Gin's Ode to his master

My master calls me good old Gin
Might be the effect of alochol
For, I love my coffee in sun
Filtered & light, with chicory et al

Woof, woof i love a mountain hike
Many he took me, when young
Aloof, we went on his motorbike
Memories on his wall, they are hung

Streets many we roamed in our city
Friends, a few, he made through me
Strays many we found, full of pity
Befriend many, I did through him

Coat & socks for my fur and skin
He looks after me, like next of kin
Bed and mattress for my comfort
His house, i guard like a king's fort

Fourteen years for a dog is history
How I survived illness is a mystery
I admire all efforts, for me,  he took
Umpteen years, i will live on facebook

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This is close to my heart. A good friend posted on facebook that his pet Gin (a good old Lab that has its own facebook album ) turned 14 that day and he had written a nice note appreciating their companionship.
As a dog owner myself I could completely relate to every word in that post and something in me said that I should write a poem for Gin and him. I soaked in the message in his post and mapped to the photo album to create a poem in my standard style of writing.

Outcome is the this Gin's ode to his master. Hope you like it.

Beauty of perception

Beauty lies in beholders eyes, they say
Duty lies with them to appreciate it, I say
In the heart of the artist, beauty is conceived
Mind of the viewer decides how it is perceived

Communication is an art, they say
Mastering lies in its empowerment, i say
In the flow of words our message is conceived
Expression and tone decides how it is perceived

Network is your net worth, they say
Exploring it usefully lies the secret, i say
In our behaviour and approach, impression is conceived
Humility and attitude decides how it is perceived

Negotiation is a valuable skill, they say
Elevating it assertively is the secret of leadership, i say
In persuasion and tactics our intent is conceived
Happiness and outcome decides how it is perceived

Happiness is a state of mind, they say
Joy of spreading it lies with us, i say
In our flow of thoughts happiness is conceived
Emotions at that moment decides how it is perceived

Beauty lies in beholders eyes, they say
Duty lies with them to appreciate it, I say
In the heart of the artist, beauty is conceived
Mind of the viewer decides how it is perceived

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©Balaji Palanidurai

I happen to see a Tweet by @anandmahindra that had a philosophical question.

https://twitter.com/anandmahindra/status/1073472301767757824?s=19

I also happened to see a wall art and posted a similar tweet yesterday.

It got me thinking and I started to react with a reply. Soon, I realized the depth in that question and the framework I am working on to promote enlightened growth.

Result is this poem, which got further inspired, by me being, in my native village immersed in the fresh air and beauty of  green farmlands in the neighborhood .

Beauty of Outcomes

Our act of living has an outcome
Some define it as a purpose
If it becomes pursuit of income
Redefine it, with a discourse

In the act of setting up a wakeup alarm
Outcome we expect, is to rise
The act, intentionally, to snooze it with an arm
Purpose, neither met nor wise

In the act of hearing someone speak
Outcome we expect, is to listen
The act, inbetween, to respond to a beep
Purpose, neither met nor brazen

In the act of caring someone in pain
Outcome we expect , is healing
The act, though, of doing it for ample gain
Purpose, neither met nor appealing

In the act of responding to our need
Outcome we expect, is joy
The act of, voluntarily, giving in to our greed
Purpose, neither met nor coy

Our act of living has an outcome
Some define it as a purpose
When it becomes pursuit of income
Redefine it, with a discourse

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©Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this on a my travel back from Bengaluru to Chennai on 11th Nov. I had made a personal choice to travel in the common man coach - decison was an outcome of minimalist living. The cost of this travel was 1/20th of the cost of the same trip that I used to do by air, when employed.

Outcome matters for everything we do in life, be it brushing our teeth or baking a birthday cake. Personal hygiene, purpose of former and show of affection or cost savings could be for the latter. As long as the purpose is clear followed by genuine  effort, a positive outcome is more or less guaranteed.

The day i learnt to blast freeze my wants

"When was this food prepared?" I asked the smart 6 foot flight attendant, with a name tag Abhay, who was happily serving hot breakfast to starved souls on an early morning flight from Chennai to Delhi at the beginning of autumn season and my entrepreneurial life. When an equally smart flight attendant pushing the food trolley from the other side stopped by my seat with a tray in her hand and asked in a sweet but stern voice, "Mr Palanidurai, did you request for a vegetarian meal?", I decided, unconsciously, to have a second breakfast and said, "Yes, I did". Her name tag read Swati and she meant business and moved on swiftly to serve the next passenger.

