The Fool's Quest

The Call

2026-07-12T18:58:57.810+05:30

The forest is clenching closer, night looms ahead,

If I venture forth in darkness, I'll most likely be dead.

I've waited forever at the entrance, of the dangerous den,

The chant is becoming louder, if not now, then when?

Woods mock the faint of heart, the payoff is not clear,

If I listen to my brain, in this adventure I won't veer.

Many get inspired, few take a stance, it's a jungle, not a zoo,

A silent voice keeps whispering, If not me, then who?

The game teases and tantalizes, you're hungry, need to be fed,

For you I'll slay dragons, and with witches readily bed.

Treasures or ballads don't move me, but for love there is always room,

Your eyes gently tug at my heartstrings; if not for you, then for whom?

I might not be a hero, the quest not mine, but you're worth fighting for,

Now that you need, and have given the call, I won't dither any more.

Eat, Move, Sleep

2026-07-11T00:26:18.114+05:30

Eat lots of fruits and veggies, avoid pizza like the plague,

That's a clear manual for healthy life, nothing's hazy or vague.

Consume what nourishes you, stop doom-scrolling clickbait,

You are what you read and absorb, don't leave it to fate.

Move a leg daily, go on a walk, do exercise,

You need to stretch and workout, to be the right size.

Let thoughts and ideas churn, don't ruminate or get stuck,

Argue daily with yourself, and you'll think clearly, by any luck.

Sleep like a log, for 8-10 hrs, don't in the evening take caffeine,

For a fruitful day the night should stand, for deep sleep and lucid dream.

Get detached from your isms and ideologies, now and then take a break,

If you are ready to revise and let go, a beautiful philosophy you'll make.

Eat, move, sleep daily. don't forget with others to laugh,

Navel-gazing will only take you so far, letting your guard is the other half.

The Two Birds

2026-07-09T23:31:36.169+05:30

Usually in sync, two birds live in my soul,

One watches without passion, the other identifies with role.

The one observing knows, but doesn't feel in its bones,

When things get overwhelming, I get split in zones.

I remember the events, but they lack any feel,

They didn't really happen, is how I rationalize and deal.

But the experience is embedded, the body keeps the score,

Any small trigger cascades, the dynamite in store.

Some say I've repressed, and that gives the memories charge,

When you keep under pressure, the lava will eventually barge.

Others say I've dissociated, my parts stranger to me,

To integrate requires blessings, of powers to be.

Analyze me all you want, neither of the birds is going to die,

I know I'll fly again, by and by.

A Tech Saga (Circa 2026)

2026-07-09T13:03:47.701+05:30

I'm on a treadmill, feeling all burnt out,

The future looks grim, I'm headed for a rout.

I won't recommend, that you follow in my step,

It's chaos all around, I'm out of my depth.

I'm on a joyride, moving faster and better,

Have sprouted new wings, and broken the fetter.

I enjoy my work, I now have a Personal Assistant,

The PA will replace me, is a possibility distant.

I'm on a see-saw, barely pulling through,

Can't make out what's hype, and what's really true.

I churn more stuff, and the quality goes down,

Excited and uneasy, I both smile and frown.

That AI will come for my job, is not my strongest worry,

It's I'll be asked to do more, and with ever more hurry.

'Icarus'

2026-07-09T09:33:31.563+05:30

Image generated by author using Gemini

Waiting for my time, under the sun,
As wax starts to melt, it’s ‘Icarus Begun’.
The Nemesis is within, my ambition, my thrill,
The shadow doesn’t disappear, goes for the kill.

Waiting to escape, from the Ivory Towers,
‘The Furry Knight Rises’, defying earthly powers.
Years of oblivion, no one has risen from The Pit,
Sculpted by darkness, I lose myself a large bit.

Waiting with trepidation, as the sea looms near,
‘Icarus Returns’, faces his darkest fear.
I may drown soon, the wings are getting wet,
No glory for me, I haven’t even myself met.

Waiting for the mask, to slip and reveal,
‘Icarus Forever’, I’ll fly again and heal.

PS: This was first published on medium here.

