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