When I received that tray from her, a deep feeling of guilt killed the joy I had experienced 2 hours earlier when I heard  my name called on the announcement system at Chennai domestic airport. I was relishing the, visa credit card sponsored, ₹2 buffet breakfast in the travel lounge when that announcement instilled a sense of urgency in me to rush to the boarding gate. But, when I realized there was still 30 minutes left for departure, the frequent traveler in me relaxed my mind and  cajoled it to send an instruction to finish that bowl of hot and freshly prepared porridge to wash down that small portion of pongal, 2 mini vadas and a Gujarati thepla that entered my digestive system a few minutes back!

Yes, I was a tad bit hungry that morning; to explore the breakfast spread and life beyond 22 years in the IT industry that gave me an opportunity to learn, earn and the wisdom to get off the bus before I get churned. 

Abhay, quickly realized that I was still waiting for his response and in a mild but confident tone said, "I am not entirely sure sir, but most likely food on this morning flight would have been prepared around midnight and kept blast frozen till delivery to this flight". I acknowledged him with a smile but could not digest the answer I received. The food was prepared roughly 12 hours before, kept frozen and reheated a hour back, probably twice!

At that point I had a choice,

A) To return the tray and let go of  my want (to have a second breakfast) even though it had Aloo Parantha that I was longing to eat the previous night at home, presented and offered to me nicely with a customer friendly smile
B) To go ahead and have it to fulfill my desire to write a short story about my experience in the remaining 90 mins of the flight time.

Now that you are reading it, I obviously chose option B. This experience did feed my desire and energized me to type away 1500 words of wisdom before I landed in Delhi. It also gave me an opportunity to introspect and increased my appetite to research a particular trait of  human behavior.

"Why do people mostly succumb to desires of a want even when their need is already met?"

I am a mature foodie who has been trained well by my health conscious wife over the last 15 years to not be greedy and jump at free food. So, why did I not say, "No, thank you" to Swati? What influenced me to react immediately and receive that tray? 

- Was it the way the food was packaged and presented nicely with lot of goodies? 

- Was it that beautiful smile both flight attendants beamed in-spite of not having received last month salary as the airline was going through tough times?

- Could it be my urge to, once again, taste that tamarind toffee unique to that airline and feel that tangy burst in my mouth and mind? 

- Was it my hangover behavior from the extensive travel from the corporate life that I left behind a month back? 

- Could it be the peer pressure of co-passengers next to me choosing to take that  breakfast? 

- I remembered reading an article that people digest food quickly when they think a lot, could it be that? It was less than 2 hours since I had my first breakfast, though!

As, i was searching for a convincing answer I heard a mature voice that came from behind the row I was seated. "I had my breakfast at home, so, I will not need the full tray. Instead, can I just have that bar of KitKat chocolate, if that is possible?"  I recognized the voice that responded; it was Swati who served me my breakfast but did not offer an opportunity for me to strike a conversation. This time she paused for a bit and in a friendly tone replied to him, "Ofcourse, sir. You can actually have 2 of those. Is there anything else, I can offer you?"

Within a few seconds we all felt a slight bump as the aircraft shivered a bit, swayed for 10 seconds before stabilizing and cruising again. I suddenly heard a voice above my head, it was the captain speaking. "Sorry about that mild discomfort you may have felt. We just flew into heavy clouds and experienced air turbulence. The sky is all clear now and we are cruising above Mathura town and should be reaching our destination in about 30 minutes. Sit back and relax and enjoy your breakfast and our award winning in-flight service".

I looked down at the tray in front of me that was well laid out with a piece of bread, butter, a rectangular bowl wrapped in a green silver foil that was releasing mild steam from a small opening in its corner, a KitKat chocolate, disposable water bottle and hiding behind those plastic cutlery that tangy tamarind toffee. I recognized the trademark wrap in the shape of 2 small beads. I first reached for the water to wet my mouth and mind both of which had become dry processing all those thoughts running in my thirsty brain! 

