Through a mother's eyes

He picked up the sand,
And saw it flow out of his hands,
And looked at his mother and asked,
'Cant I take with me, a little piece of these sands?'

She smiled and she patted his head,
And then pulled his little cheeks,
Cause what she had to say needed decades,
And her little son wanted it all in a matter of weeks. 

She told him ' my son, the sand is your life,
Hold it in your hand and watch it flow. 
Touch it and feel its smoothness and roughness too,
Watch it in the twilight and see its mesmerizing glow.

Hold it too tight and see it spill out of your hands,
Too loose and watch it slip away slow
But hold it just right in the palm of your hands,
And quietly it will sit and never overflow. 

And with work and fortune in life lightning might just strike,
Brown sand will turn into a glass sculpture beautiful. 
And your life will be a delight for all to admire,
People will envy you, and your life wonderful. 

Even then don't hold too tight,
Because the glass could shatter and injure you too. 
Don't make the mistake of holding on too loose,
Cause what will be left will be pieces of sparkling blue. 

Life's precious enjoy it, cherish it forever,
And never become so careless that you forget the truth. 
That life's a treasure, and a special one at that,
Because gods greatest gift to you is you.'

The child picked up some sand from the earth,
And watched it in his little palm settle,
It was suddenly beautiful to him,
Beautiful as the sun, as a rose's petals. 

His mother then picked him up in the fading light,
As he was put on his bed, he smiled at her and held her tight,
She placed his sand carefully in a cup near his bed. 
Then she moved the curls of his face and kissed him good night. 

And she prayed in her heart as only a mother could 
He was growing up too fast crawling yesterday, running now. 
She prayed her little child would into a good man grow. 
His success being her greatest triumph, such is a mothers love. 

- Pranay Rao

India Shining

Tribals suffer while the politicians are busy mining,

Farmers migrate while agriculture is declining,

All this and the government is reclining,

Why bother when India is shining.

But don’t listen to my rhyming,

Cause it’s just a case of me whining,

After all theres a dark cloud to every silver lining,

And now it's time for India to be shining,

So watch the news while you're dining;

hear about a dead farmer’s wife pining,

and shake your head while sighing,

doesn’t she know India is shining.

And thank god for your perfect timing,

repeat it and please keep smiling,

After all it's all about aligning,

to the reality of India shining.

- Pranay Rao

In search of her laugh

The sunset looked a tad more crimson,

the waves a darker shade of blue,

The world reflected in her eyes,

provided a whole different view.

She smiled the most enchanting smile,

her enthusiasm bubbling as always.

the sea calmed down listening intently,

Her voice enchanting the passing waves.

She was right by my side,

and yet somewhere distant too.

Something holding her back,

Something even she never knew.

The trace of sadness was soon quelled,

by a smile for everyone to see,

She laughed her usual laughter,

her body exuding a positive energy.

She would smile with her face,

and her eyes would follow.

But her laugh lacked conviction,

starting strong but ending hollow.

She looked out to the horizon,

and I prayed that she find soon may,

The one thing that would bring back her laugh,

Bring her back that truly happy day.

Till then in vain I see her smile,

hoping that a laugh it will soon be.

The happiness in her eyes I know,

will one day turn into pure ecstacy.

- Pranay Rao

Smile

If every dream came true,
then dreaming wouldn't be fun again. 
What would pleasure ever be,
If to balance it there were no pain. 

Only the oppressive summer heat,
Makes look wonderful the sheets of rain. 
The mighty hills would be but an eyesore,
If viewed they were not from the humble plain. 

Sunshine can't be a forever constant. 
Dark clouds can't always be wished away,
Smile when the going is tough my friend,
Cause tomorrow's going to be an amazing day. 

- Pranay

The sunbeam broke into a rainbow before my eyes

It began with total silence,

Silence as deep as the sea;

Then the birds began chirping,

Rhythmic and yet a trifle noisy.

The sun had set an hour back,

And the moon never could conjure an emotion so;

What had catalyzed such a reaction,

My heart needed to know.

And then before my eyes I saw the reason,

I saw and I instantly understood too;

Her smile was like the first rays of sunshine,

of course the birds twittered, wonder how the sky didnt turn blue.

She saw me look, heck clearly stare,

and threw me a look of indgnity veiled in a 'I don't care'.

I gulped, proper impression this could not be,

Offended had I inadvertently, a maiden so fair.

By then she knew as all women do,

an art about which, we have no clue.

entrapped was I, a fly in a web,

I tried to pull back and slipped, how I never knew.

She burst out, the giggle turned into laughter,

And the sunbeam turned into a rainbow before my eyes.

I was embarassed and yet awestruck by her beauty,

The pain of falling, paling before a million sighs.

And then someone called her name and I paused,

For the name I had always known;

She walked up to me with a half smile in her eyes,

There was a little mischief in the sunbeam that shone.

She then came close and in my ear spoke,

The words I did not hear for the illusion broke,

Ironically it was a sunbeam that opened my eyes,

I lay there in the sunshine as I awoke.

It was a dream and yet the smile I had seen before,

The face though hazy, stood clearly apart.

Surrounded by a million smiles in the universe,

There is but one sunbeam in my heart.

- Pranay Rao

And I know not what to do

Continuing from angel who fell from the sky,

I like to call it love,
and yet it seems like destiny,
How it happened I know not,
How it will end is a mystery.

I still remember the moment,
The first time I saw her that night,
It was what people would call,
love at first sight.

Oblivious she was of me,
As I was of the universe,
She was this most beautiful poem,
and I a humble verse.

I looked,
trying hard not to stare.
Though even if I did,
She wouldn't have cared.

She passed by serene,
with an impatient touch.
That I was there, to her,
didn't really matter much.

I turned around,
and she was gone.
Leaving behind words,
which wished to be a song.

So on their wish,
I've composed this rhyme.
An ode to a vision,
to stand till the end of time.

Some memories remain,
pleasant yet painful too.
Cause the moment has passed,
and I know not what to do.


 - Pranay Rao