A Poet's Legacy

2026-07-05T14:46:03.040+05:30

A poet of verse, or a poet of life,

To be lyrical always, would be oh so nice.

A life full of rhythm, with reason and rhyme,

To dance in sync with others, is a feeling sublime.

To feel and be felt, is no small art,

To make room in heart, requires special craft.

Words on paper, can inspire for years,

A life lived well, can pierce deep my dears.

Money could be earned, by writing prose,

By selling bulky books- which you read till you doze.

Life itself, can become boring and long,

The prosaic bits, eclipsing the poetical song.

If the world must remember, let it be my poetical style,

Not my collection of sonnets, by my life without guile.

The Collector

2026-06-21T22:52:08.953+05:30

Wrapped in vibrant colors, the butterfly caught my eye,

A desire to possess was born, did I care if she could die?

Her mere presence mesmerizes, if I don't catch, her memories will haunt,

She can leave my hand, but my heart? Won't in dreams she tease and taunt?

With gaze transfixed, I was so stupefied, I just couldn't muster courage,

She gave me a slip, vanished out in the world, leaving me with a raw umbrage.

Was I not worthy of her charm, how dare she defy, my will, my desire,

I'm seething inside, let her burn too, I don't care if the consequences are dire.

My album's filled with beautiful wings, but they are never enough,

A new color pattern emerges now and then, awakening my inner buff.

How can one of them fulfill me, either alive or dead,

With millions floating around this earth, whom I could covet instead.

Lust, Anger, Greed, there's a greater sin in Pride,

That I'm the best collector, on my hands the most have died.

In His Image

2026-06-16T18:41:00.570+05:30

The primitive knowledge, that I'm separate from earth,

A desire to explain consciousness, led to Brahma's birth.

Brahma created the universe, he was moved by desire,

Got burnt by his own passion, couldn't tame the fire.

While hunting and harvesting, we needed Vishnu by our side.

If offerings and prayers got results, we needn't from demons hide.

Vishnu grants wealth and prosperity, like us is Karma bound,

Right efforts lead to rewards, while bad actions in next birth hound.

Sci- tech is on ascendance, we expect Shiva to retire,

Evolution explains away, but the consequences are dire.

When power dynamics shift, Shiva retreats to his samadhi,

Destruction reigns supreme, from anant to anadi.

Now that the need is over, you may secretly rejoice that God is dead,

Look inside and you'll find a void, that something vital is missing instead.

The Gospel of Me

2026-06-15T19:12:56.429+05:30

Lapping every drop, as the gospel of truth,

Feeling entitled, to the fountain of youth.

I drank from great men, every saying, every quote,

Certain I'll become perfect, in a matter of days GOAT.

Words are but mirages, they can't hunger quench,

They propel us forward, till reality puts a wrench.

What others drew forth, lingers always on the horizon,

To nourish your soul, become a source, a rainmaker, my son.

Let words gush out from depth, channelize them and use,

Let it deplete your level if need be, some acid too you'll lose.

All around you are in pain and pining, let go of pearls of wisdom,

Let them look towards heaven, unleash the storm within, and some.

Blood, tears, sweat, pour all your venom on this page,

It'll be lapped by future Gens, as the gospel of this age.

Absurd Living

2026-06-11T16:00:30.719+05:30

You remained garrisoned all your life, suddenly death knocks on the door,

No matter how much you fuse with beloved, you'll die alone for sure.

You poured your passion, the work doesn't fill, whom do you now blame?

There's no meaning to grab, you have to stitch it yourself, isn't that so lame?

The heart pines for some structure, a pattern behind which to hide,

That life is random and chaotic, can you take it in your stride?

Life doesn't owe you anything, it need not your wishes fulfill,

It doesn't care whether you limp in despair, or in glory yourself kill.

The world is indifferent is a lie we're told, the stranger smiles and cares.

The heart may not get clarity upfront, but it can create one if it dares.

The world, made of others, can care a bit, we can perhaps meet midway,

Instead of searching for meaning outside, we can mindfully forge our way.

Confronting the absurd can be traumatic, it can also heal and transform.

You have to look in the abyss only once, and can stay calm in the later storm.

