To decline any aureate opportunity

The young lady geared up herself,

to interview Mr. Bill Gates

maybe he, d' wealthiest person

on this blue planet

She acted outspoken,

and asked, "Mr. Gates,

will you please elaborate,

what's d' secret of your success?"

 

Gates thought for a brief moment,

then to his drawer, he unexcitedly went

and whipped out his checkbook

held it out to the lady and spoke

"Write down any amount you need"

she looked around, felt awkward indeed

 

She replied, rather shyly

"This is not what I meant, sir, frankly"

in an unalike way put d' same question

"So smoothly, how you work out things?"

 

He responded in a matching manner,

handed over d' checkbook once more

She had refused to collect it earlier,

and now she still declined the offer

He then tore up d' check in to bits

went up to the dustbin to dump it

further, he unexcitedly asked her

"Is d' secret of my success, now clear?

 

Not to miss opportunities as you just did,

to be a rich reporter in d' world you missed

d' golden chance you overlooked,

I truly meant it, to trust me, you refused

instantly opportunities often appear,

but they won't be always there

it's our lifelong mental blocks,

to grab those, refuse to allow us

we get too much brainwashed,

convinced, we deserve a better chance

practice d' right set of circumstances to face,

and the suitable moments to encash

Opportunity when presents by itself,

our instinct to act swiftly to detect

if not grabbed fast enough, it’ll vanish

to fulfill the next eager person's wish

that moment, it might seem awkward,

but carries your career fast forward

 

Can't afford to be skeptical of everything

of our prosperity, it might be d' beginning

if willing to take calculated risks,

on occasions, they transform d' life

 

In the corona era,

 to work one need not commute

internet gifts endless scopes, can't refute

d' workplace shifted right into our homes

services provided whatever may come

blinded by fear, dimmed our visibility

somehow impels us,

to decline any aureate opportunity

The pawn too, put back in d' same box

Superannuated d' senior executive,

to vacate d' quarters too reluctant

got to shift to the housing society,

on d' 3rd floor, he had bought a flat

 

The current one, a couthy palace,

allotted by d' office, felt as if a king

his private 3 BHK flat in d' same city,

appears before it almost nothing

 

Too much obsessed with his post,

believed himself to be burly and able

talked to no one, even d' neighbors,

assessed others trifling, negligible

 

Anyone aims to make a friendship,

unwilling to budge even if they ask

looks with contempt, ignores them,

while on a walk in the society park

 

It somehow transpired that evening,

an old fogey attempted a dialogue

and continued to meet after that day,

but d' total talk, barely a monologue

 

He focusses on harp his pet topic,

own preretirement towering position

the high post he held, his authority,

lastly got here due to compulsions

 

The senior citizen listened quietly,

with least response, no retaliation

d' minute perceived his eagerness,

a befitting time, his mouth to open

 

Once retired, we all fused bulbs,

bulb's wattage no more matters

how much glitter given in d' past,

it's over by now, and no one bothers

 

I'm here for the past five years,

never revealed it to anyone that

for two terms a parliamentarian,

our party formed d' Government

 

A retired major general in Army,

moves with a pet there, Mr. Singh

with no fuss, unlike a military man,

marches for a walk every morning

 

On your right, over there Vermaji,

retired as d' GM of Northern Rlys.

That person sitting on the bench

Mehraji, in spotless-white always

linked to the launch of satellites,

d' chief of ISRO before retirement

and hasn't revealed it to anyone,

not even to me, yet I know that

 

0/100 watts, LED, CFL or halogen,

customary, fluorescent, decorative

their status before getting fused,

hardly matters needs no narrative

 

"All fused bulbs are now the same,

irrespective of its wattage and type

my dear friend, it applies to you too

of d' former title, might why a hype?

d' power, position, nothing permanent,

d' sooner we accept, can find peace

settle down fast, in a serene sphere,

finally, we all normal human beings

 

A setting or rising sun, both are lovely

in reality, the rising sun more graceful

d' sun before dusk given no reverence

sun at dawn worshiped and adorable

 