I could hear a rumbling in my stomach. Was it hunger or anxiety? I could not differentiate but my hands were already opening the green wrapper on which I had kept the butter to melt. The flavor of Indian spices filled the air and before my mind could send any more signals I started spreading that butter on the parantha and took a bite! Just when I was about to send that mouthful down to my mid chamber I saw Abhay approaching me. I quickly swallowed to free up the voice chamber and ducts incase I had to interact with him. But, he stopped by the row in front of me and with a sorry face and an apologetic tone said to the gentlemen in front of me. "I am really sorry sir, we do not have any more vegetarian meal left. We had to cater to all passengers who had pre-booked it. I can offer you omelette and baked beans. Would you like me to bring it?". After few minutes of contemplation that gentleman declined that offer and asked for another bottle of water. He realized Abhay tried but was not in a position to help as he should have pre-booked his vegetarian meal, which he knew was his  staple need.

The rumbling in my stomach was even louder now and this time I knew it was not hunger. I could have helped fulfill the need of that gentleman if I knew how to blast freeze my wants, in this case my urge to have a second breakfast. The next 15 mins was filled with deep introspection and flashback of events from my life when I was faced with such dilemma and what I eventually did in those circumstances. I came back to reality in mid air when I heard Abhay again, "Sir, can I take the tray? We will be landing shortly". I noticed my co-passengers had already finished their breakfast and were reading something. Abhay had given me some grace time to finish my breakfast and came back to collect my food tray. I took my favorite tamarid toffee and KitKat and returned my empty food tray.

I popped those tamarind beads in my mouth while watching Abhay walk back to the cabin crew area and settling down in his seat and buckling up for landing. The tangy juice sent a burst of tangy flavors down my throat and I could feel a state of joy and contentment. The voice above my head returned and filled the air with more joy. "We have reached our destination and 10 mins ahead of schedule..."

My happy state of mind did not let the body feel the usual thud of aircraft landing. Instead it filled me with a sense of satisfaction for not only reaching my destination safely but also for having learnt a new life lesson to blast freeze my wants and re-heat them when they actually become a need. An ability when mastered could help sustain the joyful state of mind and fulfill my quest for happiness!

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©Balaji Palanidurai
I wrote this shorty story based on my own experience onboard Jet Airways flight 9W 736 on 25th Oct 2018 from Chennai to Delhi. This flight was a personal milestone for me as it was the first business trip I took for my own venture and I was glad it was on Jet Airways, on which I had taken my first domestic flight way back in 2001!

After many international travels and lot of flight time utilized to network/read/learn and introspect I was looking forward to the experience that morning. I boarded with an open mind, which widened further when I landed. The experience helped me write about something that I talk about a lot with my friends and family and especially kids. I used to take many life examples as an analogy and that morning I became my own student and learnt a lesson; to take a pause and consciously differentiate between my "Needs" and "Wants" and how to control the urge to go after the Wants!

#jetairways #joyofflying

நினைத்தேன் நிறைந்தேன்

என் அத்தானுடன் வாழ்ந்த காலத்தை நினைத்தேன்
பல ஆயிரம் வண்ணக்கணவுகளுடன் மனம் நிறைந்தேன்

எட்டாறு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு இல்லற வாழ்வின் தொடக்கத்தை நினைத்தேன்
எட்டாறு மாதங்கள் அவ்வாழ்வின் ஒவ்வொரு நொடியுடன் மனம் நிறைந்தேன்

கடந்த ஈராறு மாதங்களில் புது வாழ்வின் மாற்றங்களை நினைத்தேன்
நல்லதோர் குடும்பம் மற்றும் நோயற்ற வாழ்வில் மனம் நிறைந்தேன்

எழுபதிலும் வெற்றிநடைப் போடும் செட்டிநாடு ஆச்சீயை நினைத்தேன்
தானாக வந்த ஊக்கம் மற்றும் மனஉறுதியுடன் மனம் நிறைந்தேன்

வாழ்வில் நான் கடந்துவந்த பல வெற்றி- தோல்விகளை நினைத்தேன்
அவற்றை உணர்ந்து கற்று வாழும் பக்குவத்துடன் மனம் நிறைந்தேன்

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©Balaji Palanidurai
I wrote this poem on 6th Oct 2018 midnight by the bar and dinning area at Club Mahindra Puducherry (Pondicherry). 6th Oct happens to be my dad's remembrance day and usually we spend the day at home. There is a ritual that we do to help his soul rest in peace. I support this so my mom feels at ease. 

