The Road Between

I walked among the quiet, measured breath

To mourn my friend’s mother, bowed by grace,

Where words fell short before the weight of death,

And silence stood to take their place.

 

Across the road, a truth too clear to hide,

Necropolis facing acropolis high,

The city of the dead, the living side,

Two worlds beneath a single sky.

 

Once, tombs lay far from daily human tread,

At edges where the ancient cities end,

But now cities build them within instead,

Where life and loss no longer bend.

 

Smoke rose slowly, prayers dissolved in air,

While horns and footsteps claimed the street,

Death waited in bier, calm, patient and fair,

As life flowed past on hurried, restless feet.

 

~ Dr Intaj Malek

(Written at Thaltej crematorium on the funeral of Hasumati Kamdar)

 

 

 

Funeral Road

 I walked behind quiet footsteps,
to the funeral of my friend’s mother,
where words grew thin
and silence knew no names.
 
Across the road, seen a chimney of
necropolis facing acropolis,
death and height staring at one another
like old philosophers
who already knew the answer.
 
Once, in ancient cities,
the necropolis slept at the edges,
a distant place for ashes and memory.
But here, in modern city of hassles,
it is vast, present, unavoidable
a city within the city.
 
Opposite it rises the acropolis of living days:
traffic, voices, unfinished plans,
people climbing toward tomorrow
without looking across the road.
 
Smoke lifts.
Prayers dissolve into air.
Life continues, stubborn and bright,
while death waits calmly,
never in a hurry.
 
What a coincidence, we say.
What a truth, life replies
those beginnings and endings
often live face to face,
and we are always
crossing the street between them.
 
~Dr Intaj Malek

(Written at Thaltej crematorium on the funeral of Hasumati Kamdar)

Musing on LOL

  
Lol, lol, lol — the laughter toll,
It echoes deep in every soul.
Wherever I wander, city or knoll,
In café or court, I find my lol.
 
He sits in GST, quite at ease,
Glides through tribunals like a breeze.
With Saxena, he winks and grins,
With Patel, he always wins.
 
But Thakker was, a sterner creed
Too slant to let lol intercede.
Lol, so frank, so straight and spry,
Finds no place where glances lie.
 
It’s holy still, and yet profane,
A joke in prayer, a dance in rain.
Lol rides a Vespa in Old Delhi,
Then sips chai in Notting Hill alley.
 
From Phuket sands to Canada's snow,
To Colombo's spice-sweet evening glow
Lol travels light, and travels far,
Tucked in a meme, or a seminar.
 
He trolls at times, in joke or jest,
Not always kind, not always best.
But mostly warm, with heart and soul,
A gentle giggle, a comic goal.
 
Not penned in some divine decree,
Yet holy in his levity.
In every scroll, in every role
Lives the eternal, laughing lol.
 
 
~ Dr Intaj Malek

Kishna whspers in Scarecrow's ears

 

 

Rocco's Quilt

I wish for the quilt I once proudly possessed,

A token of warmth in days I was blessed.

School turned to college, the seasons did flow,

Yet the quilt stayed constant through frost and snow.

At Rocco’s home, in him a brother I found,

Where love and laughter always abound.

Though dawn beckoned him to school’s embrace,

His quilt he’d drop on me with gentle grace.

The winter bit with a frosty foe-like bite,

Yet Rocco’s care made my mornings bright.

He wrapped me snug in his gentle embrace,

His quilt, a shield, my haven, my space.

I had a family, yet struggled to thrive,

Rocco’s kin kept my hope forever alive.

They shared their tea, their bread, their cheer,

A bond of love that kept me out of fear.

Moti Mahal, where delicious tea would steam,

The cup one day, the saucer next, a shared dream.

By the night’s glow, we studied with zeal,

In those simple joys, life’s riches I do feel.

Now life has matured, and paths diverge,

With children and duties, emotions surge.

Yet deep in my heart, a warmth I’ve kept,

For the quilt Rocco gave as I soundly slept.

No quilt today can match that care,

A gesture of love, beyond compare.

Though time may pass and seasons shift,

The quilt of Rocco remains my gift.

So, here’s to those days, that precious thread,

To a brother, a bond, the life we led.

Though quilts may fade, the warmth stays true,

Forever, Rocco, my dedication to you. 

~ By Dr. Intaj Malek

 

La Grace

In my château garden, I sit on a swing so high,

Listening to birds sing, beneath the clear sky.

After the rain's soft shower, the air feels so fresh,

My home, La Grace, brings peace like a gentle caress.

 

Nature's beauty mixes with God's loving grace,

In this small haven, both find a perfect space.

I write poems and think, surrounded by calm,

As birds and sparrows add their soothing psalm.

 

A crow flies by, while the birds make their nest,

In this tranquil place, I feel truly blessed.

With nature and God, a beautiful blend,

My soul finds its peace, on this swing I depend.

~Dr Intaj Malek

About the Book:

Enshrined within the pages of 'Krishna out of his Flute lies a sumptuous collection of poetic verses, exquisite odes resonating with the celestial aura of Krishna in its multifaceted splendour. This anthology transcends the conventional boundaries, unfurling an ornate mosaic adorned with Krishna's divine essence-each verse a portrait capturing the divine playfulness and magnanimity of the revered deity. From the ethereal confinement within a photo frame to the vibrant canvases of modernity's digital realm, these verses intricately weave Krishna's omnipresence, transcending the conventional hymns to embroider a drapery that breathes life into the celestial poems. 

A departure from conventional poetry, the tomes poignantly paints Krishna not merely as a distant deity but as a vibrant, living entity. Here, Krishna steps forth from his mystical flute to merge intimately with his creation, offering solace and guidance amidst the melodies and maladies of modernity. As these verses traverse the realms of human afflictions, they beseech the divine for intervention, infusing the youth with renewed vigor and a revitalized essence of Krishna's timeless divinity-an elixir breathing new life into ancient lores  resonating deeply within the hearts of seekers and dreamers aike.

ISBN :  9788119542659

Divine Publications Ahmedabad

Phoebus on La Grace

Today the Phoebus has descended with Grace
Bestowing bounteous mirth on La Grace
But the sunbeam I saw yesterday
Seems vanished or on leave today

No, the sun beam whispered in my ears
I never change my course through the years
It's you, seemed vanished from your course
To enjoy my bliss adhere to time's force

Nature runs and turns and burns in rhythmic way
But the man shuts and cuts and beats and slays
Always he goes astray and weaves hollow dreams
That obstruct the entry of dancing sun beams

- Dr. Intaj Malek

In the Hands of the People

All my friend, elders, country people

Beloved citizens, heed this plea,

Consider well where your vote should be.

Decide wisely, for the future's sake,

 

Ensure your choice shall not be a mistake.

For the nation's good, choose with care,

Guide it away from darkness and despair.

 

Hold fast to values, don't give in,

Investigate and think let truth begin.

Justice and fairness, let them prevail,

Keep out corruption, let truth unveil.

 

Look beyond guarantees, see what's real,

M ake a stand, for the people's appeal.

Never forget, your vote has great might,

O ppose oppression, stand up and fight.

Perhaps it's time for a change of hand,

 

Question authority, make a strong stand.

Remember, your vote shapes the land,

Seek out justice and equality take a stand.

Tell others too, spread the word,

 

Unmask falsehoods, let truth be heard.

Voice your concerns, don't be swayed,

Warn others, don't let them fade.

Xenophobia, reject with might, don't abstain,

Yearn for a better future, free from chains.

Zero shall be tyranny, Hitler shall not reign.

 

~ Dr Intaj Malek