Paranteen beats

Let me into your teen, it makes sense
drummed the beat in a mother's heart
Let me be free and wean thru adolescence
echoed the beat in a teen's heart

Let me be part of your excitement and fun

danced the beat in a father's heart
Let that be between my friends pa! No pun

intended the beat in a teen's heart

Go win in a sport, but stay away from injury
hurdled a beat in a mother's heart
Let me just take part, don't care of the jury

raced many beats in a teen's heart

See from my shoulders, philosophy of life
preached the beat in a father's heart
Let's first get through our chemistry in life 

jammed the beat from a teen's heart

You can be a much better version of me
preached the beat in a mother's heart
I am my own version, just let me be me!
screeched the beat from a teen's heart

Be more social and active, it's a tough journey!

sounded the base beat in a father's heart

I have a million followers and that's my my company

reverberated the beat in a teen's heart

Dress up to look the prettiest of all, at parties

crooned the beat in a mother's heart
What's up with my hoodie and selfies?

hummed the beat in a teen's heart

We all make mistakes, let's start over again

pleaded the beat in parents heart
Ah, what did I do? Not in for this bargain
skipped the silent beat in a teen's heart

Gosh, time is flying! Did I miss a boat?

fluttered the beat in parents heart
Come, live in my castle sans a moat
wrapped the beat in a teen's heart.

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© Balaji Palanidurai

A teen anthem from the bottom of a parent's heart!

Dedicating this my children in their teens (at the time of publishing this poem)

Being like water

Water is a priority, never an option

So are people and their emotion

Chose people, first, over their ability

Learn they will SustainAbility!

Envision techology with choices; For innovation,

When applied right, can elevate a nation

Technology is like a stream of solace 

When non pervasive, people will embrace

Invention is scarce; rarely, first time right 

Allow people to create, so their minds ignite

Explore they will, in a code less universe

Be like water they will, in a metaverse.

©Balaji Palanidurai

Poet in disguise

Inspiration comes to all

To get inspired needs a call

We use words to make it rhyme

If there is depth, it becomes a poem

For some it comes natural as art

As words originate from their heart

If all in this world become a poet

To read none will be, all quite

Only a few, is a blessing in disguise 

For, poetry, lies in beholders eyes!

- Keats Bala'dasan

I dedicate this to all poets in disguise, in this group, including your good self my dear Rtn Sr Padmanabhan.

Thriving in Tricolor

There is a feeling of freedom in the air

Engulfing the country with no home to spare

Citizens, proud of their nation's valor

Taking pride in hoisting their own tricolor 

Their leader's patriotism has raised the bar

Cascading a net of optimisim wide and far

Communities, Companies, small and large

Strengtheing its bond to face any barge

There is uncertainty in the immediate neighbourhood

Warmongering with an aim to severe brotherhood

Countries indebted are strained and in despair 

Borrowing more to fend, feed and fare

Their need can be the want and wisdom of our nation

Farming and manufacturing have been our prized occupation

Collaboration among its States can do many a miracle

Producing more together can save thy neighbours in debacle

There were visionaries who laid a strong foundation for growth

Monitizing that visions' outcome must be our true north

Start-ups are in the making, and making like never before

Uprising it is, let's all pledge to bring our nation to the fore! 

Jai Hind!

© Balaji Palanidurai

Doctors day!

1st of July, it is Doctors Day 

Save us they do from doomsday

We visit them when in pain

Treatment we get, rain or shine 

Our life for them is no bargain

Play with it we do time & again

Sick or pandemic they don't fear 

Practice they do in protective gear

Early interest they have in biology

Mature they get learning technology

Operations they do small and big

In retirement too we seek their gig

From hospitals and then to clinic 

Patients they save in the nick

Rest they too seek when in need

Let's acknowledge and pay heed

Quality of health is in our hands

Care let's take before it disbands

With food and lifestyle let's reassure

Prevention is better than cure!

