<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/" xmlns:blogger="http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:31:01 +0000</lastBuildDate><category>poem</category><category>my musings</category><category>book review</category><category>free verse</category><category>poetry</category><category>publication</category><category>humor</category><category>freeverse</category><category>hinduism</category><category>short poem</category><category>fiction</category><category>life</category><category>short story</category><category>spirituality</category><category>wisdom</category><category>Mahabharata</category><category>books</category><category>corruption</category><category>darkpoems</category><category>memories</category><category>novel</category><category>philosophy of mind</category><category>politics</category><category>technology</category><category>Arthur C. Clarke</category><category>Isaac Asimov</category><category>Jeffery Archer</category><category>Rider Haggard</category><category>flash fiction</category><category>j2ee</category><category>java</category><category>nature</category><category>science fiction</category><category>Advaita</category><category>Axis2</category><category>Ayn Rand</category><category>Foundation</category><category>Foundation Trilogy</category><category>Indian General Elections 2014</category><category>Ken Cowle</category><category>Sherlock Holmes</category><category>The Asylum For Your Soul</category><category>WhiStle Radio 102.7 FM</category><category>Zest Literary Journal</category><category>adi sankaracharya</category><category>dreams</category><category>filters</category><category>interview</category><category>job</category><category>lines of wisdom</category><category>mind</category><category>radio show</category><category>servlets</category><category>sorrow</category><category>war</category><category>1984</category><category>2001: A Space Odyssey</category><category>2011</category><category>Achintya</category><category>Adolf Hitler</category><category>Agatha Christie</category><category>Anna Hazare</category><category>Anthony Horowitz</category><category>Antoine de Saint-Exupéry</category><category>Apache</category><category>Arundhati Roy</category><category>Atlas Shrugged</category><category>Atman</category><category>Ayesha: The return of She</category><category>BJP</category><category>BareBack</category><category>BareBack Literary Magazine</category><category>Birthdays</category><category>Bombay</category><category>Brahman</category><category>C Rajagopalachari</category><category>Chengiz Khan</category><category>Christopher Nolan</category><category>Conan Doyle</category><category>Congress</category><category>Creative Talents Unleashed</category><category>Dan Brown</category><category>Duryodhana</category><category>First Among Equals</category><category>Frankenstein</category><category>Genghis Khan</category><category>George Orwell</category><category>Gillian Flynn</category><category>God&#39;s Debris: A Thought Experiment</category><category>Gone Girl</category><category>Gregory David Roberts</category><category>HTTPS</category><category>Happy New Year</category><category>Harper Lee</category><category>Hercule Poirot</category><category>Honour Among Thieves</category><category>IT Industry</category><category>Inception</category><category>India</category><category>India Votes 2019</category><category>Indian General Elections 2019</category><category>Issue 3</category><category>Issue 5</category><category>James Bunting</category><category>James Hilton</category><category>Jee le zaraa</category><category>Kane and Abel</category><category>Karna</category><category>Kerala</category><category>Khorezm</category><category>King Solomon&#39;s Mines</category><category>Lokpal Bill</category><category>Lord of the Flies</category><category>Lost Horizon</category><category>Mahabharatha</category><category>Mary Shelley</category><category>May Issue</category><category>Miracle e-zine</category><category>Mongol</category><category>NDA</category><category>Narendra Modi</category><category>Nineteen Eighty-Four</category><category>Non-Duality</category><category>October Issue</category><category>Olympics</category><category>Pavan K Varma</category><category>Potential</category><category>Robert Langdon</category><category>Robert Louis Stevenson</category><category>SSL</category><category>Scott Adams</category><category>Second Foundation</category><category>Shantaram</category><category>Shashi Tharoor</category><category>She</category><category>Talaash</category><category>Tatars</category><category>The Condemned Stone</category><category>The God of Small Things</category><category>The Great Indian Novel</category><category>The Lost Symbol</category><category>The Sands of Mars</category><category>To Kill A Mockingbrid</category><category>Treasure Island</category><category>Tuck Magazine</category><category>UPA</category><category>Upanishads</category><category>Vedanta</category><category>We Drink Because We&#39;re Poets</category><category>William Golding</category><category>Yareah Magazine</category><category>ad</category><category>adrian tchaikovsky</category><category>anniversaries</category><category>anthology</category><category>atheism</category><category>back button on log out</category><category>be yourself</category><category>betrayal in friendship</category><category>broadcast</category><category>cadbury</category><category>childhood</category><category>children</category><category>children of time</category><category>chocolate</category><category>computer</category><category>contradiction</category><category>covid-19</category><category>dairy milk</category><category>death</category><category>despise</category><category>disconnected</category><category>discussion</category><category>emptiness</category><category>facebook</category><category>fatherhood</category><category>featured writer</category><category>friendship</category><category>fun</category><category>goals</category><category>green</category><category>grief</category><category>hobby</category><category>holiday</category><category>human body</category><category>images</category><category>imperfections</category><category>innocence</category><category>insomnia</category><category>intercepting filters</category><category>interviewer</category><category>irina</category><category>javascript</category><category>job interviews</category><category>job seeker</category><category>jobless</category><category>jobs</category><category>joy</category><category>jsp</category><category>karma</category><category>kids</category><category>lie</category><category>life is beautiful</category><category>love</category><category>manuscript</category><category>media</category><category>movie</category><category>pain</category><category>past life</category><category>poets dream</category><category>practices</category><category>process</category><category>professional</category><category>program</category><category>prose</category><category>reading</category><category>recruitment</category><category>relision</category><category>riddle</category><category>river</category><category>routine</category><category>schoolamates</category><category>science</category><category>security</category><category>self worth</category><category>servlet filters</category><category>sharon maas</category><category>single sign on</category><category>software engineers</category><category>soldier</category><category>solitude</category><category>song</category><category>sons of gods</category><category>spoken word</category><category>stagnation</category><category>story</category><category>system</category><category>talk to me</category><category>the little prince</category><category>theism</category><category>tomcat</category><category>translation</category><category>turbulence</category><category>tv commercial</category><category>twitter</category><category>unemployed</category><category>vacation</category><category>void</category><category>web security</category><category>work</category><title>Confessions Of My Mind</title><description>The rumbling of thoughts in my mind, sometimes here, sometimes there, is caught here. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&#xa;Poetry | Fiction | Books | Humor | Personal Musings&#xa;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>190</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-877574696144017848</guid><pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2025 18:48:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-05-11T15:50:26.416+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">free verse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poetry</category><title>Nights of Whirlwinds</title><description>Dejected over the long text chats,&lt;br /&gt;Demoralized in the online meetings,&lt;br /&gt;That are driven late into the nights&lt;br /&gt;Along the steep curves of insanity -&lt;br /&gt;With the people on the other side&lt;br /&gt;Of the sunrise, exchanging cold words&lt;br /&gt;Fueled by foggy perceptions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Discouraged to hold my head high&lt;br /&gt;By the whirlwinds of anger and despair&lt;br /&gt;Born of overwhelming frustration&lt;br /&gt;Day in and day out for months on end -&lt;br /&gt;Testing the limits of fragile perseverance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yet the battle with righteousness endures,&lt;br /&gt;Striving to make the wrong things right.&lt;br /&gt;When the nagging troubles are vanquished,&lt;br /&gt;The taste of victory is profoundly savored,&lt;br /&gt;Releasing tranquility from banishment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then one day, destiny calls -&lt;br /&gt;One meeting with the same people,&lt;br /&gt;On the same side of the sunset.&lt;br /&gt;And that made all the difference!&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;May 10, 2025&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2025/05/nights-of-whirlwinds.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-3779126937405612692</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2024 17:06:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-05-09T22:38:17.102+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">hinduism</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poetry</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">spirituality</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">wisdom</category><title>Bliss</title><description>I stand before you, bare and naked&lt;br /&gt;As an offering you might like;&lt;br /&gt;As nothing else could stand a chance&lt;br /&gt;For worshipping your enchanting beauty.