Variegated Leaves

By Saroj K. Vohra Ph.D

Variegated Leaves is an ensemble of poems inspired by a variety of events and written over a period of several years. Almost every poem tells a moving story based on a lifetime worth of varying relationships. Some passages are joyful, while others may carry despair. Nevertheless, they are lyrical, demonstrating an uncanny knack and prowess to rhyme. The poems blend lifes personal experiences with creative, imaginative, and profound thoughts and insight. Each original poem is rich, textured, and musical; encompassing many of lifes day to day challenges. Any of the poems could be a portrait or a sculpture, carefully constructed by the artist. In Variegated Leaves, the words are the tools, masterfully put together, inspired by human thought and emotion, and dedicated to sharing an intimate story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496943026

Saroj K. Vohra Ph.D

Dr. Vohra started the journey of his life in India. After spending the early years of his life and education in the native country, he migrated to and settled in the United States of America. He received his post graduate education in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has authored dozens of manuscripts in leading journals on a vast variety of topics and is a recipient of many honors and awards. To him, Mother Nature is an incomparable and uplifting source of inspiration. He sees unusual beauty and succor in the soft trill of brooks meandering over rocks on mountain tops, the din of the fresh and fearless face of the ocean, the vast canopy lit with millions of buds of light and shining like a newly wed bride, the colors of the scattered variegated leaves being blown away by autumn winds, the crunching of snow under feet while trekking on steep mountains, the fluorescence of fireflies, the glorious sunset, the vagabond clouds flittering with unusual speed, etc. The fragrance in flowers, fire in stones, music in wires, lightning in clouds, the seven rainbow hues, are intriguing yet a magnificent source of abundant glee to him. He loves to take long walks late at night, watching the moon rise from behind the hills, as well as on the ocean shore, watching the glistening waves advance and retreat again and again. He also loves to travel and understand different cultures and living styles. In addition, he enjoys gardening, reading, and writing. Variegated Leaves is his first book. He believes poems offer him an incomparable channel to express his deep inner thoughts. He is currently working on a romance novel. He lives in New Fairfield, Connecticut, with his two children, Amber and Adam.

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© 2014 Saroj K. Vohra, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/20/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4305-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4302-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014917483

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Contents

Appreciation

5 Ws

A Bright New Star

A Precious Gift

Addiction

Apology

As Long As

Battlefield

Billy and Jannie

Blissful Change

Blissful Life

Brave New World

Brutus

Captive Bird

Carry On

Chance Encounter

Change

Delusion

Demonic Night

Earthquake

Fairytale Night

Fate

Fire of Love

Friends

Full

Gandhi

Growing Up

Holiday Party

A Humble Servant

I Wish To

Is it Love

It Will Last Forever

Last Night

Late Night Walk

Life is Tears

Life, Death and Love

Life

Lonely Night

Love Duet

Love

Loving an Older Woman

Monica

Morality

Motherland

My Dream

My Life’s Journey

My Religion

Nicolette Island

Painful Memories

Priceless Moments

Rainy Night

Sadness

Season of Love

Separation

She Will Come Back

She

Sleepless Night

Spring

Stone Hearted Beauty

Storm

Strangers Again

Strangers

Sunrise

Sunset

Thank You

The Departed

The Entertainer

The Final Resting Place

The First Night

The Homeless Man

Judgment Day

The Ocean

The Ultimate Goal

Traffic Light

Trekking

True Love

Unexpected Rendezvous

The Valiant

Vexing Detritus

Wandering In The Past

Whenever I Reminisce About The Past

Who Am I

Why I Pray

Why It Had To End This Way

Wine

Winter

Woman

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Youth and Old Age

About the Author

Appreciation

To Elly, my beloved wife - a peaceful gentle warrior with a selfless loving heart who was genuine in all her endeavors.

To the many other members of my family and friends who helped to make this book of poems.

5 Ws

Does anyone understand, does anyone really know

Where do we come from and where do we go?

