balroop singh

The Power Of #Music

Published on October 14, 2021October 13, 2021 by balroop singh43 Comments

Music must have been inspired from the spontaneous sounds of nature around us – the rustling of leaves, the whispering of pines, the rippling of rivers, the gurgling of waterfalls…the cooing of pigeons, the roaring of lions…

The sounds and rhythms that emanate from earth and sky, from mountains and rivers, from forests and seas must have stimulated the flow of musical notes.

First musical instrument is said to be the human voice – which can make a number of sounds like humming, whistling, clicking and singing.

“Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.” –Alphonse de Lamartine.

I have always felt the truth of these words. Music has been my most natural refuge, my beloved book of literature; I could feel its emotive effect even as a child. I could speak to it, I could drown my sorrows in its ever-flowing strains and absorb all the wisdom from the lyrics.

It has always assuaged my lacerations, brightened my hours, added glow to my little joys and given wings to my fantasy flights. Music speaks to us, it whispers sweet melodious sounds into our ears.

Even now, whenever I feel like dropping out of this world, I go to my favorite music. All my dreams and reflections merge into those trills floating around me and I feel at ease.

The power of music transcends beyond just entertainment:

It elevates our mood.
It educates and inspires.
It enhances our creativity.
It increases our emotional sensitivity
It acquaints us with rhythm and harmony.
It makes us happy.
It relaxes and calms our mind and nerves.
It gives solace and serenity.
It is a natural healer.

Music therapy has been used for times immemorial and more recently for psychiatric disorders, medical problems, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, communication disorders, interpersonal problems and aging.

It is also used to improve learning, build self-esteem and reduce stress. Even plants respond to good music and grow better.

Whether it is traditional music or modern, all age groups have felt its power since the beginning of human existence.

Which music is good music?

Though it depends on your own choice and mood but good music, to my mind, leaves an eternal effect, it becomes ‘a bliss of solitude’…we wish to return to it again and again, to experience that calming effect.

Music that is rattling and foot tapping gives momentary joy, which wears off just like the modern intoxicants.

If you meet it just for entertainment, it’s thrilling.

If you approach it for aesthetic pleasure, it’s ecstatic.

If you seek spiritual solace from it, it’s blissful.

Which kind of music do you like? I would love to hear your views.

(Pulled out from my archives)

Thank you.

If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry

Tyranny of Time

Published on October 7, 2021October 6, 2021 by balroop singh59 Comments

Today, I am trying a new form of poetry.

#Shardoma is a new form for me, as I have never tried to write it. Here are three of them (my first experiment) but all credit goes to Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge #Poet’s choice, which inspires “to experiment with freestyle poetry, as long as you also add a syllabic form to your poem.”

In a crowd
searching for someone
Didn’t know who!
Mute faces
wondering: why are we here?
Trapped by conditions

Narrow paths
Resounding chaos
Strange echoes
No outlet
to escape the tyranny
of time that stood still

Glow of light
A sliver of hope
for millions
Fragmented
by self-centered autocrats
to prove their power
© Balroop Singh

Thank you for the inspiration Colleen.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry

Flashes of Life @pamelawight #BookReview

Published on September 30, 2021September 30, 2021 by balroop singh74 Comments

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it,” says Ernest Holmes but life is a tide for my writer & blogger buddy Pamela S. Wight and she derives utmost joy from the tiny moments of the past and present, surfing the waves with perfect coordination. She shares her reflections in the form of short stories (each one better than the other) in her latest book: ‘Flashes of Life – True Tales of the Extraordinary Ordinary.’

Book Blurb:

Wow! Life goes by in a flash.

Philosophers and mystics ponder the mystery of these flashes. Pamela Wight writes about life flashes in her short stories that include family and friends, love and life’s challenges. Wight’s “Flash Memoir” promotes the belief that we all share sparks of the extraordinary that occur in our everyday life. Each short story is true and brings a smile of recognition to her readers: that life transports and enthralls us in all its confusing, amusing, challenging, and astonishing ways. Each story is light-hearted and short – like a flash – but be prepared for a page-turner that keeps you in your seat, smiling.