&lt;br /&gt;I do not have the slightest courage&lt;br /&gt;For seeking your blessings to embrace you,&lt;br /&gt;For I cannot stand in the presence&lt;br /&gt;Of the divine energy dazzling in your eyes.&lt;br /&gt;Thus, I have shed my skin of torture&lt;br /&gt;Renouncing the world of pleasures&lt;br /&gt;To experience your spirit that pervades&lt;br /&gt;The whole Universe of all creation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Engulf me in your arms swaying the cosmos,&lt;br /&gt;To help me vanquish my malicious thoughts&lt;br /&gt;And be guided by the beacon of wisdom&lt;br /&gt;Obscured within the depths of intuition.&lt;br /&gt;Let there be a reminder in my conscience,&lt;br /&gt;Every second of every day by introspection&lt;br /&gt;That there is no other form of happiness&lt;br /&gt;Than being in your abode of eternal bliss&lt;br /&gt;Spanning throughout the universe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;While I am aware that my mind is blind&lt;br /&gt;In ignoring your everlasting presence,&lt;br /&gt;It doesn&#39;t leave me alone until I become a slave to it.&lt;br /&gt;So, help me draw my focus back to yourself,&lt;br /&gt;And lure me towards the touch of your ecstasy&lt;br /&gt;When I lose my reins to the spurious exhibits of joy&lt;br /&gt;Painted by the army of habitual offences led by desire.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is ironic to give you up for the sake of dark forces&lt;br /&gt;But your arms are always open for me upon my surrender.&lt;br /&gt;I am left in an abyss of confusion that sucks me down&lt;br /&gt;During the tug of war that ensues for choosing a side:&lt;br /&gt;Either the body ruled by lust, limited by unrelenting ego,&lt;br /&gt;Or the soul that reflects your Omnipresent Spirit.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Light the path again that leads to your shelter,&lt;br /&gt;And I will tread it entrusting myself in your able hands.&lt;br /&gt;My breath whispers your name as a prayer with every step&lt;br /&gt;While I begin experiencing the Oneness with you.</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2024/05/bliss.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-607404217138432251</guid><pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:36:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-01-10T13:38:00.726+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Advaita</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">hinduism</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">philosophy of mind</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poetry</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">wisdom</category><title>Advaita</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Inknut Antiqua;&quot;&gt;Advaita&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi97idOSkQyjnLdDK_QV_6AjXbTFuIlPbjBIOAtz9i9SPHmd4PoNbBB7JvzdRUqVzp87nWlyHGGi-4PxuIIrHfuYgrPKX8ttm7yu3-vHZh10jWyxi3suZNJAYkkQF7jx1lhlVkuJ_NlBOs7f0qA4qEjFuluKXKG-wmEyN2RpQc_BZamEQwYocUELN5G&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img data-original-height=&quot;670&quot; data-original-width=&quot;500&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi97idOSkQyjnLdDK_QV_6AjXbTFuIlPbjBIOAtz9i9SPHmd4PoNbBB7JvzdRUqVzp87nWlyHGGi-4PxuIIrHfuYgrPKX8ttm7yu3-vHZh10jWyxi3suZNJAYkkQF7jx1lhlVkuJ_NlBOs7f0qA4qEjFuluKXKG-wmEyN2RpQc_BZamEQwYocUELN5G=w299-h400&quot; width=&quot;299&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To the seeker of truth,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Wake up from your dream;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The dream of false reality&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Staged by your senses.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Wake up from your slumber;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The slumber of dreaming&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;With your eyes closed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Free your mind,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Let go of the veil of illusion;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The illusion painted by&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Your worthless ego.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The ego has blinded you and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Obscured the vision of reality.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Lose yourself; shed everything&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;That you think you have&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To know that you have nothing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Look inside yourself to learn&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And realize that what you&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;See, hear, touch, taste,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Think and feel is one big lie.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Unlearn that this life is permanent&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And learn about its fickle nature.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Let your thoughts transcend&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Beyond the realm of your body&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And discover that your soul&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Is no different than&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The Spirit of The Universe;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Where life comes and goes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Round and round in an endless cycle.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Believe that only this knowledge&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of Self-realization is permanent.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Become aware that you are&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;An indivisible speck of dust&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Within the infinite universe.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Still the mind; stop its clamor&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;From grief and desires.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Accept that you are nothing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And yet you are everything&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Both within and without.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Even with your eyes wide open,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Pure consciousness pervading the cosmos&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Since the beginning of time&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Will be enlightened within you&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To experience eternal bliss.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cardo; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And this is The Ultimate Truth.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: inherit;&quot;&gt;July 14, 2022&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2022/07/advaita.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi97idOSkQyjnLdDK_QV_6AjXbTFuIlPbjBIOAtz9i9SPHmd4PoNbBB7JvzdRUqVzp87nWlyHGGi-4PxuIIrHfuYgrPKX8ttm7yu3-vHZh10jWyxi3suZNJAYkkQF7jx1lhlVkuJ_NlBOs7f0qA4qEjFuluKXKG-wmEyN2RpQc_BZamEQwYocUELN5G=s72-w299-h400-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>3</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-6721315869123948052</guid><pubDate>Sat, 23 Apr 2022 10:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2022-04-23T15:57:08.873+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Atlas Shrugged</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Ayn Rand</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">book review</category><title>Book Review: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand</title><description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl4e-WwkW6ChafTCY46wrHrlUXevYS6lZSXpdg8e19P5fmXQZrPLoGCigUIGQBdumzgDR220I7QOBz4LaeEp5N_86kjrdhWK-5DNuh-m7yf4Vti80rKXLCwV49edrKFukknZb6pu6R3e-sztLfjZOgTcZIYiLbKRMhq7colfQvTfSr4vH_eYruZjo0&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; data-original-height=&quot;475&quot; data-original-width=&quot;299&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl4e-WwkW6ChafTCY46wrHrlUXevYS6lZSXpdg8e19P5fmXQZrPLoGCigUIGQBdumzgDR220I7QOBz4LaeEp5N_86kjrdhWK-5DNuh-m7yf4Vti80rKXLCwV49edrKFukknZb6pu6R3e-sztLfjZOgTcZIYiLbKRMhq7colfQvTfSr4vH_eYruZjo0=s16000&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;The plot of the story is battle between the pure intellectuals and pure socialists. It describes at length about dispute between two extremes: socialism and objectivism. I found this hard to believe because if individuality is one aspect, then social responsibility is another. These two concepts do overlap at a certain point. Otherwise, without objective, you cannot earn a livelihood and still contribute to society.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;Another problem I had reading this book is its enormous length; I felt it was overdone. Rand has used her power of vocabulary to describe same things again and again with different lines, different passages with different sub-plots which makes the chapters redundant. Hence it took me more than an year to finish reading it. From the beginning, all the chapters inch towards the climax: &quot;This is John Galt Speaking&quot;; this chapter could have been a hundred page novel all by itself. It doesn&#39;t strike the right chord just by repeatedly intensifying to same issue and drag it to this point. I was tired and almost ready to give up. The work could have been more engaging by being more concise. Yes; the major problem of this novel is its length. With all this criticism, I acknowledge that there are some notable quotes, eye catching lines and passages that really nudges your soul.