This year I wanted to do something different and booked a family holiday to celebrate his and our life. Pondicherry felt like a good idea as my father used to frequent and loved going there. 

Glad I did what I did. We had a wonderful time and I saw my mother rejuvenating at 70! This poem is my dedication to her and infact is actually her mind voice ...that i heard!

Beauty of books

Titles and captions are a hook
They get tired masses to look
Does it matter where you look?
What matters is, what you see!

Intent is to share, so it spreads
Some even turn a few heads
Does it matter what you hear?
What matters is, what you listen!

Content mostly is curated & inside
Time to read or hear will decide
Does it matter how you interpret ?
What matter is, you don't fret!

Purpose, often is to drive a message
Wide acceptance makes authors a sage
Does it matter when you will apply?
What matters is, will you comply!

Back cover is an absolute must to sell
Highlights nice words, people tell
Does it matter, what is the price?
What matter is, it makes you feel nice!

Titles and captions are a hook
They get tired masses to look
Does it matter where you look?
What matters is, what you see!

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©Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this poem in an hour on the morning of 30th Sep 2018 while waiting for the priest whom we had asked to come to pray for my father on his 6th death anniversary.

Idle mind of current times look for something to get it engaged. So, i dipped into the whatsapp group to get inspired by heritage! There was a forward of a youtube video recording of an open house with Sadhguru for some law students. The title was interesting and hooked me to to see the 24 mins video. 

Interesting perspective shared in that and is subject to interpretation.

I have signed up for the Author Launch Pad by Success Gyan to publish a book. The kickoff session taught me a few facts about marketing a book, which I could correlate to my experience with this video title.

Result is this poem.

The anchor picture of this poem includes books that defined what I want to do next! 

Beauty of learning

You can listen to this poem ..click here

A time comes in our life, often at that
When we ponder "What am I good at?'
We daunt ourselves with that query
No answer to that makes us worry

As a child of seven, with full of energy
No fear, nor ego; just curiosity & synergy
Explore we do with our mother & nature
Learn we do, carefree of the future

Then comes the teen, full of life and colors
No mercy, no feeling; just inquiry & dollars
Explore we do with our friends and foes
Learn we do with no pain on our toes

Dawns upon us our youth, full of vigor
No tension, no reason; just freedom to figure
Explore we do with peers & strength
Learn we do with no one skill at length

Awaken we get as adults, full of responsibility
No peace, nor joy; just earning to our ability
Explore we do with everything & an illusion
Learn we do, with no clarity nor a vision

Then comes a time in our life, rare at that

When we realize "What we are good at!"

Explore we do with everyone and a mission

Learn we do, happiness thru' deep immersion


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©Balaji Palanidurai
I wrote this poem after attending a deep immersion session on The Chola Heritage organized by Heritage Inspired.

Please bear with the quality of video as I did it myself using a trail version :-)

Thanks to Vikas Madaan for giving voice to my poem.

Me, myself and WhatsApp

There was a time, in recent past 

WhatsApp took over me & fast
Instant replies to a beep from far
Distant, felt my folks close & for

Bin, block, hide or uninstall

My duel with it was, an order tall
Sin, i did by giving it a divorce
My life; saved from getting worse

21 days, lasted our blissful separation
Reengaged we were with negotiation
Limited touch agreed; work or pleasure
Habituated I got; no metric, no measure

Time is now & I live in the present
Ignore, I do, those beep with no resent
I even made a new circle of friends
Explore we do & I wish it never ends

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©Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this on my 44th birthday for which I had made dinner plans with family and then a movie night with my wife (after a long time!!) to see the newly released Hindi movie Karwaan. We both like Irrfan Khan & Dulquer Salman both great actors in their own category.