Time to Don Another Mask?

2026-06-08T19:36:33.476+05:30

Living against the backdrop, of my own autobiography,

I tried to fit the labels - that I did science and philosophy.

A persona carefully crafted, the mask melted into the face,

The true self, if there was any, disappeared in the haze.

Disfigured and dismembered, it grew ugly and bland,

No matter the clothes I donned, to look majestic and grand.

Sometimes a poet, a programmer, someone passionate about psych,

I had to justify my existence and catch your eyes, make sure you notice and like.

When I started I was OK, to be exposed and without a mask,

To be a good human being, was my only wish and life task.

Over time reality dawned, that there were missing beacons in the night,

That the mask comes along with the cape, is something I no longer fight.

In trying to mold to your demands and needs, I've lost myself bit by bit,

I can still try to be a good human being, but that persona my face may no longer fit.

The Great Gambler

2026-06-02T23:46:24.815+05:30

We are all enamored by the IPO's, and the million dollar exit,

At some level we understand its luck, and not all a result of grit.

But the 9 out of 10 that fold up, and in shame and disgrace go bankrupt,

They don't come to mind that easily, when you decide to launch a start-up.

Everyone around you is a founder, building left and right,

How can you be left behind, and in a job keep sitting tight?

The stakes are high, and rest assured, you won't get a regular pay,

But whenever you'll get a client or funding, you'll be on seventh sky for the day.

You've invested a lot already, money, time, yourself,

To think of quitting after all this, is a betrayal in itself.

What are you if not a founder, you take risks, you gamble it all,

Even if your venture is just limping along, you start again, after the fall.

I can name all the biases and heuristics, that compel me to again and again start,

That may be the way the gambler's mind works, but I'll master the winning jackpot art.

Taming the Shrew

2026-06-02T19:11:33.182+05:30

Wild like the forest, I tempt you with my nerve,

The river within overflows, with joie de vivre.

My heedlessness unsettles you, mocks you no end,

You *have* to domesticate me, to your will bend.

Nourishing like the field, I satisfy your whim,

Like a canal I'm straightened, and become bound to him.

The one who plows and injures, reaps the reward,

Until I become barren, and he can no longer afford.

Desolate like the fallow land, I'm all but ignored,

The stream has dried up, maybe he has become bored.

I'll bear fruit again, just give me some time and space,

Let my wilderness seep out, I'll become fertile by God's grace.

No one has asked me, what *I* want to be,

Label me all you want, I just want to be free.

Fighting a Crisis

2026-06-01T16:06:57.720+05:30

A crisis is brewing, I'll rise to the occasion,

I'm getting dehydrated, sapped of my passion.

Will I magically overcome, when the crisis becomes real,

Have I trained enough for this day? Were my priorities clear?

They say to live in the present, is what we human beings are meant,

The past and future will remain, but the moment will soon be spent.

I have instead found it wise, to prepare diligently for the future,

So when the crisis is finally upon you, you don't end up being a loser.

If you want to emerge stronger, better prepare well in advance,

Or you might not even survive, so don't goof up and take a chance.

It's in peacetime that you can prepare, not when surrounded in wartime,

To enjoy the present, and not sweat, is to bleed when fighting, and a crime.

I have a long time seen it coming, and now this crisis I've finally hit,

My training has prepared me, not to flail, but in the moment sit.

The Three Metamorphoses

2026-05-30T11:20:01.100+05:30

I carry the weight, of tradition on my back,

I must obey the rules, the freedom to explore I lack.

I'm a camel providing stability, like the solid tree,

I defer without questioning, to the powers that be.

In time, I rebel, question every 'thou shalt ',

In the flame of my defiance, I myself melt.

I'm a lion roaring, I will turn to ashes if need be,

I bring down the structures, but struggle to be truly free.

I play with the ashes, mix the soil nearby,

Create new forms and rules, to the past say bye.

I'm a child beginning anew, there's innocence in my stride,

Like a phoenix, I keep rising, from freedom I don't hide.

I've grown through the stages, I know what being free is like,

I both accept and create my fate, can be the wise old man or childlike.

