A curtain of joy descended on the couple
When they looked at their first born
Lying all wrapped and cocooned in the cradle
On her very first day on this earth

They stood transfixed, spellbound
Marvelling at their own creation
Carved out of their own genes
Shaped with their tenderness and love

No words were exchanged
Yet the child seemed to be acutely aware
Of the deluge of  ‘niagaresque’ affection
Which seemed to flood her being

Creating little rivulets of lullabies
Which tinkled in her tiny ears
Soothing her to deep slumber
With a hint of a smile on her lips

Time came to a standstill for the couple, as
Strands of longing emanated from their little fairy
Entering their body, winding up their sinews
Before nesting silently in their hearts

Unwilling to disturb the pristine moment
They held together, speechless, motionless
As long as they could, till they heard a faint cry
Shaking them out of this sublime trance

Subir Chakraborty / 23rd April 2018

When I drink the sprawling beauty
Of the sunset spreading a riot
My heart speaks in hushed whispers
While my tongue remains quiet

Each element of the changing landscape
Ushers in subtle alterations
To the unfolding canvas in front of me
Revealing the sublime variations

Gently cradling my entire being
To a state of unique salience
Where the cacophony disappears
To give birth to silence

Which screams through my mind
And creates that precious moment
When I am one with nature
Without the body to torment

Subir Chakraborty / 12th April 2018

Your physiognomy betrays a slight discomfort
Not the uneasiness of distaste or mistrust
But the discomfiture of a face reflecting your inner storm
Portraying an avalanche of emotions

Your mind is a riot of colours
Like a forest aflame with cherry blossom in full bloom
But only a hint of it touches your face
As you leave behind the remains of a trace

Some of your emotions want to scream
Some want to hold you in check
For you do not as yet know
What lies silently in wait

I do not want to let out even a whisper
Or ruffle your divinely slanted angelic face
For you look exquisitely beautiful
In this half expectant state

I shall breakdown shortly, I know
For I cannot see you suffer so
For my heart is leaping with butterflies
And crying out your name from the core

Subir Chakraborty / 5th April 2018

The dark side of my character
Envelops me once in a while
In the midst of fun and laughter
Mirth, gaiety and daily chatter

Lurking behind the smile
Is the surreptitious self
Waiting to strike, biding time
Expectantly, cautiously, patiently

Is the dark side real
Or just an illusion
Perhaps merely a figment
Of my own imagination

And yet it surfaces
Every now and then
Unveiling the veiled desires
Revealing my primal appetite

My eyes turn shadowy
My gaze reflecting hunger
For the forbidden fruit
For satanic splendour

Subir Chakraborty / 3rd March 2018

What was it like
When humans first evolved
In the valleys and wilds
Before civilisation had called

Did the men rape the women
With wanton gaiety
Or was it a cautious existence
Of a reserved variety

Was there any evidence
Of female infanticide
Where boys were pampered
And girls barely survived

Were morals and ethics
Known in that age
Or did they develop gradually
With sophistication and grace

Where do I place the present era
How do I define the on-going times
Where girls get raped and brutalised
And female infanticide on the rise

Is it post-evolution but pre-civilisation
In its contextual frame of reference
Or do I place it pre-evolution
After extensive due diligence

But that may be grossly insulting
To the general animal population
Whose denizens may take umbrage
At this inclusion of inhuman humans

Subir Chakraborty / 19th April 2018

Am I a citizen of this country
Should I share in its pain
Or is my only purpose in life
To maximise my gain

How should I react
To the Unnao episode
Or the Kathua and now Surat
Or is it outside my code

Candlelight marches
And protests galore
To shake up the conscience
Of humanity at its core

And yet I keep my eyes shut
In blissful unawareness
Calling it a minor incident
A blip in the wilderness

Or sheer lack of courage
Seals my lips
No comments, I say
Nice, brief and crisp

Never pausing to think
That my inability to empathise
Makes me less of a human
And more a demon in disguise

Subir Chakraborty / 15th April 2018

When the koel sings a lullaby
In the early hours of dawn
You know it has finally arrived
Your favourite Sunday morn

The morning stretches seamlessly
Amidst endless cups of tea
As you read the Sunday news
With an extra ounce of greed

The afternoon lifts your spirits
In ways more than one
Sumptuous lunch followed by siesta
A unique, sublime combination

Finally, when your near and dear ones
Raise your productivity to doing precious nothing
You know you have entered the precincts
Of a gentle Sunday evening

Subir Chakraborty / 1st April 2018

The muted light skims your face
Imparting a magical quality
Half shaded, hushed, yet visible
Revealing a sublime tapestry

Subir Chakraborty / 14th March 2018

The smile on the lips
The outstretched hand
Beckoning a destitute
With comfort and warmth

Hesitation can occur
When you give only a part
But when you give it your all
It promptly deserts

To be suitably replaced
With divinity and grace
On a frail old woman
With a glint on her face

Not to be misunderstood
As a sign of weakness
The epitome of tenderness
Laced with firmness

Mother to all humanity
Compassionate and caring
A living saint in our midst
Courageous and daring

Many accolades, one lifetime
Magsaysay, Nobel, Order
But for the dying on the streets
Only a deeply loving mother

Subir Chakraborty / 20th March 2018

The poetry of daily life
Consumes my very existence
Each word, comma, exclamation
Describes my being in continuance

Each activity blends harmoniously
To a rhythm in my heart
Each pause a minor interval
Prior to a refreshing start

Daily existence is a concert
With notes high and low
Can be a replay of Brahms Rhapsody
Or even a Bach Concerto

The symphony continues uninterrupted
Undisturbed and unabated
For me to enjoy every moment
And live life to the fullest

Subir Chakraborty / 24th Feb 2018