When we risk it all

I have always loved the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series. The books are a collection of short stories and poems but this poem struck me because of its simplicity. Never before have I read a poem so straight-forward and heart-warming. Kristy Glassen, wherever you are, just want to say- U rock! Thanks Nikki for lending me the book. Pagu and Alias, this one’s for you…………………

WHEN WE RISK IT ALL
We can’t blame others when love dwindles away,
For we knew from the start it never promised to stay.

It’s just one of those things where the stakes are high,
And sometimes it’s forever and sometimes it’s good-bye.

When you love the right way, you will never lose,
No matter what path life may force you to choose.

You may end up with tears or a broken heart,
But you knew what you had signed up from the start.

You can only give what you’ve got to give,
And if that’s not enough, then you must continue to live.

Life will go on and broken hearts will heal,
You must continue on your quest, for that’s the deal.

Throw your heart into life and never stall,
For the greatest risk is to risk nothing at all.

You see, love is the only thing that we know,
That can be divided and divided but continue to grow.

And life isn’t long enough to lock away our heart,
Just because life may have forced two people apart.

We will continue to love and continue to lose,
We will continue to pick and continue to choose.

And then one day we will risk ii all,
Take the chains off our heart and dismantle the wall.

The last time we love will be the forever,
And never again will our hearts be forced to sever.

Will never have doubts that it’ll go away,
Because this time, it’ll be here to stay.

But until then, we must endure all the pain,
For we only see sunshine if we can wait through the rain…….

A thousand deaths to live

It's a materialistic world he said,
For she chose the rich guy instead,
Throwing away the cold metal ring,
He felt something die within.

What a world to be in,
Where cheaters always win,
The winner smirked at him,
he felt something die within,

What a husband to live with,
Who curses me in a drunken fit,
As she braced for his blows thundering,
She felt something die within.

Familiar they may sound,
Times when you hit bottom ground,
When words ain't enough,
To mellow the situation tough.

But this is not the way to live,
It's the way to die,
Coz we have many deaths to live,
Before we get one life worth dying for.

Again pick up that ring,
You might find someone more adoring.
Hit back with a vengeance,
For winning there's yet another chance.
Bid adieu to him forever,
Ushering in a life free of terror.

Coz that was not the way to live,
It was the way to die,
And we have many deaths to live though,
Before we get one life worth dying for.......

Racism of a different kind

Its appalling, to say the least. The recent wave of racist attacks on Indians has shaken everyone badly. Many thought of Australia as a safer destination and with the institutes there wooing Indian students, it was but natural that there would be an influx of the student population. And now you get to here this.

But what intrigued me was the reaction to all this out here. People who discriminate between religion, caste and sub-caste have all come together to raise their voice against racism and have tried to put up a united front. I mean, isn’t that like having double standards? We have had our share of incidents where people are tortured and butchered for belonging to a community considered inferior. And now we raise a hue and cry because some people consider our nationality as inferior.

I am not trying to demean anyone or trying to belittle the situation in Australia, but we Indians seriously need to introspect. For a start, has anyone heard of the proverb ‘Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others’?