nimbus beams
and confers with Zeus
calls Nephele
Hyades meet
to provide relief from drought
we revel in rain
***
shrieking wind
continuous rain
vying all night
To outshine
silvery sky watches calmly
clouds mingle with poise
© Balroop Singh
Thanks to Colleen Chesebro for Weekly Poetry Challenge. This week’s double Shadorma is inspired from windy rain.
If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers
Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry
‘Life is like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony’ is an eloquent collection of syllabic poetry, most of which has been inspired from images. It brilliantly captures the meaning of life, how isolation could teach us to “live and love,” how the colors of a garden inspire us to respect the gifts of Mother Nature, and what the cooing of doves reminds us of. Such is the spectrum of Sally’s themes!
Written in a succinct yet meaningful manner, each poem is insightful and thought provoking. Some of them transport you to a “fairy kingdom,” while some hold subtle messages like “true friends hold tight the shared secrets… not to be used for gain.” Sarcasm drips from ‘Is it Time,’ ‘Scepticism’ is an amusing comment on the way the thoughts of people are influenced and ‘Hope’ holds the “poet’s promise to change your future.” Then there is a special section called ‘Slices of Life’ that is the most delightful conclusion to this treasure house of experiences.
If you love syllabic poetry, if you are looking for some relaxation mingled with prudence, this book is for you. 5 stars!
In ‘Things Old and Forgotten,’ Mae transports you to a distinctive land, sometimes magical and bizarre yet interesting, at other times scary and sinister. This collection of short stories is an amazing mixture of fantasy and paranormal, much beyond the limits of imagination. Each story has a different theme, each one more enthralling than the other.
Clair’s rich style of writing immediately pulls you in as, she builds an aura with words like “beach yawned wide,” “jagged fingers of stone,” “an odd sense of familiarity knifed through him,” “needles of moonlight splayed across the floor.” There are many more such expressions that exhibit her mastery over the language.
She incorporates just the right emotions, sometimes standing on the side, letting the characters narrate their story. Micah stood out for me when he tried to tell how his hair turned from “ink-black to “spectral white.” (Desert White – one of my favorites) Brilliantly written, I admire the way an oft-used theme is handled in a unique manner in this story.
Mae’s characters leave a mark on your psyche; Mrs. Conway’s resilience is heart wrenching, she pours her emotions into her painting, Beth’s silent screams gave me goosebumps, Kellan’s mysterious love stunned me though some questions remain unanswered, Angie’s and Claudie’s connection transcends beyond earthly experiences. ‘Guardian’ left me spellbound, wondering whether it is Dayr’s lust for love and life or is it his fears that took Jared into dreams. It is a marvel that these characters stayed with me to visit me in my dreams! Such is the power of Claire’s characterization. This book is engrossing and thought-provoking if you read it slowly. Highly recommended. 5 stars!
– Balroop Singh
Thank you.
breeze blends into love
whispering rhythmic tunes
colors have faded
but our relationship knows
how we defeated darkness
***
bound by promises
and the gnarled branches of life,
constant companions
waiting for the final kiss
life’s winter is beckoning
***
inspired from your love
I watch you, waiting for spring
to dance once again
and dispel loneliness that
lingers in my pining heart
© Balroop Singh
Thanks to Colleen M. Chesebro for weekly poetry challenge at Word Craft: Prose & Poetry for the inspiration.
If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers
Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry
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:
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)
© Balroop Singh
Thank you.
If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers
Have you checked my latest release? – Slivers: Chiseled Poetry
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
Emotional Shadows 