Figment of imagination

Waking  up from a frozen dream,
I crossed paths with reality,
That is how I destroyed paradise,
And ruined our congeniality.

I was blindfolded by my faith,
And made a puppet by your love,
I believed you were an angel,
Sent to me from Heavens above.

The scripture of love has eroded,
Putting out the fires of my obsession,
There never was any angel of love,
Just a figment of my imagination,

Burning..

My dreams are shattered,
My soul is battered,
Sick of this yearning,
My soul has started burning,

The agony of a broken heart,
The pain of being apart,
The unquenchable thirst for love,
Is pounding my soul from above

It is all too much to endure,
With no possibility of a cure,
I wish I could free my soul,
And escape from this hellhole.

Aapki girlfriend hai kya?

Train journeys can be very boring and the best way to pass time is to read a mystery novel which doesn't exert your brain much. I was on my way to Bhilai traveling by South Bihar express. The condition of the coach is a story in itself, but let me not get distracted. I was reading Agatha Christie's "Dumb Witness" and was just reaching the interesting part when a voice interrupted me.

"Aapki girlfriend hai kya?"
The question took me by surprise. I looked around. The other occupants in the compartment were an elderly couple and a young girl. No doubt the question had been asked by her. It was evident from the wicked smile on her face. The elderly couple also exhibited an amused expression. Nine out of ten times I would have answered the girl without a moments delay, but on this occasion my discomfort was on display. She gave a chuckle and then said "Aapka dhyan kitab se hatane ke liye pucha". I don't know whether she was telling the truth or not, but she had certainly managed to distract me from the book.

I kept the book aside and started making small talk, things like "what is your name", "where are you traveling up-to", bla bla bla. For obvious reasons I won't divulge her name here, but she was quite friendly and we talked for a long time. It wasn't long before she got too friendly and started telling me all about herself. Her personal life, her problems, everything. I tried to discourage her but she was a real chatter box. I couldn't complete my book during the journey because she wouldn't stop talking to me. Finally when she got down she asked me my name and bid me adieu promising that she'll add me on Facebook.

I had no such luck on my return journey to Asansol, and finished two books during the journey. Now I did not take all the trouble narrating this just to tell you about the girl. I just wanted to give an example of how people tend to become too friendly with their co-passengers on a train journey. This is not the case if you are traveling by air. I do remember when I was traveling by Kingfisher airlines with a friend of mine. It was a two and a half hour flight and we chatted for the entire duration. I don't have words to describe the kind of looks we were getting. It was as if everyone was maintaining silence for a noble cause and we were showing disrespect by talking.

The same people when they travel by train would bore you to death by their senseless talk but when they travel by air they all start believing "Silence is Golden". I wish people realize that it is not a crime to talk on a flight, and that it is humane to socialize a bit with the person sitting next to you. I don't think a girl sitting next to me on a flight would ever ask me "Aapki girlfriend hai kya?"

PS: This post is in no way intended to insult the girl I met on train, who was really sweet and friendly.

Balderdash..

Every time I look at your lovely face,
I get mesmerized by it's aesthetic grace.
An innocent face which doesn't know of crimes,
A face which reminds me of happier times.
When I am not with you I feel lost,
I want to be with you at any cost.
You are like a sun spreading its rays,
Lighting up my mood and brightening my days.
Nothing is more painful than being away from you,
I wish I could tell you how much I love you.

I am the exception that proves the rule

I am the artist performing on the stage,
I am the tiny bird trapped in a cage,
I am the firefly that isn't very bright,
I am the spirit of a moonless night,
I am the song that was never sung,
I am the bell that was never rung,
I am the athlete who lost the race,
I am the stranger without a face,
I am the book that was never published,
I am the lamp whose light has diminished,
I am the oddity, I am the fool,
I am the exception that proves the rule.

The Famous Five

If after reading the heading you jump to the conclusion that something has gone awry inside my brain, then I assure you that this is not the case. "The Famous Five" is not a tribute to Enid Blyton. It is not a story about Julian, Dick (LOL!!), Anne, Georgina (George) – and their dog Timothy. When I say "The Famous Five", I am referring to five famous lines that probably touched the souls of the reader, or remained imbibed in their memories for a long time. Every-time a book is mentioned, something jumps to the mind, be it a character or a line.

1)"For you, a thousand times over!"

This line keeps reoccurring in "The Kite Runner" , a Khaled Hosseini masterpiece. A line which Hassan often uses to pledge his loyalty to Amir. In the end when Amir reiterates the same to Hassan's son Sohrab, it gives a finesse conclusion. The final punch which manages to convey to the reader the very depth of Amir's feelings. Something which will always be remembered whenever you think of the book.

2)"You don't understand, but you never did, and you never will.. "

 

In my opinion "The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes is one of the best books ever written. Especially if you consider the fact that it manages to convey Anthony's entire life within 150 pages. This is what Victoria Ford says to Anthony in the end. A simple line which carries a lot of weight in it. It shows you how much Victoria has endured, that all she manages to say is this one line. The one line which has so much impact on Anthony when he finally understands.

 

3)"Not all that glitters is gold, not all who wander are lost"

Most of  you will argue that this line is not as famous as the above two. Very true but still this line very aptly conveys the intended message to the reader. JR Tolkien follows this line with a beautiful verse in his book "The Lord of the Rings" to describe Aragorn. This line highlights how easily looks can be deceptive and emphasizes the age old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover".

4) "I'll make him an offer he cannot refuse."

GODFATHER!!! According to me there is no character portrayed as strong as Don Corleone was. Mario Puzo made sure that the reader could feel the sense of power radiating from the character. Marlon Brando by his portrayal made sure that the Godfather was remembered not only as a bestseller book but also a blockbuster movie. This one line uttered in a simple conversation carries a lot of weight.

 

5)"But I don't think of you."

 

This in reply to Ellsworth Toohey's question: "Why don't you tell me what you think of me?" Howard Roark answers: "But I don't think of you." This one line shows Roark's indifference. It shows how he doesn't even care to form an opinion about others. "The Fountainhead" has many brilliant lines but this one line gives you an insight to Roark's character.

I have not included Shakespeare, Dickens and other classics because then selecting 5 lines would be an impossibility. Instead I have selected five lines from books which might be labelled as "MASALA NOVELS", but still are very beautifully written and deserve praise.

Memories

Strolling down the memory lane,
I relive those moments again,
Moments when we were together,
I wish they could last forever.

When the colours begin to fade,
And loneliness starts to invade,
That is when reflections start,
Why did we drift so much apart?

Will these memories give me light,
Even in dark and stormy night?
Will it stand the test of time,
And leave a print on the sands of time?