Bread

Soft, crisp, round & square;
people eat bread
Depends, where they were
born and bred!

Relished with breakfast, lunch, dinner
or even as a starter
Getting a small piece of it, for some,
is still a big matter!

8000 CE, the grain was first crushed
battered and baked in an oven

Flat at first, from Egypt to the world
it evolved; the method was proven

French call it baguette, Egyptians as pitta,
Indian double roti and English as bread

What's in a name? When hunger strikes
humanity and hospitality must spread.

-----------------
©Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this poem on 27th April 2017. The trigger was the scene in front of me on the breakfast table by the window in StayAt Bromma overlooking the street leading to the Bromma train station. I was there on business trip and stayed there for 2 weeks. Breakfast was simple and had a continental spread and I loved the butter there!

The slice of bread and the salt and pepper dispensers in ghost form in front of me got me to think about the importance of bread in our life. I also became a fan of the Crisp bread and started googling for history of bread. I wanted to save this information for my future reference and wrote it in a format that I would like to read - Poem!

Open spaces, closed minds

"It's a small world", a phrase we use
When we meet people from faraway land.
"Narrow minded", the phrase we use
When we see people with blood in hand.

We read then about battles fought over
love and pride in mythology and history.
We read now about war fought over
Ideology, hate & other reasons, a mystery.

Machines we invented to rear the herd,
sail the sea and pierce the air.
Machines used to plough through a crowd
before they realize, is totally unfair.

Freedom of choice,humanity & compassion
It's taught in closed spaces with open mind.
Freedom by choice, cruelty and execution
It's sought in open spaces with closed mind.

"It's a big world" with billions aboard
and more to come, open spaces not many.
"Open minded" let's become and,
live and let live with peace and harmony.

-------------
©Balaji Palanidurai

Submitted to WAX Poetry in September 2017

Executive presence

Executive Presence, named was the course we attended
Provocative in essence, it turned to be and some felt mended

Feeling of the class was measured using some post-it on a mercury scale
Ceiling of the stage got scorched
seeing some plank-it and their pride scale

POW in effect was the next best action after we planked
Wow n perfect was the outcome and Victoria got thanked

Heathrow there, loved the power of one and our ideas to disrupt
He threw there, showed his power of one and got the dance floor to erupt

Passion, compassion, steady were few brands called out as personal
Brutal too was in the mix, which on the face sounded unconventional

Presence is a feeling, we realized and learnt how to make it executive
Made sense and was appealing, when applause got consecutive

In-doors mostly we were and felt incubated in a happy nest
Ambassadors we flew out as, to spread happiness

Eventually, Life too will have a meaning and presence
Executive it will become when we understand its essence

----
©Balaji Palanidurai

I wrote this poem as a parting note to the team with whom I attended a training course "Executive Presence " . Mar/Apr 2017.
POW - Powerful Opening Words a tip given to us to make a good speech
Victoria was our the course facilitator

Sentiments from Singapore bird park

Back to pavilion after romancing with 600 species of birds from the world! 
My experience holding those birds on my hands brought out words from my heart..

Here is a poem that I think you might find cool

Wish i did this trip when I was in school

Birds, some thriving amidst humble caretakers and loving guest,   🤗
While some seem to be missing its natural habitat & sunlight was its quest

(all penguins were looking towards sunroof!!)

People applauded when the parrots were made to speak,

I felt they were more beautiful when hanging on its beak!

Joy and excitement among scores of people on the night safari

When they learnt only 600 tigers are left all felt very sorry

I saw 6 black elephants preserved through donated dollors($)

Else, in a few years they will decorate our shelves in various colors!

Glad I made this trip during Chinese new year

Else, it would be a fancy from what I read and hear   ☺️

Lots of acquaintance and few friends 

I will endeavor my connect with them never ends!

©Balaji Palanidurai

..

Too sweet from inside

Realization that I could scribble poems came 6 months post a master health checkup in 

April 2016 when the report indicated that I was too sweet from inside! My doc helped me 

get back into shape and I wrote a thank you note to her...

Your intervention last April

sent down my spine a shrill

Your prognosis for my condition

got my mind to recondition

You said I may need to go on insulin

That’s when the real issue sunk in

You prescribed minor medication

but put more emphasis on meditation

I blindly followed your advise

As I felt you are very wise

I stuck to the regime & went through the motion

Guess what, that gave me a promotion!

I also changed my lifestyle

That eventually helped to run 6.5 miles!

I was diagnosed with diabetes

That is now at ease.

©Balaji Palanidurai