Learn How to Live

Please stop!! Don’t live a lie

Give your dreams, wings to fly

Stop struggling with your grief

Come, let's learn how to live.

What's gone is gone for good

Move on with life, do not brood

Try not to judge but to forgive

Come, let's learn how to live.

Like the benevolent sun, spread sunshine

Did he ever say, “Sunlight is mine”?

Extend your arms to those in need

Come, let’s learn how to live.

Through life learnt a lesson hard

To follow one’s heart, not only reward

Serve not rule, grant not greed

Mantra of life - live and let live.

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Learn how to fight

(Wish you all a very happy Vijaya Dashami)

Don't live a life of compromise
Break the shackles now and rise
Give your dreams the inner sight
Get up!! Learn how to fight.

Be clear about what you need
Once sure, go all out to achieve
Give your all for the dream to realise
Get up!! Learn how to fight.

Blow like the wind - unhindered, unrestrained
When sky is the limit, why do you abstain
Flow like the river through many lows and highs
Get up!! Learn how to fight.

Learn from the sparrows how to rebuild a nest
So what if it's broken, try again - give it your best
Believe in your strength - try to stand upright
Get up!! Learn how to fight.

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Journey of Life

Journey of life is so strange
End so near yet out of range
Sometime we laugh,
Sometime we cry,
Sometime we get
very easily riled
Only one constant i.e. change
Journey of life is so strange
Many broken promises
Few realised dreams
Million smiling faces
with smothered screams
Each breath is time in-exchange
Journey of life is so strange
Forgotten memories
of treasured moments
Unspoken words
of loving sentiments
Forever in love yet estranged
Journey of life is so strange
Unexplored road ahead
hence treading carefully
In the race of life
shaping own destiny
Seeking an END through the maze
Journey of life is so strange


Copyright: Shukla Banik

Perspective

(This is dedicated to all those who suffer from various mind-related ailments)

Have you ever seen peacocks dancing in the rain
Yet you call me mad, when I do the same
Have you ever heard birds singing in the park
If I sing along, you call it "mad's bark"
Have you ever watched monkeys jumping like clowns
When I jump like them, out comes the big frown
Have you ever noticed varied shades of daisies
When I display mine, why do you call me crazy
I live like a nomad, I follow my own rules
You think I am useless, crazy, mad and fool
So what if I am strange who often fart, burp and drool
Does calling me names, make you look more cool
I too am human, I too have a soul
But you ignore me as if I don't fit into your goals
I too need love, compassion and care
Treat me like an equal and not as an unwanted spare.

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Remember

Remember that day when we were stuck inside the lift,
Confined to our seperate corners we remained silent,
Even though I saw you throwing the recently-lit cigarette in the bin
To childishly follow me inside the lift.

Remember that day when you stopped me at the street
Pretending to be lost, asking for direction to your friend's place
Even though I saw you multiple times before
Visiting that same friend just a couple of blocks away

Remember that day when you knocked on my door
With a feigned request for a bowl of sugar
Even though I saw you shopping in the mart
For a month's worth of sugar just the other day

Remember that day when you asked me out for the first time
You took me straight to the scariest ride of my life
Even though you sensed my utter panick
The moment I realised that we are going to an amusement park

Remember that day when you invited me for dinner
You kept waiting patiently for me to show-up
Even though you saw me hiding behind the tea stall
At the other side of the kerb, to effect a delayed entrance.

Remember that day when you broke through my defences
By holding me tight and refusing to let go
Even though you were aware of my need to be left alone
To quietly deal with the loss of a loved one.

Remember that day when you said I am a girl with a golden heart
Who deserved to be swept off her feet by Prince Charming
Even though you were aware that all I ever desired
Was the heat of your love instead of the coolness of our friendship

I remember that day when our common friend called
To gently break the news of your union with our best pal
Even though you were aware that I will be forever floundering
To collect the ashes of my burnt heart for the blessed oblivion.

Each second, each minute, each hour, each day from that moment
I regret not having the courage to jump off that moving car
Even though, deep in my heart, I know you are not coming back ever
I still wait for you to return once to say, "Move on... It's over."

I don't want to remember but I still do.
Somehow.

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Reality Bytes

Once I had a dream

Not as noble as ‘King’s

Yet it filled me with joy and

Gave my hopes - ‘Wings’

I dreamt of a gleaming castle 

tucked in a picturesque village

With a flowing adjascent river

to compliment the royal image

A garden full of flowers

blooming away in glory

Love-seat next to the rose bush

hiding many love stories

Champagne-flowing fountain 

and a crystal chandelier

Prince Charming's entry 

with much pomp and regal air

I dreamt of a heavenly ball

where I was ‘the chief ballerina’

That magical dance with the prince

transformed me into Cinderella

The midnight clock struck

just when we tried to kiss

Background score screeched

a maddening slimy ‘hiss’

When the reality came crashing

found no garden, palace, or ball

Was holding an ordinary broom-stick

in a bid to clean my hall

Oh Baby, what a dampner!!!

Copyright: Shukla Banik

Bhranti / Bhrahm / Hallucination

Bengali Version

সারা জীবন শুধু এই ভাবলাম যে আমি এক বড়ো মাপের মানুষ
অবশেষে চিতার আগুন সেই ভ্রান্তিটা দূর করলো।

Hindi Version

सारी ज़िन्दगी सोचती रही की मैं एक उच्च कोटि का इंसान हूँ
अंत में चिता की अग्नि ने उस भ्रम को तोड़ा।

English Version

Spent the entire life assuming myself to be someone superior
Burning pyre of the crematorium cured me of this hallucination

Copyright: Shukla Banik