©Balaji Palanidurai

PC: The Hans India

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I dedicate this narrative poem to the all doctors and esp to the team of doctors in GEM hospital Chennai, India. They did a marathon surgery for my uncle and gave him a second lease of life.

This morning I met a friend who mentioned that his son is determined to write the NEET competitive exam to become a doctor. I am sure something in his life would have triggered this interest. If I get an opportunity to go back in time I think I would definitely take up medicine. I know many friends who sacrificed their youth to study for years to together to become a doctor. My respect to them for their passion and perseverance.

May this tribe grow in numbers and help this world face any pandemic.

My Aunty!

"Aunty", the word is probably the second most used English word that Indians inherited from the British. First being "Sir", which is a word better left to the knights but its a bit too complex. Just like the railways, another popular and productive legacy of the British, that crisscrosses through the country, these words, too, have made inroads to most parts of the Country and are widely used by people from all walks of life.

I grew up in a State built gated community for middle income group (MIG Flats by Tamilnadu Housing Board) in the metro city of Chennai, India. All 136 flats, 8 in each block from A to Q were uniformly designed 700 square feet apartments. Each had 2 spacious bedrooms, one with attached toilet, a living room, kitchen, a common toilet and 2 balconies. The last being my favorite dugout where 50% of my childhood 'wonder- hours' were spent!

I learnt many life-skills, from cooking to confidence and communication to compassion from many aunties in that community. They were mostly my friends mother or other elderly women in the community who took interest in my development. Most were graduates, in arts or science, pursing doctorate as home-makers! Some had not even finished school. But, they were really good in what schools now teach as SUPW, value education and home economics. 

There is one such aunty, our immediate neighbour, who played a very important role in my early years and up until my youth. She turned 80 this year and I gave her a surprise visit with my children. She was the first person I addressed as aunty. I would have been 5 or 6 years old then and in the next 40 years, up to now, I may have addressed 1000s more as aunty. But, I have a very special bond with her and the rest is history, or should I say herstory!

Most mornings would start greeting her from either of the two balconies. On special days it included exchanging delicacies in baskets hooked to the end of a long bamboo stick. I learnt basic cooking, making dosa and omelet, from her while my mother was making the same for my father who used to be on long deputations away from home. My mother would confidently leave both her teens under the supervision of this aunty who herself had three children to take care of, much older than me and my sister though.

She used to help me with the correct usage of English language. I still remember the day when she corrected me, "You should say, today is my birthday". Till then I used to go around distributing sweets saying, "Today is my happy birthday!", I would have been 7 years then and English was not my first language :-)

She used to advocate maintaining good health and introduced me to ab-wheel-roller to strengthen my core. She used to proudly campaign about progress, I would make, to other children in the community and it continues even today. She finds it hard to believe that I now have children who are old enough to comprehend the special bond I shared with her when I was their age!

My wife tells me her students in the school she recently joined, call her Aunty. It happens to be that school's policy and culture that children must address teachers as "aunty"! I am 100% supportive of this culture. In fact, I would be happy to re-write the age-old phrase to "Matha, pitha, aunty, deivam!". 

©Balaji Palanidurai

Keats quotes: 2022!

"Design thinking for natural instinct shoud be it's basic instinct" - 11th Jan 2022

"Mutual recognition rewards and will eventually be rewarding." - 16th Jan 2022

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."~ Steve Jobs. 

"Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds. And I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity, as long as I live." ~ Rabindranath Tagore

26th Jan (was shared in M92 Group by RP)

“Your presence has no meaning when your absence doesn’t alter their life."

~ Anonymous 

26th Jan (was shared in M92 Group by Muthu)

"Life is a learning and we are all learners for life" ~ Balaji Palanidurai

"The greater part of happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances.~ Martha Dandridge Custis. 

12 Feb 2022 (was shared in M92 Group by Muthu)

Commitment 

When you are intersted in something , you will do only when circumstanaces enable. When you are commited, you will create the required environment 

©Balaji Palanidurai unless otherwise stated explicitly