Unfortunately, we had to drop all plan as Mr Karunanidhi late Chief Minister of Tamilnadu passed away in the evening. State mourning was declared in his honour and the least we could do was skip our party plans. 

After some Quality time with family and nice home cook food l started browsing thorugh my birthday wishes on social media. WhatsApp was overwhelmed as I had reconnected with my school(s) friends and made a new circle of friends. This positive effect of technology prompted me recollect the opposite effect it once had and what I did to neutralize. Outcome is Me, myself and WhatsApp!!

I am sure most of you will relate to this... 

Beauty of compassion

Streets many he roamed, with
lens in hand; held with passion
Retreat home he did; tanned, with
heart in hand dipped in compassion

To bring those landscapes to life
he added color to the canvas
To see life in his portait still
in b&w he clicked one, as it was

In acts of life he zoomed & clicked
angles many, at times even twice
Facts of life, subtle but there!
beauty, he knew, lies in beholders eyes

Scanned them all in order & at ease
Stumbled, he did, upon a master piece
A pair of friends sharing a drink
Looks differed, but needs in sync

Friendship day it was,
weather sunny & clear
Inundate with it, many, i did
whether, near or dear

Streets many, in quest, we roam
Ears plugged & eyes sans emotion
Free them once and feel at home
Hear, see & live with compassion

Picture taken by Shrinath Vs 

https://www.facebook.com/shrinath.v

©Balaji Palanidurai

கண்டுகொண்டேன், கண்டுகொண்டேன்

கண்டுகொண்டேன், கண்டுகொண்டேன்

இப்பிறப்பின் இலக்கை நான் கண்டுகொண்டேன்

பாரம்பரியத்தை நோக்கி "ஒற்றன் பாதை" 

என்ற விளம்பரம் ஒன்று கண்டேன்

அச்சுற்றுப்பயணத்தின் நடத்துனர் என் நண்பன் 

என்பதில் பெருமிதம் கொண்டேன்

தமிழ் பாரம்பரியத்துக்கு உரிய 

அழகையும் பெருமையையும் கண்டேன்

அதை பார்த்து, உணர்ந்து மகிழ 

புதியதோர் உற்சாகம் கொண்டேன்

உலகம் போற்றும் இலக்கியம் மற்றும்

 பேரரசர்களின் சிலைகள் கண்டேன்

அவற்றை அறிந்து, உணர்ந்து வாழ 

மனதிலோர் உறுதி கொண்டேன்

நமது வரலாறு மற்றும் கலாச்சாரத்தை 

விவரிக்கும் கல்வெட்டுகள் பல கண்டேன்

இவை மரபுவழியில் தொலைைந்து விடுமோ என்ற அச்சம் கொண்டேன்

பயணத்தில் இரு சிட்டுகள் தம் தந்தையின் 

தோள்களில் உலா வருவதை கண்டேன்

இளைய தலைமுறை இனி தலைதூக்கி

திகழும் என நிம்மதி கொண்டேன்

பழமையின் புதுமையை அறிய உணர்த்தும்

கருவிகள் உபயோகத்தில் கண்டேன்

பழமையில் புதுமை காணும் தொழில்நுட்பத்தை 

ஊக்குவிக்க உறுதி கொண்டேன்

கண்டுகொண்டேன், கண்டுகொண்டேன்

இப்பிறப்பின் இலக்கை நான் கண்டுகொண்டேன்


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©Balaji Palanidurai

This poem is inspired by the "Beauty of our heritage" poem I wrote. I received a lot of positive feedback and appreciation for the deep meaning in that. I also received few requests to write a similar one in Tamil and this is it. I wrote this in a few hours on the morning of 28th July when I stumbled upon a WhatsApp message from a friend that had links to an article about Tamil influence in Japan and Thailand.

So, I would like to dedicate this poem to my friends Clement Anand Rajaratnam (father of Ottran Padhai) and Sandhya Aravind (Founder of ChapterTwo Life coaching) whose WhatsApp message expedited this creation.