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;It would have been worth your time if the book was cut short to explain its principles, not otherwise. If you really want to enjoy reading Ayn Rand&#39;s work on objectivism, try &lt;i&gt;The Fountainhead&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-review-atlas-shrugged-by-ayn-rand.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl4e-WwkW6ChafTCY46wrHrlUXevYS6lZSXpdg8e19P5fmXQZrPLoGCigUIGQBdumzgDR220I7QOBz4LaeEp5N_86kjrdhWK-5DNuh-m7yf4Vti80rKXLCwV49edrKFukknZb6pu6R3e-sztLfjZOgTcZIYiLbKRMhq7colfQvTfSr4vH_eYruZjo0=s72-c" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>2</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-8003566955833753693</guid><pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2021 15:40:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2021-07-25T21:40:29.562+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">children</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">fatherhood</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">kids</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poetry</category><title>But One Day</title><description>&lt;h4 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;But One Day&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&quot;Raise your arms, now your chin,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Then close your eyes and your mouth,&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I said giving a bath to my naughty little boy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The joy of experiencing such a thing:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The way he responded to my requests&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Overpowered me until I took a deep breath,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I realized with a drop of sadness and fading smile&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;That it wouldn&#39;t last forever, but one day.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;When he returned home after earning his graduation,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I couldn&#39;t be more proud of what he had achieved&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Until with a bag of mixed feelings, I heard him say,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&quot;I&#39;ll take it from here,&quot; only to figure out that&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;My boy is a grown-up now, but one day.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The long walk along the country side&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;With the help of my cane,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Soaking in the sight of birds returning&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To their abodes against the backdrop of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Lush green hills along the water stream:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I indulge myself in such delightful spectacles&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Reminiscing about my boy once I carried in my arms -&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Until I felt a sudden grab on my shoulder&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For my leg slipped and I was about to fall forward.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Then I glanced at the man with gray hair giving me&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;An assuring nod and my fading smile returned to life.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It is all but a dream that will come true; but one day.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;July 25, 2021&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2021/07/but-one-day.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>2</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-3992401160864234189</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:14:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2021-06-29T16:44:17.001+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">covid-19</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">nature</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poetry</category><title>Our Mother</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Our Great Mother&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Her patience is immeasurable,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Her tolerance - unimaginable.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And yet, she feels burdened&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;While her patience runs out.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;To ease herself, to save her spine,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And to save most of her children,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;She forsakes a few of them&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;With thunder bolts of death,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Warning the rest with fury&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Without showing the grief&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Withheld in her eyes.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;She is, my people,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Our Great Mother,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Nature.&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2021/06/our-mother.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>2</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-6215831171759330147</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 May 2021 06:35:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2022-04-23T17:08:14.314+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">childhood</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">innocence</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>Childhood&#39;s End</title><description>&lt;h1 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Cinzel; font-size: large;&quot;&gt;Childhood&#39;s End&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A heartfelt laughter for the silliest&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of things from a child&#39;s lips&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Is like adoring a blooming flower.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It is undoubtedly a celestial form&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of God from the Heavens above.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The same laughter for the tiniest&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of things from a grown-up is indisputably&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Smeared with contrived mockery -&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;With a laughter suppressed by the lips.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The joy of childhood is not just&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A seed of innocence planted at birth,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;But it is in the virtue of living by it&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Instead of shying away.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The easiness of simplicity is made&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Uneasy by the complexity of smugness.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It is the malice that spreads depravity&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Until decadence is established as an ideal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Innocence is the freedom to be naïve,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;But willing to taste the nectar of pristine&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Life all around us; but not scathing it&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;By wearing the crown of ignorance.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The idiocy of petty fights to win over&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The balance instituted by natural order&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Is argued instead of dismissing it&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For glorious abuses and selfish exploits.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Instead of chewing the gift of the present,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The known past and the unknown future&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Stir up distress in the unconscious smile,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Even though it is the symbol of serenity.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The pretense of adulthood is a vermin&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of misery and despair to innocence;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Sadly it is nourished to a thriving child&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Until the virtue is lost into oblivion.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;There is a child in each one of us;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Why is it lost in the journey through time?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Aren&#39;t we all the children of God?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Aren&#39;t we all?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;table align=&quot;center&quot; cellpadding=&quot;0&quot; cellspacing=&quot;0&quot; class=&quot;tr-caption-container&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;&quot;&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6NZhmjszUa1BTxm2SVXjf7SUo8N8LmqCbMTjmwTMG8RlmY6aE_afXMQo2LtIDMjFLR2SKc9jdgMeW2Akf6T32vevOEVFE1LPJKyOGpRd8xgP5HT1ZkW_sqoVzP_bN_DAyKrQeTprZ6I/&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;&quot;&gt;&lt;img data-original-height=&quot;549&quot; data-original-width=&quot;800&quot; height=&quot;275&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6NZhmjszUa1BTxm2SVXjf7SUo8N8LmqCbMTjmwTMG8RlmY6aE_afXMQo2LtIDMjFLR2SKc9jdgMeW2Akf6T32vevOEVFE1LPJKyOGpRd8xgP5HT1ZkW_sqoVzP_bN_DAyKrQeTprZ6I/w400-h275/image.png&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td class=&quot;tr-caption&quot; style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.embracingourdifferences.org/gallery/2020-gallery/lost-innocence/2423&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: x-small;&quot;&gt;Art by&amp;nbsp;Lina Abojaradeh&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;May 27, 2021&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2021/05/childhoods-end.