theory: gravity and poverty

i remember when i was thirteen
my teacher threw things up, they came down
she looked into our eyes and said:
“pull of the earth brings them down”
Theory of gravity got chiseled in green minds then,
I learnt the achievements of human beings
Pushing the pull behind, stepping into space later….

I remember when I went to the college
Professor lecturing on poverty
Income. calory intake, being criteria
Her sharp words didn’t win my understanding then
In the flood-fed Bihar
Gravity-pulled stomach of an unfed old woman
Authorized, attested the theory of poverty then
Now I find millions of proofs for the theory
Will the theory be history? When?

j.john britto xavier

a journey beyond.......

i walk
all alone
among the known
known know me not
am i an alien?
it is a journey beyond......

different roads travelled
various paths walked
unknown among the known
to know 'the Unknown'
to be with 'the beyond'
it is a journey beyond....

to look out
why don't you look in
to sign out
very soon sign in
to be with 'the beyond'
it is the journey beyond......

shedding the selfishness
centering on selflessness
a self-less self
in search of 'the beyond'
to be with 'the beyond'
it is a journey beyond.......

o! busy beings
become aware of 'NOW'
know yourself
be yourself
give yourself
to be with 'the beyond'
it is a journey beyond'.......

j.john britto xavier

different facets of silence

some came

broke in the neibhour's door

i closed my door

they raped the lady

i said nothing.

watched through window.

could my sound have prevented it?

may be!

an inmate

spoke. spoke. spoke.

i said nothing.

my silence listened.

he went with a smile.

could my words have diverted it?

may be!

As i plug in to the room

do i switch on music?

do i try to read something?

why can't i be silent?

are my thoughts louder in silence?

am i afraid of silence?

may be!

i log in

google myself

i speak God listens

God speaks I listen

there's silence....peace....

is that enlightment?

may be!

j.john britto xavier

i am a joker......

in the world-circus

i am a joker......

i laugh

people laugh

i cry

people laugh

i sit

people laugh

i stand

people laugh 

i walk

people laugh

i jump

people laugh 

i fall

people laugh

i rise up

people laugh

whatever i do

people laugh.....

in their laugh

is my life (laugh)....

in the world-circus

i am a joker......

j.john britto xavier 

Are you not defeated God?

when an innocent woman raped

are you not defeated God?

when a new-life is negated in the womb

are you not defeated God?

when one kills the other in ur name

are you not defeated God?

..................

God said,

'You've defeated yourselves,

you've thwarted your own well-being

i am beyond defeat and victory'

blueline blues (delhi)

every blueline shrieks, 'andher chalo'
every conductor booms, 'andher chalo'

crowded bus stops, board bluelines
conscious conductor pops, 'andher chalo'

stops-after-stops, more people jump in
one-tune he harps, 'andher chalo'

pushing and pulling, while one-on-the other
the-one-man-singing, 'andher chalo'

52 seated bus, carrying 100+ by now
no time no muse, 'andher chalo'

nobody listens to, cry of the pick-pocketed
all attuned to, 'andher chalo'

it's bloody tyres, yelling for more blood
o! pavement dwellers, 'andher chalo'

no way to exit, it's all blocked
what a plight, 'andher chalo'

j.john britto xavier

can i ask u a question?

o! woman,
u r addressed
moon. mother-earth.
goddess. shiv-shakti (parvati).......
is ur freedom enveloped
within four walls?
are u safe to walk on street
(if not ramp) at night?
are you a cheap commodity
in capitalistic market?

o! women
you, a mother.
daughter. sister.
wife..........then?
who decides?
what u ought to be?
others? or u?
by the way, what's ur name?
u are u, when?

with a question....
j.john britto xavier

An inner journey: a journey beyond (a meditation)

I

While dawning sun

Illuminating the surrounding silently

I sat at the feet of the Lord

Lips of my eyes smoothly locked

Breathing the fresh-air in and out

Calming the mind, silencing the thoughts

In the struggle of silence

I saw myself in the herd of sheep

Waking to the melody of sister-birds

Synchronized as a perfect symphony…….