Beauty of our heritage

Beauty of heritage is in the synergy

of tradition, buildings & language
Duty of people lies in their energy
to cascade it with pride & assuage

Diverse, are cities we live in, where
time & people move rampant & fast
Immerse, they do in routines, their 

yesterday seems like a distant past

No wonder, traditions with hardly
any existence or of age
Becomes a fashion and smartly
many call it their heritage

Buildings, preserved over ancestry
through care and diligence
Transformed into abode with luxury
throw culture in negligence

Tradition & values etched on stones
narrate to us many a story
Expeditions far & many, for thrones
curate for us a hearty history

Big temples & forts of supremacy
defied laws of nature & invasions
Stand testimony to our democracy
defined rules for modern inventions

Beauty of heritage is in the synergy
of tradition, buildings & language
Duty of people lies in their energy
to cascade it with pride & assuage

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©Balaji Palanidurai
I wrote this poem after a heritage tour I went on 20-22 July 2018 Ottran Padhai (#OttranPadhai). It was to visit heritage sites of The Cholas and beautifully curated by a good (and crazy) friend of mine, themed on a famous novel "Ponniyin Selvan" by Kalki.

I started feeling like someone from that era. It kicked off an urge to find my ancestry, which I kind of know I have that roots. This, in turn, added fuel to my quest for my heritage!

Beauty of Freedom

Freedom is beautiful, isn't it?
To say yes, one has to experience it

For some, it might be freedom of speech
Not, if all they want it for, is to preach

For some, it might be freedom of the press
Not, if all they want to share, is  news to depress

For some, it might be freedom from parenthood
Not, if all they want it for, is to look under the hood

For some, it might be freedom from their occupation
Not, if all they want it for, is to complain about the nation

For some, it might be freedom from a current relationship
Not, if all they want it for, is to flaunt another courtship

For some, it might be freedom from suffering and pain
Not, if all they want it for, is to be able to do it again

And for some, it might be freedom from life
Not, if all they want to do, is to end it with a knife

For all you know, life is beautiful and we live it once
Let's make it joyful before we become past-tense

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© Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this poem on 30th June 2018 onboard flight BA 36 sitting in a (windowless) seat 21A in the premium economy that I paid to upgrade!!
Incidents on the plane and in-flight experience inspired me to write this poem. I dedicate this to the nice cabin crew member by name Janet who said i have something in my smile to make others feel good. I have to live up to that now..no pressure.

Beauty of Happiness

Happiness, I hear, people say is a state of mind
Emptiness, mostly, is felt when one sets out to find

To measure it with clicks, likes and shares is the current trend
To treasure it from hacks and stares, fortune they spend

Joy, peace and success they say give a happy feeling
Why stop pursuing it by creating a glass ceiling?

Feelings, such, come when there is security & stability
To sustain though, one needs a personal value & capability

Happiness, I hear, people say is a state of mind
Emptiness, mostly, is felt when one sets out to find

Find, I did, my happiness through deep introspection
Sound, it resonates - Freedom to create with compassion

---------------------------------
©Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this on 17th May while waiting for my delayed flight at Gate 7 of Bengaluru airport. It was a long but fruitful day and for me a turning point. I was till then a self proclaimed Happiness Ambassador and introduced as such in a large panel discussion. Few people came to me at the end and said i was actually one!

This poem is dedicated to myself and the Uber taxi driver in Chennai who wished me and requested that i live that role for others too! Touching and powerful.

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Precision in nature

If you want to experience precision

Look no further than natures creation

Be it the stem, leaves or flowers

Be it the mountain, springs or rivers

No metrics, no scale nor measurement

No foundation, no drilling nor adjustment

They blossom and flow in cohesion

And inspire many an invention

©Balaji Palanidurai

Beauty of giving care

Click here to listen to this poem

Born, we are with beautiful qualities 

for listening and giving care
Most, we do as part of responsibilities
A few, when situation upon us stare

Respond, as a mother, we do to our baby's cry

Comes natural; hardly we need to try
Respond, as a father we do when our babies try
Nothing unnatural, if in joy, we cry

Years many pass, decorated with emotion
Toddler to an adult, we see our children transition
Our duty to give them care, with devotion
Burden, we see it not. But, truly a celebration

Then comes a time when we lie mostly awake
It's the result of ageing, not our mistake
In the duty of giving us care, our children partake
Expect we do, even if nothings' at stake

Blessed we feel when care giving is returned
Cursed, when we're heard with their backs turned
For, beauty of caregiving without empathy
Boils down to nothing but a feeling of mere pity

Wise ones always said, Caring is a quality
bestowed upon the beautiful gender
I dare ask, why this inequality?
Is it cause they give life? I wonder!

