Passion…unbridled

The weekend evaporated even before

I could get a whiff of it- I am not sure

Of how time slipped out of my hands

Why I still feel drained, I do not understand..

*

I had lofty plans for rest and rejuvenation

And a firm resolve to not indulge in procrastination

There was a laundry list of chores to get through

About half of them I managed to do

Before I realized the two-day weekend

Had in the blink of an eye, come to an end

As far as rest goes, my sleep-wake cycle was thrown off gear

I am paying the price for it now, I fear

*

A mile or two I was supposed to run

I was supposed to spend time soaking up the sun

I had planned to try out recipes new

Regrettably, none of that I was able to do

*

It is Monday morning and I have woken up with dread

I am not looking forward to the week ahead

I want another chance at a weekend to set things right

But it is Monday, there is no weekend in sight…

Each time I am about to give feedback

I try to take a pause, to gather some tact

So that I can balance criticism with praise

I have tried to read all about the ways

In which feedback should be given effectively

But I need a masterclass to understand its complexity

*

If I do not think about it beforehand, I sound critical

But if I try to follow the rulebook, it appears artificial

I struggle to find a happy medium between the two

That I tend to judge harshly is unfortunately true

I do not want to upset anyone but I still want them to know

That there is room for improvement, which I hope in the future they would show

*

When it is time to give feedback, I get stressed out

This is one work responsibility I would like to do without

Giving effective feedback is a work in progress

On which hinges both mine and my mentee’s success

In a world that conspicuous consumption celebrates

I am trying my best not to consume but create..

Instead of buying yet another product online

I am consciously making an effort to design

A life that thrives on creative expression

I am trying to switch from my decades-long obsession

Of acquiring beautiful objects to creating poetry and art

The former left me thirsting for more, the latter satisfies my heart

*

In the days after Thanksgiving, there is intense temptation

To buy more, and I’ve done that to the point of “stuffocation”

To steer clear of this pressure to buy, my strategy

Is to channel all forms of creativity

When I write, paint, cook- create something new

Ignoring discount deals is not hard to do

*

I hope this weekend my creative well does not run dry

And that shiny objects I do not feel compelled to buy

The one message I do not like to receive

Is “Thank You”-and before you perceive

Me as an antisocial human, please hear me out

While expressing gratitude exemplifies politeness, no doubt

A “Thank You” message rarely adds value to the conversation

But increases message fatigue by adding another notification

When this superfluous message shows up on call at night

Annoyance at this polite interruption I have to fight..

*

A sincere “Thank You” is invaluable in a face-to-face conversation

But when included on a digital platform, it impedes efficient communication

In a world where our attention is already fragmented

Avoiding unnecessary messages should be the strategy implemented

Because each time the phone pings, you have to divert

Your attention for a brief moment before it reverts

To the task at hand, this happens often

Adding to the overwhelming digital burden

*

Let me rephrase my argument to state

That in digital communication, it is more polite to eliminate

“Thank You” messages that digital clutter increase

At least at work, my thank-you messages have ceased

Don’t judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what I do

When I am in the library browsing through

Bookshelves full of books with covers artfully designed

I look at the title, the typography, the layout and if I find

All of them appealing, I take the book home with me

And nine times out of ten, I read it before returning it to the library..

*

Mostly if the cover is promising the book delivers too

There obviously are times when the opposite is true

Being an avid reader and a patron of my local library

I think I can identify a book worth reading from a cover that appeals to me

*

To judge a book by its cover is a fun exercise

Both when the content is expected and when it ends up being a surprise

If I write a book in the distant future I shall keep in mind

To put substantial effort into the cover design

When I read an article, I start with the introduction and end

With the conclusion, but when I write I upend

The sequence-somewhere in the middle I start

During bursts of inspiration, I complete an arbitrary part

Of the article, my article gets constructed bit by bit

Just as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle I would fit..

*

If I were to start by writing the introduction, I’m afraid

I would not get very far, my enthusiasm would fade

Before I got to the crux of my article, therefore

I begin from somewhere in the center, the core

The next section I then arbitrarily choose

In this way my momentum in writing I do not lose

*

This seemingly haphazard way works well for me

It lets me complete my articles rather quickly

Since they are written piecemeal, my articles need

Considerable editing to make them worthy of a read

*

As a final thought, let me just say

It would not be as much fun if I did it any other way!

I recently came across a fascinating discussion

On how lack of pockets in women’s clothing is a form of discrimination

*

Women’s clothes have never had functional pockets in place

Because of this limitations women face

In carrying their belongings in public, they need to carry

Handbags as an additional accessory

Handbags limit movement, can be stolen or lost

Not to mention that they come at an additional cost..

*

These archaic fashion rules probably worked adequately

In the Victorian era, for ladies of the aristocracy

Who did not travel anywhere alone

Who did not need to carry cash, ID or phones

These days, all women carry mobile phones, cash and cards

So why do we not outdated fashion norms discard?