Ego, vehemence do complicate life,

we keep on losing our time precious

once d' game is over, king, minister,

d' pawn too, put back in d' same box

Let Churchill, d' big orator, go to hell

Hired a taxi from House of Commons,

to go to d' BBC office for an interview

former famed Prime Minister of the UK,

Winston Churchill, a parliamentarian new

 

At d' age of 25, in the year 1900, won

by a narrow margin, d' general election

sensed d' hostility of party men, agreed

he a great orator but denied a position

 

He arrived in time and asked d' driver,

for him to hold up for about an hour

until he got back and finished his job,

he declined but apologized however

 

Not possible, I'll go home, to listen to

one Mr. Churchill's eloquent speech

I've made it a point, never to miss it,

before the event begins must reach"

 

Amazed at the man's ardent desire,

by any means to listen to his speech

so he took out two ten pound notes,

gave the driver, rushed to BBC office

 

Principles changed to honor funds,

for money nations sold, people killed

several turned slaves to the wealth,

friends separated and families split

Driver happily collected d' change,

own identity, Churchill didn't reveal

"Can wait for hours, till you are back,

Sir, I never mind,

let Churchill, d' big orator, go to hell"

Do keep d' mask on, forget it never

Soon d' vaccines will be available

for Covid, it got avidly announced

alarmed Indians can reap d' benefit,

unfurled a cracking piece of news

 

A new ray of hope in the new year,

must trust d' made in India vaccine,

d' atmanirvar shot, safe & effective

save us from d' pandemic Covid-19

 

Pay no heed to rumors, do not panic

take d' jab whenever comes, your turn

it always be remembered that both

to go along, hygiene and vaccination

 

Downloaded Covid-vaccination app,

in d' media, as precisely instructed

to accomplish it as early as possible

and relieved of the tension created

 

Called d' vaccine distribution facility,

to register for the Covid-19 vaccine

Hello, you are most welcome to the

Covid-19 vaccine enrollment helpline

 

To continue in Hindi press one,

to continue in English press two

be heedful in choosing d' buttons

of course, I need to remind you

 

If, opt for Russian-Vaccine, press 1

press 2 For American Vaccine jab

press 7 for Co-vaccine/Covishield,

from our Atma-nirvar national Lab

 

I wanted only d' Atma-nirvar...one

but I got confused and was in a fix

so I finally pressed the number 7

but pondered about d' no.s 3,4,5,6

 

Press 1 if a male and 2, if a female,

press 3, if you are a transgender

also have the liberty to press four,

if you belong to gender any other

 

Press 1 if you, a health professional,

and presently work in a Hospital

2, if a Safaiwala, police/ pressman,

the frontline fighter in Covid-battle

 

Press 1 if your age, above 50 yrs,

as per your Aadhar card bonafide

2 for those between 10 to 50 yrs,

3, if below d' age of 10 yrs, a child

 

Press 1 if fit, with no co-morbidities,

2, if having diabetes, heart disease

3 for any chronic disabling disorder,

TB, AIDS, cancer, or other fatalities

 

To purchase the vaccine, press 1

2 for the Govt. granted free shot

adverse reactions minimal except

at injection site minor discomfort

 

For a jab on arm press 1, in hip 2,

to be injected elsewhere, press 7

obviously, it makes one wonder,

so many missing numbers again

God knows what elsewhere means

tried to recall my entire body parts,

deeply thought if any part suitable,

be perfect for a vaccination shot

 

The hip is safest for a vaccine shot,

so I decided and lastly pressed 2

to type d' mobile number, it asked

I punched in my phone number too

 

Namaskar and thank you for

calling us for vaccine registration

your name secured in d' database

for free vaccine enrollment done

note your  waitlist serial number

32 crore, 81 lakh, 13 thousand 76

might get a call from us after 3 yrs,

under the normal circumstances

 