 II

A gentle voice tore silenced-air

‘friends, are you ready?’

we enquired with certain curiosity

“where are we going lord?’

the angelic voice aired again

‘it’s time to go to the pasture’

in-one-voice we chorused

‘Lord’s our shepherd, what else we want’

one-by-one we followed Him

our hearts chanting the same song……..

III

smiling sun-rays stared at the path

wild flowers waved hands

silent trees fluttering hands

from their wake-up slumber 

we sighed our eyes acknowledging

our shepherd led us from front

his staff cleansing the way

his steps paving the path

we moved on with the journey

our lips carrying the same song………

 IV

the path was narrow, difficult

not taken by many, less traveled

our eyes fell on green pastures side-by

maintained roads leading to…..

picturesque beauty of the field

enchanted our hearts

I could no longer resist but

moving towards it

tasty leaves tempted many

our hearts forgot the tune meanwhile.....

V

We jumped with joy

eating everywhere in further frontiers

We climbed high to get more

The slippery place saw us in thorny pit

The pierced body oozed blood

Our pain knew no boundary

A distant melody resonated in our hearts

The moaning lips got tuned to the melody

The repenting hearts surfaced on the lips

‘Lord’s our shepherd, what else we want’

 VI

the shepherd left the rest behind

on the search for us

we struggled to come out of pit

he reached to the pit to lift us up

he looked at us

we looked at Him

he carried us on his shoulders in turn

led us to the herd

the herd chanted in-one-voice

‘Lord’s our shepherd, what else we want’

 VII

He led to the pasture

Leaves tastier than honey here

What was not there?

except pain and suffering?

had no words to express

We joined the chorus of angles

Along with all saints

‘holy…holy…….’

I sat at the feet of God

praising God...thanking God

j.john britto xavier

haiku-6

shaking hands

breaking bones

(so-called) development.......

implanting trees

importing fruits

globalization......

Fire human

hire machine

cost-benefit analysis....

call at darkness

snore at light

ullu @ call-centre.......

Bee-in-business

i sat engrossed on a stone

microscoping the mind of author in a book

a distant sound neared me

‘hmm…. hmm…. hmm…..’

a bee took the Ariel-survey over my head

earmarked the place and landed on the book

in its curious quest for the nectar

it journeyed squarely on the book

stopped sometimes, lifted two legs

sharpened its syringe, went on with the search

the six-legs trying to overtake one another

net-result was not on a happy note…….

Never-say-die attitude-bee shifted the venue

Google-searched my hand, ending with same result

Irritated, disappointed, dissatisfied….

I don’t know…..it flew off to the nearby garden….

I thought it learnt the lesson ‘where not to be’

After sometime, one more came on the way

Was it the same? What it really wanted?

I did not know? 

Bee was in its business…….

j.john britto xavier

prayer

shorter, better

fewer, good

no words, the best......

a calmed mind

a listening heart

being-one-with 'Being'

being at Now

becoming aware

'Being' everywhere, yet nowhere....

connecting with ONE

beyond mind, senses-but

within.....

j.john britto xavier

A stone's story: Autobiography

Many walked by
the path was made
on the way, i was then......

some considered me, 'a hindrance'
joined hands saw me side by
'a waste stone', I became then....

pragmatic transport department
promptly thought of me
'a mile-stone', i became then....

a passer-by wore me garland
the other smeared 'kunkum'
'object of worship', i became then....

years passed, a sculptor on the way
conceived me in mind
'beautiful statue', i became then....

then in auction, for a bid
highest call carried me
'part of interior design', i am now....

who am I?
you named my name
formed my form...

i confess
i'm a stone
a stone, a stone.....

excuse me please
'O! mortals,
are we essentially same......'

j.john britto xavier

haiku-5 (in-sight)

intellectual indoor game

thoughtful gymnastic

reading.......

filled pot

spilling tracks

writing......

sound of God

struggle for humankind

silence.....

silence of God

silenced people

suffering......

a caged bird in the walled world (an inmate's voice)

i’m a bird

caged,

warded,

enveloped,

escorted everywhere

in the walled world…..