Invoking the Muse

2026-05-20T01:24:50.623+05:30

Go ahead, read that book, connect the dots,

Unleash the inner vulture, feast on the thoughts.

There's nothing original, just regurgitated rot,

To repackage old wisdom, is the human lot.

You can summon the muse, at your will and behest,

You take great pride in your craft, you are the absolute best.

A creator par excellence, you lean on others' shoulders,

A David sculpting himself, you chip off on their boulders.

One day, what happens, when their ideas don't appeal,

Do you suddenly realize, you are human and can feel?

You don't need to synthesize, just pour what's in your heart,

The poem may turn out empty, but you'd rediscover your art.

Enough of hiding behind sonnets, written as a reaction to others' views,

Let emotions ooze down as ink, filling the page, and your life, with blues.

Down, and Almost Out

2026-05-13T00:31:30.202+05:30

Relationships get tangled, the web crumbles down,

Caught in the cross-hairs, you're fearing a meltdown.

You are struggling to escape, freedom comes at a price,

By severing the suffocating ties, you are no longer 'cool' or 'nice'.

The heart gets wounded, there's blood all around,

The Shylock hasn't forgotten, he's out for his pound.

You carve a piece of yourself, try to settle the debt,

Wrap a bandage around the emptiness, a secret well kept.

The spirit gets broken, the whole universe looks strange,

What was once within arm's grasp, is now out of range.

You crawl, you scramble, the world simply doesn't heed,

The one mocking from afar- to let go is what you need.

When you're pinned down and out of breath, it's OK to concede defeat,

There's glory in being Knocked Out, but wisdom in getting back on feet.

Dreams Unlimited

2026-05-10T17:25:47.426+05:30

Dreams deferred, are but dreams lost,

To dream itself, is to pay a high cost.

You lie awake, not sure what's true,

Sneak back to sleep, feeling blue.

Dreams recur, or are they nightmares?

You miss exams, are unprepared, who cares?

Finding yourself naked, in the street,

Or falling from heaven, on your feet.

The dreams haunting me, are quirky and strange,

I'm at a buffet party, stuffing my plate to the edge.

A momentary lapse, the plate is toppled and gone,

I'm hungry as before, the party's over, and I'm alone.

Do dreams have meaning? Should I have added what I need?

Does the overflowing plate, signify my bad luck or plain greed?

PS: This poem was first published on Medium here.

Maximising the RoI

2026-04-12T23:42:00.000+05:30

Subscriptions galore, a silent guilt hangs on,

New movies to watch, the month's almost gone.

That's money down the drain, for every serial I don't watch,

In a bid to recoup investment, I watch drivel non-stop.

A pile full of books, makes the load of guilt high,

Their price depreciated, still lying unread, I sigh.

Every waking moment, I don't read and assimilate,

The knowledge becomes outdated, arrives a bit too late.

I need an AI assistant, to squeeze the best RoI,

It would watch movies for me, and not just curate for my eye.

It would summarize books and seasons, I'll be able to talk smart,

As it optimizes my attention, I would have mastered the art.

They say to gain control over your life, sometimes you need to do less,

Make peace with the unwatched movies, and of unread books don't stress.

Amor Fati

2026-04-07T12:08:00.001+05:30

What is, is; enjoy the present,

Don't overstretch, or be hellbent,

To create your future, give birth to a new time,

Or drown in misery, on having lost your prime.

10 years back, you pined to be here,

Don't spend the next 10, trying to be there.

Don't spoil what you have, by desiring what you lack,

Rejoice in the moment, get your life back on track.

You had a blueprint, but territory differs from the map,

There'll always be a chasm; stop living in the gap.

Between the ideal and the actual, life gently slips by,

To the perennial new aspirations, you need to say bye.

Amor Fati, learn to love your fate,

Appreciate the earth, heaven can surely wait.

Which One is Supreme?

2026-04-03T00:30:00.001+05:30

As you sow, so shall you reap, is the law of Karma,

Bad deeds can curse you to eternal hell, good deeds can elevate your varna.

The world is determined; every effect has a cause, you can't beat your destiny,

Deeds from the past can haunt your life, crown you a hero, or bless you with ignominy.