Here is my My Review:

Flashes of Life by Pamela S. Wight brings to life those little moments of joy, which we often miss, those emotions that remain unexpressed, those relationships that we cherish and wish we could hold on to them as they slip out of our hands, however hard we may close our fists. Wight possesses the knack of converting an ordinary scenario into a humorous one, with her witty style of writing. I’ve never read a more marvelous account of the endeavor of a fourteen-year-old girl, to straighten her hair to look like ‘Jane Asher!’

I know Pamela writes with élan, as I follow her at her blog but this memoir, in the form of little stories and anecdotes from her life is amazing! She can look at the mirror and wonder, “where’s the cute twenty-year-old? Who the hell is this freaky lady?” I must have thought that a million times when I look at myself but only Pamela could express it so well to compress it into ‘Dancing Our Age.’ Her crisp style and ingenious choice of words adds a dash of delight that touches your heart immediately. Her stories flow like a gurgling stream, cascading at times and shimmering like the first rays of winter sun.

I thought ‘Straight Hair’ would be my favorite but then I read ‘How to Embarrass Your Kids’ (loaded with fun) and ‘A Renewal’ – dripping with subtle emotions and ‘Grilled Cheese,’ which is wonderfully narrative: “kitchen as tiny as an elf’s, and it has already taken me four minutes, thirty-eight seconds to find a knife to cut the cheese.” Wight is most creative but it hits the sky with ‘It’s All Golden!’ Just look at this: “my thirty year old son, once my hard child”, as hard as sleet on soft grass. I was the grass.” I loved ‘Nap Time,’ I laughed out loud while reading ‘Burnt Toast’ and would never forget her winter coat that she wore when it was 70 degrees outside! You have to read it to find why!

I have no words to describe the superb beauty of ‘The Weight of the Soul’ and ‘Benji.’ Need I say this is a MUST READ book? I would like to give it double 5 stars and keep it at my bedside to read it again and again.

– Balroop Singh.

Welcome my guest Lauren Scott #NewRelease

Published on September 23, 2021September 22, 2021 by balroop singh73 Comments

I am pleased to welcome Lauren Scott, (my author buddy) with her new release: ‘More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose.’ I’ve already read this delightful book and enjoyed it. There is something for everybody in the moments that have been shared in this book.

Book Blurb:

From the early woes of childhood and teen years, this collection of stories and poems paints a picture of young dreams and fears. But as adulthood sets in, these dreams and fears change. More than Coffee touches on love and loss, nature and endurance, marriage and parenting. In these memories, humor diffuses fear and taking risks proves to be a powerful method in boosting self-confidence. Through it all, whether in the wilderness near a sparkling lake or in the comfort of home, there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee. A poignant and reflective collection of verse and prose that is best enjoyed sipping your favorite coffee roast.

Excerpt:

Red Lipstick

With childlike fascination,
I leaned against the door frame
watching her apply a little
powder to her nose,
a touch of red to her lips.
No more, no less. She was flawless.
Then our eyes locked –
an unspoken connection.
Questions never-ending,
I gently tucked her wisdom
in a safe space where I could
draw from it easily.
I’d love to share tales
of life she’s missing.
Perhaps, again someday.
© Lauren Scott

My Review:

More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose by Lauren Scott is a heart-warming memoir that captures lovely moments of childhood, of parents’ love, of attachments, of campfires and hiking with the love of her life. The blissful moments come alive as Scott revels in the good times, letting nostalgia transport her into a time machine, to watch the reel unfold like “pictures on a camera roll.” She talks about the value of some priceless gifts that are handed down from one generation to another; she takes pride in the stories that such “gems” tell to evoke fond memories of parents. Only the happy times have been shared in this book.