*

It appears some progressive designers have taken note of this need

They are designing women’s clothing with adequately sized pockets, indeed

Why should I risk losing my belongings in a crowded space

Just because my stuff in my pockets I cannot place..

Fashion should be as functional for women as it is designed to be

For men- in all my clothes, sturdy pockets I want to see!

It is hard to describe how I feel, to articulate my grief

When I’ve read a sizable work of fiction with the belief

That things would work out for the jinxed protagonist in the end

Only to find that the main character never gets to make amends

And dies with unresolved issues, brokenhearted

I find myself mourning the fictional soul departed

I feel somewhat angry at the author for depriving

The protagonist of a chance at surviving

Through the odds created in the plot

I was rooting for the protagonist more than I had thought

*

I think I’m still looking for happy endings when I read

But fairytales are not written for adults indeed

Realistic characters have flaws, just like real people do

Sometimes they succumb to adverse circumstances too

But reading a story with a tragic ending leaves me

With a lingering sense of sadness and melancholy

*

After my initial anger, now I have come to appreciate

The masterpiece that the author has been able to create

A powerful, immersive and devastating read

This is still the kind of book my soul needs

Backhanded insults disguised as praise

Handed out to women in so many ways..

*

“You are not like other women”- that is not

The compliment that it appears on first thought

Through your perceived differences from others you are being defined

Your worth lies in your being exceptional all the time

“You are so smart for a woman” is even worse

As if a smart woman should be a rarity in the universe

“You are so brave to wear that” sounds like an empowering compliment

But it is a actually a subtle admonishment

Suggesting that you’ve gone beyond

The narrow confines of social norms

“You are so independent” subtly discourages you

From seeking help when you need to

It invalidates your need for external support

You are expected to singlehandedly hold down the fort

*

So many compliments are micro-insults disguised

That each time you hear a compliment, it is no surprise

That you start looking for a hidden clue

Regarding the real meaning, you stop taking it at face value

After having gone through this list

I must remind myself that genuine compliments also exist

What is this life if, full of care

I have little time to spare

To lose myself in the pages of a book

To be so engrossed that I forget to look

At everything else around me

To have the pleasure of inhabiting vicariously

The characters’ lives, of rooting for their success

Of finding one character over who I obsess

*

It is an interesting and productive life that I lead-

That’s how life appears when books I can read

All the tribulations of the day melt away

When I read a book that warms its way

Into my heart- at that moment, nothing else I need

I am a saner, more relaxed version of myself when I read

The curry is cooked, and now awaits

The tempering that gives it its distinctive taste

I heat the oil, add seeds of mustard and cumin

I watch them crackle and then throw in

Some fragrant curry leaves and few red chillies dried

Then add the sizzling mixture to the curry set aside

Aromatic spices bloomed in hot oil impart

Their flavor to the dish, to warm both the palate and the heart

The aroma of my tempered curry serves as the indication

That food is ready, it is an invitation

For my family to gather at the dinner table to eat

Tempering is the last step that denotes cooking is complete

*

What is it about “Tadka” or tempering that has inspired me

To wax poetic about it- it is not just a technique culinary

It has cultural significance- each region of the Indian subcontinent

Has a different blend of oils, spices and other condiments

Not only that, every family tweaks the tadka to suit its palate

Thus the humble tadka the diversity of Indian food celebrates

*

I learnt from my mother, she learnt from her mother before me

The tadka I grew up with is a signature of my family

The aroma of fresh tempering brings childhood memories to mind

And to pass on this unique recipe to my child I am inclined

Science and advancements in medical technology

Can help my patients live longer, studies tell me

There is yet another procedure, another medication

That I can add to my patient’s regimen, it exemplifies my dedication

To ensure my patients get treatment that is state-of-the art

In the best possible way I want to take care of their hearts..

*

With a conviction that more is better, I proceed

To outline the various treatments that my patient needs

I explain each test, each procedure, each medication in detail

I describe in layperson’s terms what each one entails

When I am done, I ask the patient if she questions for me

She stares at me for a minutes, then shakes her head silently

While I am trying to figure out what this implies

She says she does not want any of it, to my surprise

I try to persist in telling her the benefits of my treatment plan

But she is resolute, she is not going to change her stand..

*

An octogenarian, she is a petite, slightly stooped lady

Who has over twenty diagnoses in her medical history

And twenty-five tablets for myriad conditions

Prescribed by different specialist physicians

*

I was planning to increase the complexity of her regimen, instead what she needs

Is to pare down the number of medications indeed

So I go through each medication one by one

And determine the rationale behind its continuation

Within fifteen minutes, I have managed to reduce

The number to just eight, I’ve also deduced

That she does not need more diagnostic tests

With reduction in medications, some side-effects we would put to rest..

*

I can tell you all about deleterious interactions

Among different medications, therefore retraction

Of certain medications would be the right thing to do

Sometimes less is more-in this case it is true