I don’t travel alone, I travel with myself’ ….
Meanwhile, I carry
The depth of my thoughts
The echoes of my dreams and
The endless dialogues within …..
Tell me, how do you travel?
How Do You Travel
Category: Short poem
A Young Heart and Taj Mahal
A tender heart treads softly
There at Taj Mahal …
And the marble gleams bright
On her …
As she wears a young love –
Endlessly searching through timeless steps …
Suddenly, I can’t quite understand why I wanted those shoes so much …
I still love the shoes I wore that day, and I remember the feeling of walking around in it. It was our first trip abroad—just the three sisters, our brother, and our parents. We sisters were fond of this type of Lehenga, which was very popular at the time. So, I chose one and matched it with the perfect shoe. We bought these in Kolkata (Calcutta) and traveled from there to Delhi, then Agra, Jaipur, and other places.
On that day, we chose to wear this attire specifically for our visit to the Taj Mahal. It was such a beautiful day—I still remember it vividly. We got ready to see the Taj Mahal in person, wearing our special outfits. My jewelry consisted only of earrings and a watch. In our youth, we didn’t need any makeup, and we three sisters looked stunning in our attire. I still remember how much my father loved our outfits and took great care of us. He made sure we all took pictures in front of the Taj just like this.
Needless to say, I felt incredibly elegant in my own skin—beautiful, serene, warm, and quiet.
I was a very quiet girl back then—so quiet that my close ones used to call me ‘Dead Beauty.’
However, I wish to visit Taj again ..
Do you wish to visit with me?
Finding Joy
Desires unmet, dreams fade
Yet, gratitude fills the heart
Finding joy in what we have …
Discovering happiness doesn’t always involve fulfilling your desires.; it’s about cherishing what you already possess and expressing gratitude for it …
Finding Joy in life’s simple yet priceless pleasures, like
-relishing solitude at home
-preparing homemade meals
-writing letters in such era of emojis and instant messaging
-engaging in agenda less conversations with loved ones
-spreading joy with smiles and laughter
-lighting fragrant candles
-tending to plants, and
-expressing ‘I love you’ selflessly and unconditionally
-coming back to home by walking and appreciating the friendly neighbourhood and the beautiful surroundings with greenery and flower blossoming
And many more of such things ….
Please do share some of your small moments in which you find joy ….
What It Is
It is madness
says reason
It is what it is
says love …
It is unhappiness
says calculation
It is nothing but pain
says fear
It has no future
says insight
It is what it is
says love …
It is ridiculous
says pride
It is foolish
says caution
It is impossible
says experience
It is what it is
says love …
What it is by Erich Fried
Love this poem and read it many times. Do you love such poems?
I love many of them …
First and foremost, allow me to share Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43, ‘How Do I Love Thee?’
It begins with the iconic lines:
‘How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways…’
These two lines alone contain volumes of meaning, and I find myself revisiting them often …
There’s another poem, I love, and that is ‘Hope’ by Emily Dickinson
‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all’ …
I may not be good at recitation, but I have a deep passion for reading and appreciating the intricate artistry of language. The way words are arranged to evoke emotions, convey wisdom, and capture the essence of life, love, and nature resonates deeply with me. It’s in these moments, amidst the twists and turns of expression, that I find myself enamored with the beauty of language and the emotions it encapsulates …
See, when you read ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost, won’t you just love this famous poem?
‘The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep’ …
Here’s another eloquent excerpt from the renowned poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost:
‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.’
This poem resonates deeply with me and holds a special place in my heart, as I often find myself reflecting on its message of making pivotal choices that shape one’s journey.
I have a profound admiration for another poem, namely ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.’ Its expression conjures the sense of companionship, as if the lover is spiritually present, ensuring one is not alone:
‘Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky’ …
Isn’t it beautiful?
I’m certain many of you appreciate these poems. There are numerous others, but I’d like to share just a few of my absolute favorites with you all, such as ‘Leisure’ by William Henry Davies:
‘What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare …
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.’
To selectively share excerpts from the poem is my means of conveying:
Please delve into the poems I’m presenting here—
read them when solitude surrounds you,
read them in the company of your beloved,
read them among friends,
read them with strangers,
read them in tranquility,
read them amidst chaos …
but above all, I hope you
read them in their entirety …
Read
Sharing one of my recent painting video from ‘Chaos’ series. Hope you may like it. Also I tried to read the poem ‘What It Is’. Hope you would like listening to it as well ….
And also please do share here about your favourite poems …..
