Passion…unbridled

Some cities seem to function as if they were designed

With tourists, rather than residents in mind

When we visit them as tourists it is hard to visualize

That people actually live and work there, we don’t realize

How the relentless emphasis on tourism affects residents

How they have to grapple with sky-high rents

How they face tourists infiltrating neighborhoods residential

How the fabric of their lives is disrupted in ways unintentional..

*

Many cities around the world are desirable destinations

Besides this they carry the designation

As centers of political power, trade and culture for their countries

They boast of the best employment opportunities

Their residential population keeps growing, along with the increase

In tourism- the competition for resources never does cease

*

Many such cities have been on my bucket list

And I have been visiting them as a tourist

Hearing similar stories of frustration from residents everywhere

I am learning the effects of over tourism and becoming aware

Of the clash between the interests of tourists and residents

I am trying to educate myself on ways to prevent

Myself from contributing to the residents’ ire

Without compromising on my wanderlust desires..

*

Iconic landmarks everyone wants to see

But hidden gems exist in every state, every country

Maybe more often off the beaten path I should go

In an era of fast tourism, I should learn to travel slow

About a hundred trillion microbes live

Within our bodies, but until recently their collective

Impact on our well-being was unknown

Now an increasing number of studies have shown

How minuscule organisms a big punch pack

Based on which ones are abundant and which ones we lack

Different disease manifestations we face

In health and sickness, microbes have an important place

*

Like all communities, our microbiomes flourish

In diversity and balance, as we nourish

Our bodies, we keep them alive

In turn they keep us healthy and let us thrive

This balance is delicate, and prone to disruption

By the increasing and indiscriminate consumption

Of ultra processed foods, antibiotics and such

Our microbial partners have unwittingly been abused much

*

Allow me to mention here the ancient practice of Ayurveda rooted in my culture

Ayurveda suggests that in order to nurture

Good health, one must start by treating the gut right

Feeding the right foods allows one to fight

All kinds of ailments- now we know it to be true

Feeding our microbiome right helps keep chronic diseases at bay too

*

The discovery of microbiomes and their importance

To our health is yet another instance

Of humankind being humbled by the realization

That we have not succeeded on this planet in isolation

We contain multitudes, that need

Careful nurturing on our part indeed

As a child all that was expected of me

Was to be a good student, to excel academically

There was one thing in which I could take pride-

It was the ability to read and imbibe knowledge of subjects wide

And apply that effectively to take tests

That was what I was capable of doing best

From one milestone to another I progressed

Academic performance defined my success

*

Since all the right boxes I had been checking throughout

Never once did I pause, or have a doubt

That what I was doing was not enough

That real life would be far more tough

The soft skills that are in real life so essential

I had ignored, thinking they were inconsequential

*

I’ve been struggling to find my “grown-up” place

Challenges in daily life I often face

I do not have the confidence that I had before

These days victories I hardly ever score

But when I am feeling especially discouraged, I find

That “studying” a specific subject and stimulating my mind

Is the best boost I can give to my self-esteem

When my problems insurmountable seem

Learning a subject in depth encouragement provides

To take all other problems in my stride

It is incredible that work makes me experience

The highest highs and the lowest lows, some of my most intense

Emotions are linked to events at the workplace

Each day at work a different set of challenges I face..

*

Since work is an integral part of my identity

It is hard to work dispassionately

The rewards are tremendous, but I get a fair share

Of disappointments as well, I am aware

That my emotional investment in work is excessive

By being detached, a more peaceful life I could live..

*

I have sought purpose elsewhere in my life, only to realize at the end

That work gives me purpose, I cannot pretend

That the several other roles I play

Provide me fulfillment in the same way

*

Just like anything else in life, work comes with its highs and lows

The best I can do is to go with the flow

Celebrate the wins and not dwell

On negative thoughts when things do not go well

I feel mildly depressed and uninspired

A pick-me-up is sorely required

My pantry and refrigerator I raid

I eat with abandon until I have made

My stomach so full I cannot have another bite

Eating mindlessly has helped me fight

The void in my heart, to fill which I could not find

Any constructive activity that would engage my mind..

I have soothed myself temporarily but the food I ate

Was served with a side of guilt, over which I would continue to ruminate..

*

I feel tired, sorry for myself and miserable

I need my depressive thoughts to be disabled

Various online stores I browse

Select some items that my interest arouse

And buy them knowing they are not needed at all

But indulging in retail therapy makes my stress levels fall

I know this purchase would on my conscience weigh

Since money on unnecessary objects I have wasted away

*

I feel disgruntled and unmotivated

I binge-watch television until I have saturated

My mind to such an extent that I cannot

Feel anything at all, or form a coherent thought

Later I would repent the sleep I sacrificed

To watch television, I would pay a price

*

This was me, trying to deal with distress

In dysfunctional ways that ended up increasing my stress

It took conscious effort to change my habits destructive

And replace them with activities more constructive

Now when I am upset, I try to go for a walk or a run

I feel better, and it is a dual victory won

In both the physical and mental spheres-

To this healthy habit I try to adhere

If I feel sad, I reach for a book instead of a snack

Reading a good book is for mood elevation a great hack

Or I pour my woes on paper, in a verse

It is much better than loosening the strings of my purse

Sometimes I self-soothe by creating amateur art

It calms me down and warms my heart

*

Same feelings but with better ways to cope

I turn despondency into hope

I had been composing poems, but was afraid to show

My writing to the world, I thought I did not know

Enough about poetry to have the audacity to claim

That my rhymes were “poems”, surely poetry of literary acclaim

Is not supposed to rhyme in the way my verses do

Regarding the literary elements of a poem, I have no clue

All I know is that when I try to express my thoughts

I do it in rhyming verses more often than not

*

I came across a book of poetry where in the preface

The poet had confessed that she had felt out of place

Writing poems because they were composed

In free verse, she thought they resembled prose

That words needed to rhyme in a poem was what she was taught

Therefore for the longest time with doubt her writing was fraught..

