Awake...

Photo: Nuwar elya,Sri lanka 2004

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




 
 
The City sleeps while I stay awake
On a winter night – It’s half past one;
What do I do for heaven’s sake?
Solitary nights are no more fun
A mosquito sings on my right ear
I clap my hands and blow my palm;
The dogs are busy- their growl I hear;
I shut the window to regain my calm.

I surf the TV channels in discontent,
From rerun movies to tele-shopping;
Bored with the repeated advertisement
I grab the remote – more tele-hopping!
What’s in sport? – Let me see – Golf!
Whoever thought that that’s a game?
The other’s showing yachting in Gulf-
My view on that is just the same.

I decide to watch the late night news-
Rape and murder, quakes and flood!
Repeated headlines, views and reviews
My eyes are already red as blood.
Stocks are falling, the market’s bad;
I turn it off ‘fore I fall into their trap;
The lizard on the wall must think I am mad,
To sit at this hour and watch such crap.

[From my archives]
060911

Express Estate Sketches...

the Octagonal smoking room

The rear side...

Parapet detail

These are few surviving pencil sketches that I had made for our Building Conservation project during my Masters program in the year 1998....This heritage structure was once the Madras Club inside the property famously known as the Express Estate in Chennai. A shopping Mall (Express Avenue) has now replaced this heritage structure ..

The Cardinal...

Art by Ashok....Poster colors on Paper

Flowers...

Art by ashok

Dawn...

Cuddled to my pillow, I lie so still
Half Awake –as in chemistry class;
The lone myna on my window sill
Rhythmically pecks on the tinted glass.

In chorus my neighbor’s cocks crow shrill;
I look up the skylight- two herons pass.
The wavy silhouette of a far off hill-
Sleeping in peace like a curvy lass.

The early breeze is fresh and chill
Caressing the dew drops on the grass;
It eases through the bamboo frill-
Soothing the soul like Ilayaraja’s bass.

The mongrels bond and bark at will
To greet the milkman’s chiming brass;
I flip my pillow for a cooler quill-
Soaked in the moment’s languid jazz.

I yawn and soon I yearn for a fill-
Coffee in bed is not so crass!
I snuggle, nuzzle and laze until
My mobile rings to break the impasse.

[one of my favorites from my archives, 09.05.2011]