Hope
Blooms glow …
Hope is in petals bright
Nature promises in breeze …
Part of my morning rituals are spent in my little varandah garden! It refreshes me …. Love the sound of the chirping birds, the warm light, smell of the wind and greens and flowers … Some days I read here with a glass of warm honey water and some days a cup of tea … with a little conversation … These days are Ramadan days, the most blessed days and I’m healing from my broken finger …. I hope it’ll be alright soon … and everything too
Hope …
Let the blooms bring hope …
Hijr
Your thoughts are coming in waves …
Ceaselessly, constantly …
Crashing upon my mind’s shorelines;
Uncontrollably …
Hijr/ urdu
(n.) the feeling of having lost or been separated from a loved one ….
Meraki
My canvas of delight is
Dancing bright …
My passion is igniting
A colorful sight …
My soul is painting
A tranquil choir …
My emotion is healing
With peace and fire …
Meraki
(v.) to do something with soul, creativity or love; to leave a piece and essence of yourself in something you do …
In Poetry We Say …
In English we say,
I love to write …
In poetry we say,
Ink spills from the pen,
Words dance upon the page’s breath and
Each letters have taken my heartbeat
And thus poetry becomes my infinite playground …
How do you say in poetic verses about your love for writing?
I love to connect through words and I feel so happy when you write to me …. I love to read as well …. Now in poetry, how would you say that?
What If
What if it all works out?
What if you get that call?
What if today goes unexpectedly well?
What if you have what it takes?
What if you meet someone unexpectedly?
What if today you make the day best with what you have?
What if someone is praying for you?
What if you receive that one mail?
What if someone has special feelings for you?
What if someone tells you that?
What if you go on that trip with someone for a day or two?
What if the trip takes you to another state of mind?
What if you return with a complete different state of heart?
What if you do not know what’s next?
What if the best is yet to come?
What if great things are on the way?
What if you don’t search for any answer?
What if the answer is within you?
I love all the ‘What ifs’ …
What ifs’ give me hope …
Heimweh
Echoes of your absence linger
In the winds of change; …
These days! ….
My heart aches
Unknowingly and why do
‘I miss you’? – I strangely sigh
These days! ….
Heimweh/ german
(n.) a longing for home
Little Joy
So she was absent for one day
And came to school the next day and she came to my desk room to see me. She was standing at the doorstep and she called me softly,
‘Miss’ …..
I looked at her, and got up from my desk and went closer to the doorstep and touching her soft cheek, I said,
‘Hello Mumma! How’re you sweety? You were absent yesterday. I heard that you had toothache. How’s your toothache now?
I was saying all these to her at a go …
And she said to me ‘Did you miss me?’ with such deep affectionate look at me and with a softer voice that it almost melted my heart with pure bliss …
It was so heartwarming, I immediately gave her a hug and said, ‘Of course, I missed you dear. I missed you so much.’
It seemed she felt good to hear those words for her and then she hugged me for a few seconds and smiled ….
And then she noticed my buddy taping fingers
‘What happened?’ – serious concerns with full of innocent sympathy
‘It just was an accident my dear.’ I answered.
‘Is this hurting you?’ She couldn’t get it what’s that!
‘Well, yes! A little’ ….
‘How did it happen?’ – asked like an adult as if she would understand the whole situation …
She kissed my buddy taping and asked me, ‘Should I draw something on your bandage? So it’ll be cured faster.’
‘Oh dear! Really? You can draw of course.’
Then she brought out her special colour box and said to me, ‘I want to use the colors that you prefer today. Cause it’s your bandage on your hand.”
Then I chose some colors, pink, purple, green yellow …
She drew this one. She drew a heart, a flower …. For me ….
She asked me, ‘Did you like it?
I know you all know what my answer was to her …
Now you tell me, ‘Do you like this Little Joy’?’
Do you value such little joy in your life?
How sometimes we get someone’s affection and we don’t even notice ….
How sometimes you know that you’re someone special in someone’s heart, and yet you do not care much or ignore or you take that for granted …
How often we do not acknowledge these little joys of life …
Often I do find these ‘Little Joy’ moments in my life and I value them deeply. I believe life is made up of these little moments, precious memories, vulnerability and love that all add up to create a big canvas of your life. We should know that the bigger picture cannot be made without all the small moments that bring it all together. So
‘I hope you find, as I did, that happiness comes from noticing and enjoying the little things in life’
Natsukashii
I sit alone by the brook,
A thought, interrupting, time and again-
Better I put my words aside …
Natsukashii/ japanese
(n.) A nostalgic longing for the past; Fondly remembering something with a wistful sense of nostalgia ….
Palletes of Nature
Hello Artist,
That dream was planted in your heart for a reason. No one else can dream it for you, no one else can accomplish it …
Be kind to yourself …
Follow your dream …
Loving this colorful echoes, my little palletes of nature …
Steadily, Casually
Steadily, casually
I’ve become accustomed
To reading your words ….
