A moment to cherish.

The days were long and dreary,
The nights were short and scary,
With life, I had grown weary.

I glimpsed a doe,
With eyes so pure,
Unblemished,
Just like snow.

Her eyes met mine,
My realms changed forever,
My heart began to chime,
This sensation,I had faced,never.

The gentle rays of love,
Scorched my entire being,
With pain and misery came rapture,
The likes I had never seen.

The child in me awoke,
My flame was kindled,
In a disparate world,
Two roses mingled.

Is self-doubt really that bad?

The world loves confident people, doesn't it? PERHAPS we are biologically programmed to favor individuals displaying a trait of confidence over others exhibiting a degree of self-doubt. You know it and you have seen it. The public voting for that amazing politician who's such a good orator. The journalist who pronounces causalities like " Sensex down 12 points over inflation fears." or making judgments like "India needs to feed its poor before aiming for space"  without blinking her eye. The public has little grasp over the nuances of policy-making and subconsciously decides the best policy ,hence the politician over how confident they appear. Likewise, the cocksure journalist probably hasn't done her homework before pronouncing judgments which defy rationality. (A 12 point shift in the Sensex hardly indicates anything and the cost of Chandrayaan  was equal to the cost of a big airliner, hundreds of which ply over Indian skies at any given time) Yet, their arguments appear sound and convincing. Its no secret that the dumbest guys are most cocksure and aren't afraid of taking huge risks. 

In stark contrast, a rational and informed individual always appears hesitant , especially if you ask him to pronounce a judgment. Its not because he knows nothing, its because he knows he doesn't know everything. Maybe, that's the reason they aren't the darlings of the TV media used to quick and vapid sound-bites. Ever noticed how funny news channels look when they invite actors to discuss political issues? Here's the point. They dont invite them because they know everything , they invite them because they appear to know everything. Politicians sure as hell are not exempt from not knowing but blabbering something rather convincingly. I had the opportunity to witness a debate on globalization on TV yesterday on NDTV and was startled to discover some of the participants making juvenile remarks quite confidently. (They are used to it. Most of them were politicians). The public quickly laps up all they say without a hint of skepticism. A good example would be the theory floating around that the lesser the economic regulation, better the nation is economically. On a personal level, I have noticed that the smartest people I meet are the most hesitant and the most annoying pricks act like they are the masters of the universe. (I am definitely not saying, all confident people are dumb. Far from it) 

If the 9/11 bomber wasn't sure he was going to get 17 virgins in heaven, he probably made a very bad career move. What do you think?

Torrent of Tempest

Entombed in the grave of time,
Dormant lies a sea of memories,
Murky, malevolent and undivine,
Deadens my soul with its horrendous chime.

As I recline to relish the forehead caressing breeze,
And savour the all embracing sunshine,
From underneath me I sense the vile toxicant seep,
Draining away all delirium and delight.

My knees go numb with dread,
My throat turns parched at its fiery sight,
As I turn to face my queasy past,
I can, but marvel at its might.
And despair.

What used to creep, now flows.
Who stood upright, now bows.
Amidst the chilling gurgling,
I can sense the numbness in my toes.

As its icy hand,
rips apart my conscience,
My eyes ask the world,
"WIll some help, you lend?"
Now choking, gasping, and buckling,
I stare into the apathetic, cold
eyes of the world.

As my past catches up with me,
Once more I am consigned,
To excruciating torment and agony,
I live a life vapid
But how I wish,
Death should have been mine.