Idea of Love

A lazy stroll hand in hand 

through the less frequented bylanes 

of a tucked-away sleepy village

Is my idea of love.

Covert glance, shy smile

And a romantic interlude

On a quaint stone staircase

Is my idea of love.

In midst of a downpour

Searching for a pair of dancing shoes

Instead of an umbrella

Is my idea of love.

To consciously ignore 

the allure of glittering baubles,

for the serenity of the vast mountains,

Is my idea of love.

Rising above the mundane to the realization 

That love is complete in itself

Instead of depending on a person or thing

Is my idea of love

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Being Youthful

Once upon a time

when I was in my prime

The mirror in the wall 

showed a gamine girl

clear skin, rosy cheeks, 

firm body, supple knees

boundless energy in every step,

juicy gossips with non-judgemental friends

Favourite book - Nancy Drew

Favourite sitcom - ‘Lucy, I Love you’

Loving skirmishes with opposite sex

nothing serious till I move on to the next

Chest full of treasured gifts

Chocolate, perfume which I cherished!!

It’s now a different matter

as I slowly loose control over my bladder

with sagging body, creaking bones,

crow’s feet,  freaking kidney stones

Poor eyesight saying goodbye to books

Eccentric lovers or just clumpsy groping fools

A gift of a cream, these days, to keep me wrinkle-free

Lits up my face with an impish glee!!

Sensing my frustration, wise quill says,

“Appreciate each moment, stop being a pest!!

Leave behind your vanity, try to be kind

Age is just a number, a state of mind”

I dedicate this poem to all those who think they are old

Let’s enjoy the moment before death sell our souls!!

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Chance Encounter

One hot summer evening

While crossing a busy street,

His eyes clashed with mine

and my heart missed a beat.

Was it an hour or just a fraction

that time stood still

Two halves of a soul rejoined

while old memories spilled.

That too was a hot summer, 

when we first met

Already a star by then,

his goals were set

What was I then?

Just a naive little girl

Buck teeth, big glasses

and thick bushy curls.

Different background,

different paths to chase

Yet we felt the magic pull

when our souls embraced.

We kept meeting afterwards

regularly, every day,

Sitting in awkward silence

searching for something to say.

Sitting alone in my room though

words often bubbled and danced

making me laugh or cry aloud,

with parents looking askance

Then came a time of reckoning

when suddenly it came to an end

Our romance, like passing summer,

had nothing more to augment

Years later when our eyes met again

while crossing a busy street

I wondered if it was love 

that made my heart miss a beat?

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Freedom

Freedom is most coveted
Freedom of speech
Freedom to express
Freedom from oppression
Freedom to choose
Freedom from discrimination
Freedom to love

Poet's heart too seek freedom
Freedom of soul,
From the cruel bondage of the body
But the nagging mind warns, 
"Do not be a fool!! Think again
What will you write about then?"

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Shey Meyeti / That Girl

Bengali

স্বপ্নে রাঙা রাজপ্রাসাদে

এক রাজকুমারী থাকতো

নিজের বাড়ীর প্রাঙ্গনে যে

আকাশ কুসুম ভাবতো

জানলার বাইরে মুখ বাড়িয়ে

চড়ুই পাখির সাথে খেলতো

মেঘলা দিনে বৃষ্টি ভিজে

চিৎকার করে গাইতো

দুপুর বেলায় পড়ার ঘরে

শব্দের মালা বাঁধতো

পূর্ণিমা রাতে আনমনে সে

চাঁদকে দেখে হাসতো

ফুটফুটে মিষ্টি চীনের পুতুল

এই পরিচয়টা সবাই জানতো

ভাঙলো যেদিন জানলো সবাই

পাগলিটা কাউকে ভালো বাসতো।

English

In a palace coloured with dreams, 

a princess used to live

Sitting on the porch of the palace, 

for hours she used to think 

Leaning outside her window, 

with sparrows she used to play 

Then loudly she used to sing

soaked on a cloudy day

Afternoon inside her study,

words she used to string 

With just the sight of a full moon,

a slow smile would often cling

Pretty porcelain doll, was

how she was known to everyone 

The day she broke, they learned

that the crazy girl loved someone

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Happinness

Happinness is to savour the raindrops splashing on your face
Happinness is to get addressed as a "child" no matter what the age
Happinness is to fall in love with yourself all over again
Happinness is to be able to laugh till your belly aches
Happinness is to come to terms with your checkered past
Happinness is to be able to finally "Let Go"

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Love Handles

My Dear Love Handles,

I struggle to rid myself of your offending sight

while you cling on to me like a parasite

Power yoga, ayurvedic pills, even crash diet failed

as you came back fighting every time I erred

That expensive backless dress bought for inspiration

makes me feel nothing now except contrition

Constantly mocks me from the confines of my closet

while upward trend in weight machine remains obstinate

My cries of frustration and shivers of terror

only adds to the merriment of the bathroom mirror

My social life, these days, is quite dismal

As the dating tap dries, I get drenched in alcohol

Blind dates too desert me with lame lies

As burps are oft repeated than pleasured-sighs

Every failed relationship results in depression

To heal myself, heart craves for sweet concoctions

Next morning again that damned bathroom mirror laughs

When I crawl inside with a growling stomach and heavy heart

Trapped within this vicious circle, I finally agree

To throw the gauntlet and embrace size infinity

Thanks for making me 'Fit to Fat'

Copyright: Shukla Banik