What an enchanting time
It is ….
To be drawn to you
To be close to you …
Steadily, casually
Reading your words
I’ve become accustomed
To finding my heart …
Oubaitori
Lost, found, blooms anew …
Mountains stand in silent strength …
Far, but near, a song unfolds …
Oubaitori/ japanese
(n.) the idea that people, like flowers, bloom in their own time and in their individual ways ….
A remarkable day today, A Monday! Je t’aime comme tu es ….
I♥️
Humepenthe
Steam swirls,
Chaotic warmth in coffee cup,
Awake, senses grace, within ….
Humepenthe/ made up
(n.) someone who makes you forget er your pain and sorrow; someone with whom you forget all your worries ….
Humepenthe is a made up word (@cosmosbyrudra) made with combination of human + nepenthe which human form of a drug which was given to people to forget or lessen their pain and suffering in ancient time ….
A Few Words
Missing You is Love
It’s
quite
a feeling
normalising
missing someone …
Missing you is love …
Don’t you think so?
Musings
There’s a Buddha in me saying,
‘When in doubt and confusion, pause.’
There’s a soulmate in me saying,
‘Do not fear. Be vulnerable. Love.’
#roksanatales
In Pattaya, Thailand
Towards You
You’re …
You’re
My prayer and
My faith deeper than the deepest ocean …
You’re
My certain without reasons
My happiness without doubt …
You’re
My ballad, a musical dancer …
My chaos in search for an answer …
And you’re
My rainbow through the clouds
Now, here and wherever we’re …
Prayers of Happiness
A simple prayer
Powerful enough
‘You deserve happy’ …
You think you can stop loving someone,
But in reality
You can only hide that feeling,
You never stop loving …
Because once you love someone,
There’s no undoing it …
There’s only prayers of
Happiness for them …
A Melancholic Music
You are like a music
Which creates melancholic
moods inside my heart …
A melody that lingers, night and day …
I take time to listen to it,
I find myself enchanted;
When nothing seems to ease my restlessness
I listen to you, my music
To walk the long journey of life
Even though it only creates melancholic moods
But you are like that music to me
Loving, healing, heart-touching
Connecting my soul to you
Forever and always ….
The Moonlit Night, Tonight
I’m so lost now …
Seeing you
In the breeze of the moonlit night …
That faraway moon brightens our long conversations so much,
That it feels
Like we could talk forever
In the deep of this moonlit night …
I’m so lost now
Looking deep in your eyes
As you whisper sweet nothings
In the breeze of the moonlit night tonight …
A Symphony of Love …
The paths and the valleys are glowing
There is magic in mountains and waterfalls
The air is reciting the story of our love ….
There
I felt shy when you came near to me
The breeze could hear the breaths of my silent shyness … but I couldn’t …
Here
My unheard songs are echoing across the mountains
Even though I’m feeling a bit lonely
Without you ….
Yet this loneliness has a fragrance of you
Our love has hopes for tomorrow
This distance looks good to me …
The paths and the valleys are glowing
There is magic in mountains and waterfalls
The air is reciting the story of our love ….
Grey isn’t What I’m Meant to be …
Life is somewhat grey
Everywhere
Just monotony
Lost and lonely …
Don’t you know?
Only when you stay
Life is colorful ….
A hopeful glow
Echoes of brighter joy
Birds sing cheerful songs
Rays of sunshines warm my cheeks
My yellow dyed dreams return …
Now it’s grey
Everywhere …
When will you come?
Without you, I feel grey ….
Don’t you know?
Grey isn’t what I’m meant to be …
And Promise Me …
And promise me
You’ll always remember:You’re
A. A Milne, Winnie the Pooh
Braver than you believe, and
Stronger than you seem, and
Smarter than you think.”
.
.
On the road
#roksanatales
A Home
I haven’t met you
I haven’t seen you
But often I feel a home in you …
.
.
.
Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there anymore, and therefore joy is not necessary; beauty alone reigns there, beyond all demands”-
Halldór Laxness
A Postcard from Kashmir
Meeting among The Mountains
I dreamt of walking
On mountains
And
I dreamt of meeting
You ….
Here I’m walking
On the lands of magical mountains …
High above the crowds and the clouds,
Under the ancient pine trees
I’m in its close embrace ..
Surrendering to the magnificence …
Believe, I could see nothing
In the thread of mist
Caressing the wind
Everywhere I see
You …
Only you …
Heart full of gratitude for this gift of being alive to see the magnificent heavenly beauty by The Divine.
Kashmir, Heaven on Earth
Roksana Tales 