Beauty of Passion

Passion, it's our love for doing a thing

A thing that brings about a strong feeling
A feeling that we find hard to articulate
Articulate, we still do - with passion!

Passion, it starts with a genuine interest
An interest that clings on like a bodysuit

An interest that triggers a never ending pursuit

An interest that makes all else to follow suit

Passion, in its abstract form lives in our dream

A dream that does not let us sleep

A dream that inspires us to take a leap

A dream that makes us look within, real deep

Passion, in its pure form shapes our ambition

Ambition that often leads to contradiction

Ambition that sees no bounds or deviation

Ambition that propels our life into motion

Passion, in reality sustains our life goals

Goals that are personal yet not privy

Goals that are admirable sans envy

Goals that are mindful of mad chevy

Passion, in the end leads to our transformation

Transformation that inspires to join and compete

Transformation that empowers to accept a mean feet

Transformation that makes us whole and complete.

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

© Balaji Palanidurai

This narrative poem is my personal best, so far. This could be the work of art that, my instinct tells, will influence what I do for the next 10 years!

If you notice there will be a gap of (exactly) 4 months between my previous piece of work and this one. Quite a lot happened during these 4 months. For a start I (re)discovered, validated and started living (up to) my passion. I may  have even helped a few more people find their passion. Or that's what they said - some did explicitly and others through their renewed outlook to life! 

This was also a crucial period when I worked with a team of passionate people who volunteered to do some research work and contribute to my pet project - to empower the youth of India. I am greatly indebted to this team and each of them were/are/will be a source of inspiration for me on my endeavor to execute my pet project.

The turning point (in my son's life too) happened during this time. Both of us had  the best time together; did some adventure and created memories that my son says he will remember for life. I certainly will! His transformation made me realize what passion is. I call it "Papaya Passion"; a short story on this coming soon. Watch this space....

The anchor image for this poem is a word cloud I created using www.wordclouds.com with keywords used in the poem. One can mix and match and choose a shape and I quite liked this shape. The placement of words is pure luck (or artificial intelligence) and is apt for this poem - "interesting ambition inspires passion"! 

So, what's your passion?

Beauty of Choice

Choice in our life, is a luxury.

Enticed with options, so many

choose we do, sans any worry;

about people, planet or prosperity!

Choice we have, for our lifestyle.

To wake up with a bright smile,

Treat roads like the winding Nile,

Laceup and jog for a mile.

Choice we have on food we eat.

We debate the good in rice over wheat,

Proteins we search in greens and meat,

Farm we do till resources deplete.

Choice we have for clothes we wear.

Civilized to be, so not to bare.

Fashion we call no shelf to spare,

Decompose it won't; ozone we tear!

Choice, when comes to essential

Our minds get into denial.

Care then we do; for survival

life too, gets an emotional upheaval.

Choice, when comes to survival

What we do determines revival.

If our choice be wise & responsible

Life too, will be one big carnival!

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

© Balaji Palanidurai

The girl in this picture is my daughter. It was a candid click while shooting her DIY video that she worked on for Parent Circle magazine during this lockdown.

These are words from the bottom of my heart. Each paragraph is inspired by a news item or post I saw regarding the state of our world in the times of COVID 19.

This piece of work is dedicated to 

- that daily wage labourers for whom my daughter and I bought essentials from the grocery store in my neighbourhood. COVID lockdown had forced her to beg for survival

- to my children who have been a sport throughout this tough period and making wise choices on food and clothes to wear etc

- the humans who flocked to buy meat and fish when the butcher opened after 3 weeks

- all lives we lost due to this pandemic 

Beauty of Teaching

Teaching, people say

is a noble profession

Ask a teacher and she will say

it's an emotion

It's her joy, to nurture a flourishing 

dream in a child

And live that dream with them, 

however small or wild

It's her joy, to realize the purity 

in a child's thought
And share with them, 

free of any judgmental knot

It's her joy, to inspire young minds 

so the country thrives
And works toward building 

a value system in their lives

It's her joy, to create an environment 

free of threat and fear
And cajole the fragile hearts 

to unleash their superpower

It's her joy, to be present in the moment 

with cheer and glow
And notice a new enlightenment 

in them as they grow

It's her joy, to see more of her male counterpart

share her vision
And together transform a generation 

like avengers on a mission!

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

© Balaji Palanidurai
PC: indiatoday.in

A post in one of my WhatsApp group (of friends with whom I attended a Storytelling course) triggered a spark to write this poem. The post was simple and asked 

"Girls complete this sentence.