*

I let out a chuckle when I read her confession

Both of us seemed to have the impression

That our writing did not to accepted standards conform

But eventually we found the courage to write in the form

That came to us naturally, instead of trying to write

In a manner that did not to us feel right

*

Life is too short for us to stifle our creativity

Because it does not conform to certain standards arbitrary

There is a place for every style of creative expression

Therefore in rhyming verses I distill down my worldly impressions

When I think of feminism I am drawn invariably

To the many embodiments of “Goddess Shakti”

She is the personification of divine feminine energy

Who inhabits various forms legendary

She has both benign and fierce incarnations

That for me signify women’s liberation

*

The fierce “Kali” teaches me to fight

Against injustice, through her display of might

To the benevolent “Saraswati” I pray

So that I continue learning every day

“Lakshmi” the Goddess of Prosperity

Reminds me to be grateful for the abundance around me

“Parvati” embodies devotion to family

“Sita” teaches resilience to me

*

Before I turn to the Western movements for women’s liberation

I should look at my cultural traditions for inspiration

I feel empowered when my strength I derive

From my roots, to stay true to them I must strive

Around a philosophy of saying yes, my career I had built

When people asked for more, I would give, because the guilt

Of knowing someone could suffer if I said no

Would keep me up at night- thus my responsibilities continued to grow

When people expressed gratitude, I felt gratified

That to go above and beyond I had tried

It would have been acceptable to say no in some situations

But that would have caused delays and consternations

I did not know at the time but by doing this I was trying

To build my fragile self-worth, while to myself I was lying

That I was doing it to help others in need

In truth, my insecurities I was trying to feed

*

My boundaries were never set, over time this I realized

Knowing what I do now, it should not have been a surprise

That encroachment on my time gradually increased

The demands to accommodate others never seemed to cease

Until I was running on empty, wearing myself out

Saying yes to everything was something I could do without

*

Trying to set boundaries has been a battle uphill

There is anger and outrage from others, guilty I feel still

But standing my ground is what I need to do

Uncouple my self-worth from my work too

You can never become indifferent

You can never become immune

When your patient despite your efforts loses their life

It affects you profoundly, it cuts like a knife

You retrace your steps, you wonder if there was something you could have done

That you did not do, something that would have changed the outcome

You mourn the loss, you feel defeated

Your reserve of stoicism has been depleted..

*

Death is an integral part of practicing medicine

Each death feels like a loss, each life saved a win

But death keeps us grounded, while saving lives

Gives us the motivation to try our best, sustains our drive

*

The finality of death makes it a bitter pill to swallow

But in despair I cannot continue to wallow

I reflect in gratitude on the time I had spent

In caring for my very sick patient

I achieve closure and am able to continue

To care for my other patients too

I love sprawling metropolises, the megacities

Where construction never does cease

Of skyscrapers and business empires

Cities that represent ambition, success and desire..

Walking through crowded sidewalks and squares

I imbibe the ambition hanging in the air

My heart pulsates with the rhythm fast-paced

Of the cacophony of myriad sounds of the place

I return from a city, completely energized

I throw myself into work so my goals can be realized

*

I equally love small towns where time seems to slow down

The idyllic town squares, the quaint downtowns

Appeal to my creative side, serving to inspire

Me to pour on paper or canvas my desires

Where I can sit for hours in a bohemian cafe and daydream

Where the concept of slow living reality does seem

I return from small towns, relaxed and rejuvenated

My craving for simplicity thoroughly satiated

*

I live neither in a metropolis nor a town that is small

My home a mid-sized city I call

Where the pace of life is neither dizzyingly fast nor too slow

Therefore to both large cities and small towns I go

When I travel, I like both in equal measure

Diametrically opposite experiences in both kinds of places I treasure

I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the summer solstice

The longest day of the year, filled with the promise

Of glorious sunshine, of days that stretch forever

Of endless hours to bring to fruition every endeavor..

*

The summer solstice boosts my industriousness

I complete projects in various stages of progress

Assisted by the long hours of daylight

That keeps my creative spark burning bright

*

I do make hay while the sun shines

My spirits with the hours of daylight align

While in winter I fight the urge to hibernate

Summer is the time when I rejuvenate

I rush in to treat the patient whose heart is not beating right

I take decisions quickly, like a warrior ready to fight

The patient’s life depends on my ability to be quick

For which I rely on extensive experience with patients sick

*

A patient in clinic with chronic heart disease I see

I review his condition, his prior tests and treatments extensively

I make gradual changes, a comprehensive regimen outline

After a year or so, the patient is feeling fine

From being short of breath at rest to walking a mile a day

With shared decision-making, he has come a long way

*

This dichotomy of decision-making everyday I embrace

I take instant life-saving decisions when I face

A patient with a life-threatening emergency

At the same time patients with chronic illness I see

For them, the decision-making process is slow and deliberate

Incorporating clinical and socio-economic data with patient preferences I create

Sustainable treatment plans to help them thrive

With their illness, go beyond just staying alive

I believe that each decision pathway

Is gratifying in its own special way

To be granted the privilege of saving a life is sacred to me

And people living their best possible lives is encouraging to see

*

Decision-making, whether slow or fast, depends

On exhaustive training and years of accumulated experience

With each decision I make, I continue to grow

As along my professional path I go