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6NZhmjszUa1BTxm2SVXjf7SUo8N8LmqCbMTjmwTMG8RlmY6aE_afXMQo2LtIDMjFLR2SKc9jdgMeW2Akf6T32vevOEVFE1LPJKyOGpRd8xgP5HT1ZkW_sqoVzP_bN_DAyKrQeTprZ6I/s72-w400-h275-c/image.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-3408603062447221594</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Dec 2020 07:42:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-12-28T13:12:18.535+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>Delight</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana;&quot;&gt;Delight&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The doors of my mind opened&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For the thoughts to wander about&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The fields aided by my eyes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To admire the lush green tapestry&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;In a hope to make something up&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For indulging in a poetic endeavor.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;But I got lost in contemplation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;About trivial matters triggered by&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A spell in the subconsciousness&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And I brooded over it now and again&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Eating away all my valuable time.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Just then I felt a gentle squeeze&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;On my forefinger jolting me out&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of my useless and unworthy musing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I looked down towards my kid&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Whose eager little eyes pleaded&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Me to carry him in my arms.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Feeling ashamed at myself,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;My impulse prompted me to&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Honor it with pity in my heart&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Wearing a rueful smile, for there&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Is no delight greater than this.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4NBLxphakZnftyb7-iWiBQQW43tjaduNGJJqVdLRGdH4FGQKHzIdzDRiasNaYJUR_5-lnnmi_gOQmUNqlH4fUOLGIK3RrMxqQ-VRLZ_Nun2JN3YX6CeNiIYlJY7Wj5vqgZlxfhy6v6k/s750/cotton-father-son_lance-cheung-usda-750x660.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;660&quot; data-original-width=&quot;750&quot; height=&quot;352&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4NBLxphakZnftyb7-iWiBQQW43tjaduNGJJqVdLRGdH4FGQKHzIdzDRiasNaYJUR_5-lnnmi_gOQmUNqlH4fUOLGIK3RrMxqQ-VRLZ_Nun2JN3YX6CeNiIYlJY7Wj5vqgZlxfhy6v6k/w400-h352/cotton-father-son_lance-cheung-usda-750x660.jpg&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Lusitana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;December 25, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/12/delight.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4NBLxphakZnftyb7-iWiBQQW43tjaduNGJJqVdLRGdH4FGQKHzIdzDRiasNaYJUR_5-lnnmi_gOQmUNqlH4fUOLGIK3RrMxqQ-VRLZ_Nun2JN3YX6CeNiIYlJY7Wj5vqgZlxfhy6v6k/s72-w400-h352-c/cotton-father-son_lance-cheung-usda-750x660.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-6906277221833308381</guid><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:50:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-09-30T19:20:27.683+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">nature</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>Rendezvous With Nature</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;;&quot;&gt;Rendezvous With Nature&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The stream of words&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Trickles from my mind&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;With no intention of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Making me conscious&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of the fact that I am&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;All alone in this world.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;This feeling of great relief&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Prospers when the draughts of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Fresh air is felt in my lungs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;While my eyes relish&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The spectacular view of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A calm lake on one side and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Vast paddy fields on the other.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Against the backdrop of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The setting sun, it looks like&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A lush green carpet laid down&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For the Gods to rest.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The long stroll on the lakeside path&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Did not weaken my strength,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Nor did it cease to amaze me&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;As I gradually steered across&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The farm of betel nut trees&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Swaying with joy against&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The cool evening breeze.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It is then I saw a pair of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Hornbills stealing the nuts.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;When they caught me staring at them,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It was a magnificent sight&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To watch them flap their wings&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And fly away to the next farm.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The treasure cove of pleasure&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Lies in such beauties of nature&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Planted within man&#39;s reach.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It can be experienced only by&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Training the senses to admire&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The divinity of spiritual essence;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For life is truly untangled&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;When it is filled with tiny joys&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &#39;Goudy Bookletter 1911&#39;; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;That define simplicity.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Palatino; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;September 30, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/09/rendezvous-with-nature.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-3234441828977239174</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2020 04:16:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2021-02-25T11:58:36.218+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Anthony Horowitz</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">book review</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Sherlock Holmes</category><title>Book Review: Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz</title><description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;Let me keep this short. I felt this novel is dragged. It could have been wrapped up a lot quicker than it is. But, I love the twist in this tale at the very end. I love stories with twists. Unlike the Sherlockian twist that the detective unfolds the mystery to his readers, I never foresaw a twist coming my way; and that&#39;s why it was quite an entertaining read. This is the time when I felt the drag made sense. Until this point, I felt it was moving rather slowly as the narrative seemed mundane, monotonous and unintelligent. There are some obvious loose ends as well. I think this kind of tone is deliberately set by the author for an explosive ending. Should the appearance of Sherlock Holmes took place anywhere but in the last chapter, then it would have spoiled the plot. It was a wise decision to make Holmes appear as part of a back story. Even though the story tries to set a darker tone with its gruesome scenes, it is not as good as the first: &lt;i&gt;The House of Silk&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;1600&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1059&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQl7BNBNIz9s_mJqggRozCUWurjOYpu6QhDYOvI3Bx-QP0m3O-mKCYJzOxxLlcvFG3HN6ODMZZYl8kE4GcuZqflI7HOoFN94OMPNphDAcxQzi2RR_Q6uwTCU7A7asRSMr1tRHeH1qNAqY/w265-h400/moriarty-us.jpg&quot; width=&quot;265&quot; /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/09/book-review-moriarty-by-anthony-horowitz.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQl7BNBNIz9s_mJqggRozCUWurjOYpu6QhDYOvI3Bx-QP0m3O-mKCYJzOxxLlcvFG3HN6ODMZZYl8kE4GcuZqflI7HOoFN94OMPNphDAcxQzi2RR_Q6uwTCU7A7asRSMr1tRHeH1qNAqY/s72-w265-h400-c/moriarty-us.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-2659376412336267574</guid><pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2020 09:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-09-18T21:38:06.124+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">lines of wisdom</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">my musings</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">wisdom</category><title>Beauty of Glory</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Beauty of Glory&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Even if you showcase the beauty you created,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;It is not going to fetch the glory you expect.