 

i’m free

within the cage

walk-the-talk

within the walls

i live

in the walled world…….

 

breakfast

lunch

dinner in time

tea, morning-evening

i get

in the walled world…….

 

birds from

world beyond walls

visit me

empathize with me

now and then

in the walled world…….

 

better than

the life of many

in the world beyond walls!

what is it? after all

i live

in the world world…

 

behind bars, I see

beyond walls

light at the end of tunnel

I sing a song

‘love to live

in the world beyond walls….’

 

i am

a caged bird

in the walled world…..

dare to dream

‘to live to love

in the world beyond walls…’

j.john britto xavier

haiku-4 (surrogate mother)

dark tunnel
permanent power-cut
abortion.....

high marketability
womb for sale
mother-discount.....

hire for a child
get one free
womb for sale....

rooted somewhere
planted somewhere
mother-nursary...

j.john britto xavier

haiku-3

in love.....

her eyes speaks
his heart lisens
in love....

his heart speaks
her eyes tear
in love....

she speaks nothing
he speaks neither
both listen in love....

j.john britto xavier

paradox.....

A said to B
“Mr.C is no more”
A asked B
“When was he alive”
“Was he not dead than alive”

j.john britto xavier

God is with U

in just way, U r with me,
in every way, U r with me.

lord i cry, without much try,
my tears dry, U r with me.

off the mark, i went away,
in stark dark, U r with me.

off the track, I travel,
bring me back, U r with me.

time to time, i fail U,
everytime, U r with me......

j.john britto xavier

Haiku-2

Soaring high
scenting surrounding
prayer….

Dry seashore
next jumpy kiss
waiting……

Fairy sky
red moon
married…….

Wedded path
widowed trees
autumn ….

j.john britto xavier

Haiku-1

Enveloped body
excavated stomach
hungery person….

Torrent of water
huts on sail
delhi-slums….

He met her
she embraced him
meeting……

Rush of wheels

crush of lives
(delhi) blue-line blues…..

j.john britto xavier

Poor sex-worker

to see the light
she sells her night
to fend her living
she vends her body
fade of age and furnished skin

discarded with disease
to tighten the (suicide) knot
she alights her head…..
poor sex-worker……..

j.john britto xavier

Life, a Journey

Life, a journey
A life-long journey
Beginning with an end
Beginning of the end!!!

Walk the way
With care
Stage by stage
Step by step

Among the people
Along the way
Be with some
Together we move

Munching memories
Shouldering sorrows
Miles to go
Mind, to move
Heart, to halt
What to do?
Wait a minute.

Stop by the listening tree
Chat with her
Sitting at resting-stone
Relax a while.

Sit.
Chat.
Relax.
Refresh.
Renew the walk.
Miles to go……

Walk the way
Tired, exhausted?
Say No to fume and fury
Next-stop ahead……

Sit by the listening tree
Chat.
Relax.
Refresh.
Renew the walk…….
Till reach the goal……….

j. john britto xavier

Cloudy Future

I went
All alone
Along the street
Among the crowd….

A distant speech
Disturbed my ears
A politician boo-booing
‘Children, future pillars of India’

People around
Clapped aloud
Confused me, mused
‘Am I the future pillar?’

I approached a palmist
Attest the future
My exposed palm
Electrified the creature.

His curious eyes
Google-searched for life-line
My scarred palm
Scared the palmist.

Peeping pain of my palms
Petrified him
Puzzled palmist, questioned,
‘Who are you?’

‘I, cracker-maker at Sivakasi
Beedi roller at Andhra Pradesh
Carpet weaver at Utter Pradesh
Rag picker at Metros
Table-boy at tea-stalls
Sex-worker at G.B Road
Different roles with one identity’
Was my answer.

Amazed palmist
Mused then
‘India at sixty
Future pillars with no dignity’

‘Future’ moves ahead
All alone
Along the street
Among the crowd……….

by j. john britto xavier