I am proud to be a teacher because..." 

Response started trickling through the morning and that is all I needed to invoke my creative veins and voila we ended up writing this poem. It also got me thinking why teaching is still looked at as a profession for women, especially in the early childhood years/kinder garden. I did read an article recently that 2 men quit their high paying corporate jobs to start a kinder garden soon, welcome change!

Thanks to my Kathalaya friends for sharing their views, which inspired this creation!! 

-----------

I dedicate this poem to Mr Prem Kumar founder  of Bumblebee Trust and Kalvi40 who is focused on uplifting the rural Tamilnadu & Puducherry Government schools eco system.

https://www.kalvi40.com/team/prem-kumar/

And the Mrs Kamatchi G HM of Karapakkan Govt High School in Chennai who is keen on leveraging the wider ecosystem to give the best possible education for her school staff and children.

Beauty of Storytelling

Storytelling is a noble and beautiful art
It thrives with indulgence of the heart
With love & passion if stories get impart
Joy of listening is said to be worlds apart

At the core of this art are four founding pillars
When mastered, they help create engaging tellers
Stories with hope, truth and belief aide the teller
Love for the story, alone, can make it a bestseller

Stories come to life through a teller's expression
Often, leaves many with a lasting impression
Stories with fantasy and fiction trigger wild imagination
Cascade, it must get, through to the next generation

A skilled storyteller is like a two humped camel
Their hunch to observe and listen makes them able
Variation in their tone adds flavor to a fable
Carry us they do, to eternity, on a silky saddle

Beauty of a story is enhanced through its telling
Lack of energy may result in airborne shelling
Glamour all facts; so it sounds compelling
May its glory shine in each & every dwelling

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

I wrote this poem onboard Chennai Express train from Bengaluru to Chennai. I (with my wife) was returning home post a 3 days workshop on storytelling conducted by Kathalaya Trust. Wonderful learning from its founder Madam Geeta Ramanujam and 20 other participants all now complete listeners and observers, which I learnt are key traits of a good storyteller.

My writing journey started on my numerous travels, often resulting in an oasis of stories. But some months would pass without any travel and hence no stories . I thought journey of a camel in a desert would be a good metaphor for this, which I have tried to embed in this poem. Hope you like it.

Beauty of Goodwill

Fortunate you are to experience a goodwill

Culminate it does over time, not at will
Inherit though some do, sans a written will
Alas, acquire some do by passing a bill

Maintain it well, like it is your health
Sustain it will, like your wealth
Jealously it may create, at times in stealth
Seriously if taken, may plant thoughts of filth

Asset it is not, still worthy of a credit
Liability it becomes if not followed by a debit
Leverage it wisely, never misuse it
Else, erode it will - bit by bit

Intangible it can be on your balance sheet
Responsible if you are it will often repeat
Intention if there is to amass and cheat
Tension it creates and will soon deplete

Respect it well, so it becomes your legacy
Suspect none will or call it a fallacy
Adopt its heritage they will in infancy
Your goodwill, of all, will rein in supremacy

Fortunate you will be to experience goodwill
Accumulate it over time, never at will
Inherit if you did, do pass it on in your will
Acquire, never do, by passing a bill

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

©Balaji Palanidurai
January has been busy with setting up my consulting business and working on my first client project. Preoccupied mind is not creative and I experienced it during his period - result there was no poem in Jan.

But, few events in my daily life and recent holiday in the East triggered something  - goodwill of  vendors that I meet who don't hesitate to top up my vegetable purchase with some greens or that extra couple of bananas when I buy a dozen.

I think about help my wife extends to our servant maid at times in kind and sometimes monetary - all in goodwill!

I also remember the incident when the AT&T lady topped up my phone card (free of cost) during our holiday in USA - actually their system was not able to recognize my UK post code and local post code was not matching with the credit card address! $10 just added.

Goodwill is such a good thing, so lets admire its beauty.

Pssst: I asked my 14 year old daughter to make me a cartoon for this poem and she did one. At first I could not relate to it. When she explained the story I realized she thinks deeper than me!!

Its a large family that buys some goodies. The last kid does not get a piece. So, the shopkeeper give her a piece out of goodwill!

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------
©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

---------------------------
©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.

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


--------------------
©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.

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

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

----------------------------------------
©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

--------–----------------
© 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.

–----------------

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

----------

©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