to talk.
It was a beautifully dark night when we opened up...
To our dreams, our fears, our hopes, "as such".

Since then we have come a long way,
Not necessarily on the same path.
But I credit you with the intersection of roads,
Which ensured that Ganga-Jamuna met the Bay.

And if you wonder, where all this leads to,
And if I write this as merely a pass-time;
Hear me out, and then ponder,
"Is he serious, or loose in the screw?"

Coz I have learnt, from long-standing rote,
That string-pullers are few, and precious to share.
What matters to one in life is not the number of strings,
But the strength of the few you have.

You are a gem, though an Ugly Duckling -
And don't get me wrong here, dear!
Coz the analogy is not to compare you,
But rather, to remove your fear.

Fears we have many in life, and yes, I too have them.
But the beauty of a Fear is the opportunity it gives
To emerge a winner, without slighting someone,
Without shedding a tear.

Long long is the path that Ganga-Jamuna have to take
And India is sure to dam our paths,
But remember, India can stop the flow - not the content;
And Ganga-Jamuna have India to mend.

So that's it Verti - the end of this nonsense.
Which scatters grains over all the parched lands.
The sapling might not flower now, nor later,
But do remember, it can - all it needs is water.