Written in a simple and straight-forward style, Lauren’s poetry is realistic. ‘To My Babies’ tugged at my heart and I am sure all mothers can relate to this charming poem. Fragrant memories of “Earthquake Cake” made me smile. ‘Simple Existence’ is thought-provoking and made me pause to comprehend the depth of words that dance across “desert dunes and boundless oceans.” ‘Forever Steady’ too gives you a reflective message to take a breather, look at the magical wilderness of nature and see how “delightfully birds sing and trees welcome our company.”

I loved this book and finished it within an hour. If you value relationships and family bonding, this book is for you. I gave it five shimmering stars.

Meet the Author/Poet:

Lauren has authored two collections of poetry: New Day, New Dreams(2013) and Finding a Balance (2015). In the last couple of years, she began exploring memories from her past, penning them into short memoirs. She lives in Northern California with her husband, Matthew, and their lovable canine, Copper; they have two adult children. Family has been an aspect of life she has always held dear. From her experiences over three decades: raising a family, grieving through loss, finding joy in the smallest things, and the many backpacking and camping adventures, her writing takes a magical path of its own.

The marvelous wild world that surrounds her: the smell of the woods, the sound of a babbling brook, and the chorus of birds never disappoint in providing inspiration. Recent backpacking trips with Matthew along the California coast and Sierra Nevada have stirred up thoughts to write about love, lost friendship, family, and the possibility that anything can happen. Hikes along the Paper Mill Creek remind her that life is fragile. From trout hatchlings to swallowtail butterflies, Lauren is marveled at how the world is interconnected and that every living thing matters. She is a poet, short memoir writer, and nature lover who hopes her readers will find a little nugget of delight, comfort, or understanding in her poetry and stories – some detail that resonates with them beyond her words.

Purchasing Links:

US: Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22a75vhj

UK: Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/xat7wru

BLOG: https://baydreamerwrites.com/

Thank you for your lovely support. Please share this post at your favorite social networks.

Balroop Singh.

Book review

Published on September 16, 2021September 15, 2021 by balroop singh37 Comments

Every month, I read and review one ‘Amazon first read’ but have never shared the reviews here despite some fabulous books that I’ve read. This month I happened to pick up a book, which I would like to talk about, as it comments on the most relevant topic – a disturbing fact that nobody likes to discuss.

Before I share my review of the book, I would like to quote a few lines from William Blake’s poem ‘The Little Black Boy,’ written in 1789:

My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but O! my soul is white;
…….

My mother taught me underneath a tree
And sitting down before the heat of day,
She took me on her lap and kissed me,
And pointing to the east began to say.

Look on the rising sun: there God does live
And gives his light, and gives his heat away.
And flowers and trees and beasts and men receive
Comfort in morning joy in the noonday.
……Read full poem

Sadly, little seems to have changed!!

Under Color of Law (Trevor Finnegan, #1) by Aaron Philip Clark is a chilling and riveting account of the plight of black recruits and officers, so reminiscent of recent protests against the police department. This is an inside story of what goes behind the scene, an eye-opener about how some officers are brutal enough to indulge in violent means to eliminate those they don’t like. This fictional story smacks of stark realism, often brushed aside in connection with the high-handedness of cops.

Trevor joins LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) with dreams of becoming a top-ranking officer and doesn’t give an ear to his father’s warnings that the system is rotten. He is ready to take all the pressure and has to lock horns with the corrupt and selfish persons around him. Does he succeed? Could he get justice for Brandon whose body has been found with no clues? Clark’s power-packed style of writing keeps you turning the pages and my heart sank with each development. I could feel the pain, the frustration, the yearning and the hope of Trevor who refuses to give up.

Clark’s characters are believable, crafted with incisive detail as if he has met them. Trevor’s confidence, determination and resilience shines through out the story. Joey Garcia and Boston Walsh have been handled brilliantly but it is Trevor’s relationship with Sarada that adds a touch of tenderness to the story. The book remains inconclusive but I could understand that the issues that have been raised can’t be resolved in a day and it would take years to see the change of attitudes. I would eagerly look forward to the next book in the series. Highly recommended!

Balroop Singh.