Desire is the root cause of all beginnings, is the law of Kama,

Be it a child or novel solutions, one has to get sucked into this world drama.

There is free will and agency, of course, you can make a random choice,

When everyone's driven. by their passions, there's unpredictability, chaos, and noise.

To place society's interests beyond one's own is the law of Dharma,

It's to be guided by a sense of duty, which doesn't change but is sort of perma.

We're neither determined nor totally free; we are bound by constraints and laws,

That if we choose for once, we choose for all times, should give us reason to pause.

The Vishnu is stuck in a Karmic loop, Brahma's desires leave him disgraced,

The Shiva performs his duty, come what may, the Trinity within me be praised.

Daring Greatly

2026-03-26T22:17:00.000+05:30

Problems galore, it’s a literal war front,

The call is strong, to pull off a stunt.

The economy provides cover, lets me lie low,

In the age of AI layoffs, passion needs to burn slow.

If not a prisoner of the economy, I would have gone for the kill,

Let the situation improve, before showing valour, pay the bill.

It’s not just a risky proposition, where there’s a probability of loss,

It’s daring greatly despite knowing, your life may go for a toss.

It’s true that the more I dare, the more I vote for myself,

The economic excuse cripples, this adventure I can’t help.

Due to a lack of courage, I can’t put my life on hold,

Never mind the bourses crashing, or tanking prices of gold.

To dare greatly within constraints, is not a foolishness or crime,

You’ll never be able to leap, if you just wait for the right time.

PS: This poem was partially inspired by reading this Medium article and was first published on my Medium blog here.

To Pee or Not to Pee

2026-03-25T23:46:00.001+05:30

I have a mild urge, to urinate,

No restrooms in sight, it'll have to wait.

I'm firmly in control, calling the shots,

But the experimenter, made me drink a lots.

The urge has become moderate, pressure building up,

Have to control my impulses, can't leave in a huff.

The impulse control spreads, to other self-control domains,

I give up a small treat now, so tomorrow's luncheon remains.

The urge is now urgent, I have to bladder void,

Experiments like this, in the future, I'll avoid.

I'm almost like a drunkard, deprived of sleep,

Can't think through straight, or my attention keep.

The urge is fulfilled, now I no longer need to pee,

This research got an IgNobel, not everything's about me.

PS: This poem was inspired by the research that got awarded the IgNobel prize for Medicine in 2011.

An On-Demand Poem

2026-03-21T18:37:52.286+05:30

I've all but forgotten, the art and craft,

Some rhymes, some rhythm, just add to cart,

On checkout, don't forget, to add the coupon code,

Enjoy within minutes, a limerick or an ode.

Most days it's the standard, 14-line drills,

I can tweak the format, or make a quick one, no frills.

I'll customise the sonnet, to suit your taste,

Please savour the delicacy, don't gobble in haste.

You demand a sentence-long poem, and I certainly can,

Maybe Haiku is the template, worth your attention span.

I can stretch the sentence long, or make a short,

In the age of reels, I need to adapt, you exhort.

Playing with words but losing its soul,

Hashtag WorldPoetryDay, I have met my goal.

Being a Poppy

2026-03-19T20:54:55.695+05:30

Don’t be afraid to be a poppy, in a field full of daffodils,
Be it their scorn or enchantment, it's all grist for the mill.
They laughed at Einstein, they also laughed at Bozo, the clown,
If you don’t blossom or break through the cracks, on you I’ll forever frown.

For when a poppy pushes up, through the dark earth to the spring,
It just knows in its heart that sunshine spring will bring.
It shows courage against odds and deeply values life,
And believes in miracles that are born of strife.

When Lady April brings the daffodils, the springing grasses, and warm April rains,
Does your Poppyness torment you, fill you with doubt and pain?
Would it reassure you if I pointed, I’ve been the odd man out,
Does that message assuage you, so you can stop whining and shout?

Whether to be a poppy or a daffodil, I have not given you the choice,
This whole piece is a dramatic monologue, where, my dear, you don’t have a voice!

PS: This poem was written as a response to this prompt on Scrittura and first published on Medium here.