Till then, keep washing your hands,

follow Covid-appropriate behavior

maintain social distancing of 6 feet,

do keep d' mask on, forget it never

And settle issues with smart neighbors

Her clear propensity to a profession,

lawyer, only a lawyer I wish to marry

ready for a logical reply, why it's so,

dared d' public there to put any query

 

Prefer a lawyer as they bow their head,

while they get in, again while going out

attuned to d' terms, your honor, my lord,

before/ after any statement they shout

 

They ought not to have any male ego;

put on a gown, their body is covered

they regularly visit d' bar, yet a decent

bar, where liquor can never be served

 

Whatever be d' judgment no rebuttal,

before d' person who gives d' verdict

what more else a wife would expect,

no groan, no fuss, even he dislikes it

 

This modus operandi I always prefer,

agreeable, suits to my temperament

surely improve d' ambiance at home,

must create a peaceful environment

 

Lawyers are good decision-makers,

can provide an able support system

operating as d' second fertile brain,

function for any conflict reduction

 

Tend to end up in courtroom scenes,

as soon as we resort to some debate

initiate questions and cross-questions,

if one is lying, extract d' truth straight

 

Marry a guy with profound potentials,

deal tactfully with dubious characters

as in-house support in d' legal troubles,

and settle issues with smart neighbors

Have to lose this mortal life one day

Rejoiced d' newspaper reading,

the pranayam was left behind

practiced d' pranayam in time,

unaware of d' news headlines

Did both, missed d' breakfast,

attempted all at a rapid pace

reckoned few to be left out,

and lastly lost my happiness

 

Missed d' taste in healthy food,

ate yummy dishes, health got lost

better not try them both together,

ought to survive well at any cost

 

Loved someone from d' heart,

the marriage faced disruption

honestly married for family life,

d' intimacy of love, withdrawn

Did both, had to lose the trust,

rather better not to set foot in

wild to achieve both together,

means thereby, lose something

 

If in a hurry, forget some luggage,

if no hustle in packing, miss d' train

an endeavor not to miss them both,

then the parting hugs to go in vain

 

If make certain of personal wishes,

then stamped as a selfish dragon

relations deranged, you're nowhere,

if think of others, own interest gone

Became marooned, feel deserted,

forgot the free laughter of all kind

if delight to d' brim, wished to weep,

no tears, weep emotion left behind

 

It evidently means thereby,

we often have to lose something

in d' disheartening missing spree,

lies the genuine joy of achieving

availed comforts of life to the full,

yet if someone never lost a thing

so rigidly upright man is a machine,

not designated as a human being

Give things, lose things, do donate

take d' glee, live with joy and gay

even if not lost anything to date,

have to lose this mortal life one day

Swear not to nag, never hound

Pillows on bed spick and span,

undisturbed the bed covers

but the beds worryingly empty,

not seen any signs of a brawl

 

Cupboards carry few pieces of cloth,

left only a faint smell of perfumes

their unique essence, all different

inhale it to heal my heart, I assume

 

Now I remember their mischiefs,

giggling, wailing tone, d' pretense

had the memory of their laughter,

d' hurried warm hugs, I could sense

 

Everything seems in place, no litters

no paper planes scattered on d' floor

d' calmness pinching to d' extreme,

home now a desert with no life at all

 

Swear on God, not to be annoyed,

about their mess not to discuss

every time the kids come to visit,

they spend a little time with us

 

When they are ready to leave,

casually start to pull their bags

they tug my heart along with it,

feel grim, as if I'll lose my sense

 

They closed d' door behind them,

and then I stood still, kept mum

recalled, several times I shouted

at them, not to keep d' doors open

 

I'm today closing my own doors,

nobody tries, opens it besides me

each has gone to a different city,

or might be to a far off country

 

Left to find their own path in life,

Oh! God pl. do take care of them

wherever they might be present,

be secured, and fit all my children

  

You, their guide and protector,

keep them shielded ever, safe

kids at this stage, sweet to talk to

provide me enough scope always

to cherish and enjoy it with joy,

should arrive often, stay around

not to leave d' home for only me,

swear not to nag, never hound