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Because you behave like everyone else;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;While getting lost in pleasing others,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;You lose your focus!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Then realizing the mistake with regret,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;You come back to your true self&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And do what you always love to do&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And celebrate the glory inside you.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;That is the beauty of glory.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/09/beauty-of-glory.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-5282420858717160283</guid><pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2020 02:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-09-12T08:00:07.767+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">free verse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">my musings</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>Don&#39;t Give Up On Your Child</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Don&#39;t Give Up On Your Child&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Don&#39;t give up on your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Mind you! He is your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Fill him with hope.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Fill him with light.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He gets angry on you,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He may even shout at you.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He blames you, scolds you&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Because he is your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He lies to you; steals from you.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Remember! He is your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Fill him with knowledge,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Guide him towards wisdom.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But don&#39;t give up on your child;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;For he is gifted, he&#39;s blessed.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He looks up to you as God.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;So don&#39;t let him leave you.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;No matter what the world says&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;For it is always bound to say&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But you know him better&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Because he is your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Don&#39;t give up on your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Do not make him leave&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Without saying goodbye.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He&#39;s your child, he&#39;s your child.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;July 28, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/09/dont-give-up-on-your-child.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-3809420937736738404</guid><pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2020 02:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-09-05T08:00:00.302+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">darkpoems</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">free verse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>Tree of Spirits</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Tree of Spirits&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
  
    &lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxe3mSd4qPLXJSwBlxyJ2JrB7vbyIasA5kE4rvlpdJrGVl-olUahVT3gmoZkp4u3MpKbjpg_3kNMjJwvgYUMhLpANu2wbY6WAmihc95FtAl1uNsBPRO5ExNZkz6CjfD9eO-sexRA0ZNzo/w248-h400/1598803318487844-0.png&quot; width=&quot;248&quot; /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;There is a world far beyond our own,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Where there is a tree and not a soul.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Planted on the dark side of the horizon&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;It harbors the spirits lost in tragedies&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Struggling to find a place in Heaven.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;When the moon sneaks above the sky&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Looking like a black orb without radiance,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Looms out of the dark clouds with a sneer,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Then the tree glows in vibrant colors&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;With smoky hues of red, green and blue&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Forming a grim nimbus around it.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;This grotesque spectacle is conjured&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;By the occult of witches and warlocks&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;For the souls try to take forms of the past&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;In a hellish way to liberate themselves&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;From the leash of branches entwined&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Within the hideous trunk from which&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Beautiful faces and rotten skulls and&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Mortified eyes peer into the darkness&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;In a despairing search for a glimpse&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Of something that breathes.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;August 29, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;b&gt;Notes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;This work was originally published as part of a photo prompt hosted on Instagram.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/09/tree-of-spirits.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxe3mSd4qPLXJSwBlxyJ2JrB7vbyIasA5kE4rvlpdJrGVl-olUahVT3gmoZkp4u3MpKbjpg_3kNMjJwvgYUMhLpANu2wbY6WAmihc95FtAl1uNsBPRO5ExNZkz6CjfD9eO-sexRA0ZNzo/s72-w248-h400-c/1598803318487844-0.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>2</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-7856765866318293998</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2020 14:11:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-08-30T20:12:14.452+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">life</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">my musings</category><title>Fickle Time</title><description>&lt;h4 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Fickle Time&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Time is fickle,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Memory is fragile,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Make it all worthwhile;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;While it is alive.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Only this moment&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Stands firm.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Live it,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Believe in it,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Before it fades away&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Into oblivion.&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/08/fickle-time.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-7637233944939010878</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2020 09:31:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-08-28T15:01:39.223+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">my musings</category><title>Integrity</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Integrity&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;I would rather die alone&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Rather than being with&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Someone who tries to&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Play with my self-esteem;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Who constantly let&#39;s me down,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And plays tricks on my back.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Who mocks me about&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;My dressing sense,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And gets grumpy if I reciprocate.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Who is jealous of my tiny&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Moments of happiness.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;To such people, I say this:&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Please, don&#39;t be under the impression&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;That I will return for reconciliation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;I would not mind losing everyone.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Because to me,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Integrity is everything.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/08/integrity.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-7601349870115927117</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2020 09:51:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-08-27T22:33:00.445+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Arthur C. Clarke</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">book review</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">books</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">science fiction</category><title>Book Review: The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke</title><description>&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;It is one of the finest books ever written by Arthur C. Clarke. I enjoyed reading this book right from the start. It painted vivid images as I read the novel. It is undoubtedly a master class of writing in modern literature and a perfect example of aesthetic blending of historical and science fiction.