Born, we are with beautiful qualities 

for listening and giving care
Most, we do as part of our responsibilities
A few, when situation upon us stare.

---------------

©Balaji Palanidurai

The week I wrote this poem, I had met a family friend for dinner, He was very involved in taking care of his new born with his wife. I saw a proud and responsible father in him.

Earlier during that week, my son was down with flu and my wife and I took turns to caring for him. 

Later in that week, I met with another friend who had taken a sabbatical to look after his aging parents.

In above mentioned events I saw a full life cycle and got motivated to write something about giving care. Pictures in the collage are of my friends and family captured at various times, which I thought relate well to phrases in this poem.

Beauty of tears we shed

Why we cry is still a mystery
Some say, answer is in chemistry
Why do we want to know? I ask
Our feelings could do with a tear mask

Crying in sadness, anger & fear
Expressed at times by a rolling tear
Unspoken words of near & dear
Can be heard by all, loud and clear

Crying in happiness, calm & joy
Expressed alike, be it a woman or boy
Tears of legends, seen on the world stage
Is shared by all, irrespective of age

Crying in pain, agony & humiliation
Expressed with a wail or depression
More by women, I hear a few moan
Society is the cause, blame not the hormone

Crying is common in animals too, I read
How will they express? It made me dread
Insane it will be to watch them cry
Feel their emotion, its worth a try.

Why we cry is still a mystery
Some say, answer is in chemistry
Why do we want to know? I ask
Our feelings could do with a tear mask

------------------------
©Balaji Palanidurai

Last night I watched the legend Roger Federer in tears after giving his victory speech post his 20th grand slam title. It was beautiful to see the entire stadium cry with him and so did I. Earlier in the day, I was coaching my teenage daughter on fighting spirit and I noticed tears rolling of her cheeks. She did not know why she was crying, neither did I! I did a brief research and found there is quite a bit of research being doing on "why we cry?".
I think is is perfectly normal for anyone to cry, to let out out emotions - if involuntary it would be even more beautiful. Be happy!

Thank you in advance to various sites for allowing me to include your images. I do not intent to commercialize this work so I hope you will forgive me for borrowing them to express my feelings :-)

Beauty of words we speak

Choice we have, to empower

the words we speak
Voice it over, atop a clock tower
for the world to seek

Used nice, words can bind us
in love with freedom
Used wise, it can find us
a trove of wisdom

Less words create a feeling,
full of emptiness
More of it creates a ceiling,
to the wall of happiness

Words describe an event in time
as a story to be narrated
Subscribed over a period of time
history gets created

Coined together, words can provide
meaning to a phrase
Joined together to create a void,
is mean and a disgrace

To create a language with words
is a gift unique to the human race
Barrier if it creates worst than swords
be swift to critique, prima facie.

Choice we have, to empower
the words we speak
Voice it over, atop a clock tower
for the world to seek

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©Balaji Palanidurai

I am in a dilemma of the apt title for this poem - between "Beauty of words we speak" and "Power of our words" after writing the poem! I happened to see a TED India talk by lyricist Javed Akthar on "Words", which triggered this creation of my own. I hope you like it.
I created the image with words from my poem using www.wordart.com #wordart.

Beauty of small things

You can also listen to this poem.

Admire, I do, the beauty

of small things

Inspire, they do, in plenty

till my heart sings

Colorful rangoli, spread outside 

the front door of my neighbor

Wonderful and holy, she felt inside 

when I lauded her artful labor

Tiny flower in that earthen pot

hardly in my line of sight 

Shiny wonder it became on spot

when it fell in the line of sunlight 

Sparrows many flapping like a dart

noticed only when I need

Sorrows any drowning, get wiped apart

when I throw them some feed

Incense sticks lit in a corner 

felt only by its fragrance

Essence of it, if lavender 

melt I do & ease into a light trance 

Admire, I do, the beauty

of small things

Inspire, they do, in plenty

till my heart sings


©Balaji Palanidurai