30 August 2006

"AWAKENING" - funny how politics entertain us but twice a decade

The underdogs had wasted no time
Five years sniffing out territory
Preparing for their rocky climb
Up the everest of political reality
Towards that foolish elusive ideal
Of stoking some democratic tradition
And growing from seed its appeal
Among the dozing docile nation.

Battered, belittled, still unscarred
The pack endured, more than cheered
By signs of welcome no-holds-barred.
Thirty thousand, not one as feared
Braved the mud and lightning storm
Shoulder to shoulder on tilted field
The underdogs surpassed their form
In the crowd they needed no shield.

Awakened from slumber the puppies
Opened eyes to a braver new world
From mere me-and-mine yuppies
Voices curbed and ideals furled
To excited electorate careless of cost
Ready to paint by numbers their desire.
Half the battle's won the other lost
Half a decade to fan the next fire.

Epilogue
Circus over, the players scatter
A meagre mixed trio left on stage
Strive in hope that they can matter
And somehow the doubts assuage.
But the underdogs soon despair
The great white troops rest assured
Their foes' campaign in disrepair
All chances of victory obscured.

0606

29 August 2006

"HANOI" - charming city with shades of old Vietnam

Throw-back city with long shopping streets
Ugly buildings amidst colonial charm
Two million motorbikes constantly hounded
By the habitual honking of passing cars
Pockets of green parks
Activity filled lakes
Tranquil temples
The old museum
Scattered with proletariat art
And frayed silk paintings

Chatting workers on low stools
Hurry through their roadside lunch
Swanky tourists on high chairs
Delight in Viet-French fare

My impressions have faded
But clear is the sound
Of a hundred old ladies
chanting the Hail Mary
in their own dialect
filling the cavernous blue
of St Joseph’s cathedral
drowning out the motorbikes
the sounds of Hanoi
Their city to remember

1105

26 August 2006

"REGRETS" - ever panicked at the thought of being too old to start something new?

Lonely
stranded with thoughts
of a life wasted
so many
false starts
dead ends
mindless retakes
ceaseless circles
there is no road ahead
each time hope glimmers
the tunnel is too dark
courage forsakes
desire wavers
time chimes
away in despair