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344265959l/149049.jpg&quot; width=&quot;209&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: times;&quot;&gt;With increasing technology goes increasing vulnerability; the more Man conquers Nature the more liable he becomes to artificial catastrophes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;blockquote style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: times;&quot;&gt;But man-made obstacles had never stopped him before. Nature was his real antagonist-the friendly enemy who never cheated and always played fair, yet never failed to take advantage of the tiniest oversight or omission.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;Sir Arthur C. Clarke does not underestimate the knowledge of his readers, nor does he get carried away by writing pure science. The amusement is only grows as I rode on the Orbital Tower. The motive of the plot explores the themes of man&#39;s desire to conquer the world, earn his fame despite the challenges of technology, politics and religion.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: times;&quot;&gt;Over the years Rajasinghe - himself the bearer of a royal name, and doubtless host to many regal genes - had often thought of those words; they demonstrated so perfectly the ephemeral nature of power, and the futility of ambition. &quot;I am the King.&quot; Ah, but which King? The monarch who had stood on these granite flag-stones - scarcely worn then, eighteen hundred years ago - was probably an able and intelligent man; but he failed to conceive that the time could ever come when he would fade into an anonymity as deep as that of his humblest subjects.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;The plot is set in&amp;nbsp;Taprobane, present day Sri Lanka, in the 22nd century where an ambitious engineer, Van Morgan, plans to build a space elevator on the mountain of Sri Kanda. This ingenious project is faced with strong opposition from the Buddhist Temple on top of mountain, from the devious hands of politics and also by critics (referred as Donald Ducks) whose only job is to criticize. But Van is not going to stop until his dream is realized.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: times;&quot;&gt;The eyes of the Buddha were completely blank empty pools in which a man might lose his soul, or discover a universe. Upon the lips there lingered a smile even more ambiguous than the Mona Lisa&#39;s. Yet was it indeed a smile, or merely a trick of the lighting? Already it was gone, replaced by an expression of superhuman tranquility. Morgan could not tear his eyes away from that hypnotic countenance, and only the familiar rustling whir&amp;nbsp;of a hard-copy readout from the console brought him back to reality – if this was reality.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;For me, it&#39;s one of those books which I found extremely engrossing right from the beginning and made me read fast like I was always on the ledge to know what builds up next. The writing style is very subtle because it makes you read between the lines. No words or lines are thrown to the reader to digest directly; he is always made to chew first. It is very intelligently written that way.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: times;&quot;&gt;“There will be some aerodynamic noise,” Morgan admitted. “But nothing like that near a large airport.” “Very reassuring,” said the Mahanayake Thero. Morgan was certain that he was being sarcastic, yet could detect no trace of irony in his voice. He was either displaying an Olympian calm, or testing his visitor&#39;s reactions. The younger monk, on the other hand, made no attempt to conceal his anger.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;blockquote style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: times;&quot;&gt;Unfortunately, Bickerstaff did not know his limitations. Though he had a devoted coterie of fans who subscribed to his information service – in an earlier age, he would have been called a pop-scientist – he had an even larger circle of critics. The kinder ones considered that he had been educated beyond his intelligence. The others labelled him a self-employed idiot. It was a pity, thought Morgan, that Bickerstaff couldn&#39;t be locked in a room with Dr. Goldberg/Parakarma; they might annihilate each other like electron and positron – the genius of one cancelling out the fundamental stupidity of the other.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;What I really liked is the discussion of technical issues ranging from geographical and meteorological problems to astronomical difficulties that can encounter in building this huge tower. This was written in 1979 and the the reference of global internet search and social media blew my mind. You won&#39;t be disappointed if you are fan of science fiction. I won&#39;t be surprised but thrilled to watch this work on film.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-review-fountains-of-paradise-by.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-2426047899694204151</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2021-04-19T15:59:05.263+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">free verse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>Better Than Hell</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Better Than Hell&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The stream of bad blood flows&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;From one age to the next&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And forms a rope of lineage.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Which is frayed in between&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;As a mark of unjust actions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;It is pulled harder and harder&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;To keep the tradition moving;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But it breaks painfully&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Finally meeting a tragic end.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The two parts are tied again&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But they refuse to succumb&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;To the unrelenting pressure.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;For it is cut by the divine law&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;To strike a balance; and so&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Giving birth to a rebel who&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Persistently fights for truth.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;To make ends meet&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;By any means necessary,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The rebel is lured by riches&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;As a diversion from wisdom.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The enticement didn&#39;t work&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Because the magic couldn&#39;t&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Play its cheap tricks for long.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The rebel was hell-bent upon&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Weaving the frays with threads of justice.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&quot;When truth itself cannot be polluted,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;How can I be?&quot;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Is what he said!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But where will that blood flow,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Other than in sewage drains?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;It smeared the rebel with reeking&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Muck of offence, vice and villainy.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The rebel conceded defeat&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;When the war broke out&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;With false allegations that&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Are not worth fighting for.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;In the face of humiliating abuse&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The rebel left with a resolution:&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;It is always better to be in hell&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Than spending even a minute&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;More here.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;July 27, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/08/better-than-hell.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-1596282360052501373</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2020 02:32:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-08-01T08:02:00.178+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">freeverse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><title>None The Wiser</title><description>&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;None The Wiser&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Better late than never,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;A wise man once said.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&#39;Tis better soon than late.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But he is none the wiser.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;When the man is wrong,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But anger is his crown&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;And ego is his throne,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He is none the wiser.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The stench is the guilt&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;When regret is in the pit.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Time chops off his head.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He was none the wiser.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;He dies not in regret,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But wins forgiveness&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Before his last breath.