Voices Within: Sangeeta Sharma

Dr. Sangeeta Sharma is a widely-published critic, poet and writer. She has authored a book on Arthur Miller and jointly edited anthologies on poetry, fiction and criticism. She is a free-lance journalist, currently head of the department, English, B.K.Birla College of Arts, Science and Commerce (Autonomous), Kalyan, Mumbai Metropolitan Region. She can be reached  at drsharma.sangeeta@gmail.com.

Positivity

I believe in love and compassion

Hate is too great a burden to bear

An attitude that is rare

But that’s how I am

The moment I think of others’

Shortcomings or sham

Am reminded of their little goodness

Somewhere in the bygone days.

Hatred  evokes

Bitterness and vengeance

God has gifted me the adroitness

To forget the craftiness

Of the Thistles and Wraiths

And be like Olivia and Topaz

Doing good even to bad.

The Urban Tragedy

Troops of Pigeons

Can be seen in urban areas

These days

Tens have become hundreds

Of late!

Fresh morning hours

Chirping and

Are all over

The sky

The trees and

The electric cables

Two pigeons-

Indulging in beak-rubbing and

Pre-mating dance

Suddenly there is a blast…

A case of short-circuiting

The two charred bodies

On the cable wires

Remain tragically glued!

Virtuous  Rose

The guy lay

Dejected and depressed

In the garden green

Beside a rose bush

Mulling over

Ways to cheer up his sullen lover

The sight of the crimson roses

Around and their fragrance

Soothes his senses.

Smiles

Plucks a long-stemmed white rose

And scuttles to his lover

Living across the lake

Offers her

The fresh stunning rose

Her puckered forehead

Gleams

Countenance beams

Sprints towards

Her beau

Stamps a kiss on his cheeks

And

Swings in his broad arms

Forgetting the

Wrangle…

Virtuous Rose!

Youth

Once it glowed and charmed

Enamoured,

One and all

You felt like an empress

Divine beauty that thawed

And dissolved

All resistance of the high and the mighty

Admired yourself

Prided in adorning,

Bedecking

And flaunting

Nonetheless,

Nothing is eternal

Especially ‘Youth’

Heyday does not last

But fades

And faints fast

Once that had

Buoyed and bloomed.

Like Cinderella who is blessed

With glory and grandeur

Resumes her old self

At the chime of 12 midnight

Similarly, age catches up

While you are still straightening.

There is haste in decline

Inertia supplants action

Debility, ability.

Pain overrules joy

Longing to hold on

Yawns,

The past grace and charm.

Voices Within - Complete List of Poets :: Setu, January 2019