Solo

never a weakness—
single, silent, stroke of strength
still makes a ripple

Live today

No two days are same

just as experiences

leave no stone unturned

Photo: Bondi Beach, Sydney

Onwards she goes

With a new name
and a new home
across the nations
crossing all barriers
walks along and alone
a brave young maiden
for whom there’s none
to care for, to take care
only self and possessions
with clothes on her back
and books in her backpack
onwards she goes, fearless
for she’s got nothing to lose
all the world to gain and more
steadfast as the winning tortoise
passing by the hares and stares
takes on this bright new venture
this, a solo traveller’s adventure

Pray, tell

Pray tell, thee, wise tree
how many lives have you seen
crushed beneath the human weight
staved off for their meat and desk
your tenants and their housing whole

Oh, dear, wise old tree
pray tell us truth with glee
who’s the vainest of us all
the one who orbits in space
taking away praise medallions
giving back footprints of carbon
or the one making firewood
felling earth from her roots
for a week’s worth of meals

Ageing, waning, wise tree,
how many times have we seen
heroes emerging on the face of the earth
biting the poor and sucking the wealth
to be rich and famous, at the cost of all