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But no; he&#39;s not the wiser!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;The joy of winning fades,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;But his tenacity never lasts&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;So his wrongs are erased.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&#39;Tis he! Yes, &#39;tis he!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;July 28, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/08/none-wiser.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-8399963790008863185</guid><pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 2020 02:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-10-15T11:48:00.475+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poetry</category><title>Litter</title><description>&lt;h1 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;Litter&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;In a room as big as the sky,&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Crumpled papers are thrown.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The papers were born to fly,&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;But they were caught and torn.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The papers inscribed with hurt&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Were sprayed with scent of shame.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Then they were scrambled in dirt&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;With a sole intention to defame.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The room was desperate to be free&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;From the litter that was cancerous.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;But even a simple wish to unsee&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The words of pain was hopeless.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;It was neither morality nor hope&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;For the fire to ignite against vice.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;But courage stood firm with a rope&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;To lash out at anything but nice.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The fire leaving no ashes in rage&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Lighted the room with wisdom.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The hostility going on a rampage&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poiret One;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Was vanquished with activism.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Notes&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;I don&#39;t want to spoil the subjective meaning of the readers, and I very much appreciate the variety of perspectives that this poem brings in. But to me, this work tries to reflect my deepest thoughts and emotions. The room here is my mind, heart and body. The papers are my feelings or emotions.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;July 15, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/07/litter.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-4307939717265702833</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2020 02:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-07-19T21:40:55.618+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">darkpoems</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">short poem</category><title>Clouds of Smoke</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Clouds of Smoke&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHPuRwHlNG7OxgNJNjuMrinQR9wizwttMV_K0ll0xpnKo9mvwkoSaA59anVBWoCjsABWGrE32MaB8UQRVMCEvfuuXPwuRM9H6C8N2DISHAF2-s997cf-ftfaJw18XMEHJySckaVlRhco/s746/HeadInTheSmoke.jpg&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;746&quot; data-original-width=&quot;510&quot; height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHPuRwHlNG7OxgNJNjuMrinQR9wizwttMV_K0ll0xpnKo9mvwkoSaA59anVBWoCjsABWGrE32MaB8UQRVMCEvfuuXPwuRM9H6C8N2DISHAF2-s997cf-ftfaJw18XMEHJySckaVlRhco/s320/HeadInTheSmoke.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Getting lost in the clouds of smoke,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Forgetful of the imminent choke;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Mesmerized by its misty spirit,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
She drowns in the fantasy of it.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Walking through the fog of ash,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Even through the litter of trash,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
She enjoyed every step by foot&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
And smiled at the drizzling soot.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
I am on the hilltop, she believed,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
And felt more alive than relieved.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The smog had become her reality,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Fillng her lungs with congeniality.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
It was the only one to be near her,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
That promised to be with her forever.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
This can be considered as a sequel to &lt;i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/07/puffs-of-smoke.html&quot; id=&quot;https://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/07/puffs-of-smoke.html&quot; name=&quot;https://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/07/puffs-of-smoke.html&quot;&gt;Puffs of Smoke&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;
&lt;i&gt;July 10, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/07/clouds-of-smoke.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHPuRwHlNG7OxgNJNjuMrinQR9wizwttMV_K0ll0xpnKo9mvwkoSaA59anVBWoCjsABWGrE32MaB8UQRVMCEvfuuXPwuRM9H6C8N2DISHAF2-s997cf-ftfaJw18XMEHJySckaVlRhco/s72-c/HeadInTheSmoke.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-8688848900673274215</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:31:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-10-15T12:14:38.593+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">darkpoems</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">short poem</category><title>Puffs of Smoke</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;h3 style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Puffs of Smoke&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC-K_H_b1Wcnmfcc5iZj-oL0M-zq9h3xScb58QDy2hFPXEXS-_SgoFThRPm28om30BBm8rv-qZdjJ6xAutdogyrVfT7m_mtAEHD-_zpUaR_qb4jDD2QVvXfnFJQa9TM0Asl6jcUSiBlk/s1400/blow-smoke-rings-guide-hero.jpg&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;600&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1400&quot; height=&quot;171&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC-K_H_b1Wcnmfcc5iZj-oL0M-zq9h3xScb58QDy2hFPXEXS-_SgoFThRPm28om30BBm8rv-qZdjJ6xAutdogyrVfT7m_mtAEHD-_zpUaR_qb4jDD2QVvXfnFJQa9TM0Asl6jcUSiBlk/s400/blow-smoke-rings-guide-hero.jpg&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Lost and confused, I light a joint;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Minding over matter with no point.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
With the first suck of distress,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The poignant past is triggered.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;Unsheathing the dagger of bitterness,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
It is jabbed until the pain is heard.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The fume is held long enough&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Ignoring the shortness of breath.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Then it is whispered out in despair&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
With well-timed rings of death.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The second smoke is breathed in&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
For the sake of temporary relief.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;With the cuts driving deep within,&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The hapless mind is in disbelief.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The final gush of smoke is inhaled&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Wishing for a tiny bit of solace.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
But the heartbeats are overburdened&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
By the poisonous vapors of disgrace.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
For the end of ageless torment to begin&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
The soul concedes to depart from the skin.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: right;&quot;&gt;
&lt;i&gt;July 9, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/07/puffs-of-smoke.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC-K_H_b1Wcnmfcc5iZj-oL0M-zq9h3xScb58QDy2hFPXEXS-_SgoFThRPm28om30BBm8rv-qZdjJ6xAutdogyrVfT7m_mtAEHD-_zpUaR_qb4jDD2QVvXfnFJQa9TM0Asl6jcUSiBlk/s72-c/blow-smoke-rings-guide-hero.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-171369433260291334</guid><pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2020 05:32:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-05-02T11:02:44.494+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">book review</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Lord of the Flies</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">William Golding</category><title>Book Review: Lord of the Flies</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Txt_7jlYB-4WGRzdw99umYKYMetcuq2ePiH22Geh-EfYgeuWIG2oGrQtp8nwbnYLkIBipaLPcwR94GA6VkoQLns8qr3DsYyT4ohxzJtpl-dupI2bcr62wNsC-7397XP7fRyaIZBOr8I/s1600/book_lord_flies_jpg_280x450_q85.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;443&quot; data-original-width=&quot;280&quot; height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Txt_7jlYB-4WGRzdw99umYKYMetcuq2ePiH22Geh-EfYgeuWIG2oGrQtp8nwbnYLkIBipaLPcwR94GA6VkoQLns8qr3DsYyT4ohxzJtpl-dupI2bcr62wNsC-7397XP7fRyaIZBOr8I/s320/book_lord_flies_jpg_280x450_q85.jpg&quot; width=&quot;202&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
The story is horrendous - I was quite disturbed in the end. I came to understand, how pathetic our attempts to control life can be if there is lack of morality and lust for power in the presence of fear and violence. This novel tries to show just that. A group of innocent little kids aged between six and ten lose their innocence to become savages. On the uninhabited island, the fear of the beast grips them and makes them paranoid. With paranoia they turn violent and break any rule that tries to control them. It really questions the intellect of the human being if it&#39;s not put on a leash of principles and discipline. If it&#39;s on the loose, then humans are nothing short of wild beasts.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/05/book-review-lord-of-flies.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Txt_7jlYB-4WGRzdw99umYKYMetcuq2ePiH22Geh-EfYgeuWIG2oGrQtp8nwbnYLkIBipaLPcwR94GA6VkoQLns8qr3DsYyT4ohxzJtpl-dupI2bcr62wNsC-7397XP7fRyaIZBOr8I/s72-c/book_lord_flies_jpg_280x450_q85.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-5408230617741999597</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2020 16:21:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2022-07-15T19:21:38.228+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">free verse</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">hinduism</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">poem</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">spirituality</category><title>Transcendence</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
Transcendence&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_P4jH5c57TdCJuLJY7TlGOMzKb1iZX9GGDWhhZEWd89o3yVUkMX8VkoxxPTKeOXKtzm-yLtw64BnJsi_t6gGdcIWre_OrubZzZ5HxjQSqVLJPDrV8aFgu6nLhgS5t_1nd9cWyvpIWQo/s1600/Transcendence.jpg&quot; style=&quot;margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;808&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1440&quot; height=&quot;179&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_P4jH5c57TdCJuLJY7TlGOMzKb1iZX9GGDWhhZEWd89o3yVUkMX8VkoxxPTKeOXKtzm-yLtw64BnJsi_t6gGdcIWre_OrubZzZ5HxjQSqVLJPDrV8aFgu6nLhgS5t_1nd9cWyvpIWQo/s320/Transcendence.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Suffering from a heavy heart,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;With a lump in the throat,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Drenched in sorrowful tears -&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Are the lines of bygone years.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;But the past&amp;nbsp; cannot be condemned&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;However bitter it might have been.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;For it has taught many lessons&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;In the school of hard knocks.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Now the soul is flourished&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Beyond the limits of misery.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;It has outgrown mortal wounds&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;And transcended the common&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Understanding of knowledge&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;With a courageous breakout&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;From the flesh of transient body&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Confined in the sphere of illusion.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;It has embarked upon a journey&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Towards the Supreme One -&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;The infinite, the boundless,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;The pervasive omniscience,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;The ultimate truth of divinity&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Which I am already a part of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Since the beginning of time&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Until its endless weaving of life,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;georgia&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Where it resides forever and ever.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;times&amp;quot; , &amp;quot;times new roman&amp;quot; , serif;&quot;&gt;Inspired by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_4/lectures_and_discourses/the_story_of_jada_bharata.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the story of Jada Bharata&lt;/a&gt; and the philosophy of Hinduism.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;
&lt;i&gt;April 21, 2020&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/04/transcendence.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_P4jH5c57TdCJuLJY7TlGOMzKb1iZX9GGDWhhZEWd89o3yVUkMX8VkoxxPTKeOXKtzm-yLtw64BnJsi_t6gGdcIWre_OrubZzZ5HxjQSqVLJPDrV8aFgu6nLhgS5t_1nd9cWyvpIWQo/s72-c/Transcendence.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-7588141087089938489</guid><pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2020 11:35:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-04-15T17:05:32.070+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">adrian tchaikovsky</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">book review</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">children of time</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">science fiction</category><title>Book Review: Children Of Time</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: left;&quot;&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvvKs3DU-Hlkb1jVhsbEtpkOJ_9ihJT_yn2GgJc9d9zhcriWkm8UXEBzG5Q74i7wZv8DpgqlkO9cTQaM6EINKk7oq4MuGilNihPhYfBwGVcTahYxD9H-SK_f_cuuWIBogLqcUPwD2g7c/s1600/children-of-time-graphic.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;640&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1140&quot; height=&quot;384&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvvKs3DU-Hlkb1jVhsbEtpkOJ_9ihJT_yn2GgJc9d9zhcriWkm8UXEBzG5Q74i7wZv8DpgqlkO9cTQaM6EINKk7oq4MuGilNihPhYfBwGVcTahYxD9H-SK_f_cuuWIBogLqcUPwD2g7c/s640/children-of-time-graphic.jpg&quot; width=&quot;590&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
Whoa! It feels great to finish reading this thick novel. Yes, its 600 pages long. Thanks to the lock down, I was able to spend more time on reading. The characters are unique. The story is about the last remnants of humanity trying to find a home planet in the universe. The central character is a spider named Portia. Its all about how she evolves over centuries and dominates her colonies on the green planet. I felt it is dragged. The plot is heavily built around themes like Messiah, AI and it tends to bias the reader towards a single perspective towards the end. But when I was reading the last three chapters, I felt the story should not end. Because the climax is just beautiful. They express what really makes us human, what humanity really means. And it took me completely by surprise, that how wonderful a twist can be written. But I surely felt, the book could be shortened by 100 pages at least by removing the unimportant stuff.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-time&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Find this book on Goodreads.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-review-children-of-time.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvvKs3DU-Hlkb1jVhsbEtpkOJ_9ihJT_yn2GgJc9d9zhcriWkm8UXEBzG5Q74i7wZv8DpgqlkO9cTQaM6EINKk7oq4MuGilNihPhYfBwGVcTahYxD9H-SK_f_cuuWIBogLqcUPwD2g7c/s72-c/children-of-time-graphic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935236206494120706.post-4713546182157130086</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2020 09:28:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2020-04-13T14:58:43.346+05:30</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">my musings</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">spirituality</category><title>What is God?</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
This is my small attempt to answer the very big question: What is God?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sometimes we say, &quot;God is everywhere.&quot; or some people ask, &quot;Where is God?&quot; Let me just say that God is another word for Infinite intelligence and wisdom that governed by a divine order. The divine order is the cosmic energy of every living thing in this universe. It is the spirit of purity. Now when I say purity, it is often associated with love. What is love? Love is is kindness, compassion, anything which is not evil. Purity is free: formless and boundless - free from ego, anger, pain, suffering, fear, anxiety, jealousy, and desire. Purity, in fundamental form, is in humility, honesty, peace and harmony.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
It is the evil thoughts in the mind contaminates purity. It tries to contain purity with evil forms. That&#39;s when negativity gives birth. It&#39;s strangely easy for these negative thoughts to slip into the mind and make you believe them. But once you start training your mind with the help of regular prayers with a firm belief in purity, you will begin to experience God consciousness. God is not something or someone to look up to. It is seeing and realizing within and without in pure spirit. You have to accept everything as they are; go with the flow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;
&lt;b&gt;Further Reading&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2018/11/theism-vs-atheism-quick-discussion.html&quot;&gt;Theism vs Atheism&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2018/11/book-review-adi-sankaracharya-hinduisms.html&quot;&gt;Book Review: Adi Shankaracharya - Hinduism&#39;s Greatest Thinker&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68984.The_Power_of_Your_Subconscious_Mind&quot;&gt;The Power Of Subconscious Mind, by Joseph Murphy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description><link>http://amitherlekar.blogspot.com/2020/04/what-is-god.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Amit Herlekar)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item></channel></rss>