What makes the air in our lungs blow?

What makes the blood in our veins flow?

Who can unravel the mysterious knots of life and death?

Who can predict when will one draw the last breath?

Why the journey between life and death is of a short stay

Like a curtain-fall between the acts of a play?

Where do we really come from and why to pursue this mysterious journey of life?

Where do we go and why after we graduate from the institute of life?

Why for some people, life is so beauteous and easy,

While for others, it’s a struggle full of adversity?

Why on some days, life is like fun in the sun on an enchanting beach,

While on others, it’s like a seductive mirage that no one can reach?

When the newborn arrives to begin the mysterious journey of life,

The world celebrates and laughs as the baby cries.

At the end of the macabre journey of life,

The departed laughs and the world mourns and cries.

Of the countless before us who

Flew through the galaxies of glaring and colorful lights,

Why no one returns to reveal the experience of their flight

And to solve the riddle, we must undertake the journey too.

Alone we come in the world, alone we go,

Who would attain the final grace, does anyone know?

A Bright New Star

Just before the sunset and a little after five,

Today, I buried the dearest soul in my life.

On a hilltop by the sea,

In the shade of evergreen trees,

Shielded by the soft rustling leaves,

In the lap of the gentle ocean breeze,

Emitting perpetual light in her eternal sleep,

Six feet under, she rests in solemn peace.

Exhausted, hurting, wallowing in grief and parsing every moment of my tragic day,

Here I sit all alone on a deserted beach gawking endlessly at the ocean waves.

As my imagination takes a trip down memory lane,

My heart rips open with a mammoth chasm of pain.

Unceasing restlessness takes over my mind,

A run of volcanic anger grips my spine.

The stars no longer twinkle in the sky of my soul,

Destiny has irreversibly altered my life’s flow and goal.

Overwhelmed with melancholic and pensive thoughts,

For a while, I had no inkling as to where I was.

Suddenly, the howling winds begin to blow,

The clouds disappear, a weeping moon glows.

The moonshine prickles my skin, scorches my pores,

The wisps of ocean mist tear through my tormented soul.

Now that she is gone forever,

The hurt will never get any better.

There is nothing left, but silent tears

With a bleak future to abhor and fear.

Before leaving, I kneel down to say a solemn grace

In an attempt to offer my mind some solace.

As I look up, the moon has waned and again it’s dark,

Behold, yonder in the sky, there shines a bright new star!

A Precious Gift

When a newborn comes out of the womb, its hands are tightly closed,

The tightly closed fists hold a secret that needs to be disclosed.

‘The whole world is now mine; I want to grab everything.

Greed is everywhere; all are greedy; it must be a good thing.’

When the soul flees the body, the hands are wide open and spread

Unable to take with them and hold even the tiniest crumb of bread.

Empty handed we come, empty handed we go,

But where do we come from and where do we go?

What has fate written in the lines of destiny on the human brow?

Neither anyone really understands, nor does anyone really know.

At the time of birth,

The world laughs and celebrates; the new born cries.

At the time of death,

The departed laughs; the world mourns and cries.

In the desert of time, the mirage of life is very short,

No one knows when, where and how it will abort.

When the final curtain falls, the show is over,

The Referee blows the final whistle, the game is over,

The playing field is deserted, the chairs are empty,

The bird flees for the final sojourn, the nest is empty.

You belong to none, nothing belongs to you!

Time flies, memories fade, hardly anyone remembers you.

Oh the toy of Clay! Why are you so ruthless, pompous and haughty?

The Lord gave you a precious gift, be humble and live it wisely!

Addiction

Silently my heart burns in an eternal flame of grief,

I’ve been mourning and tasting the salt of my tears.

Only a goblet in a bar can assuage my sorrow and bring me some relief,

Only wine can bring me hope and put an end to my despair and fears.

The red nectar holds over me the power of a divine healer

And shows me the path from sadness to joy like a holy preacher.

Just a few draughts heal the sores; for a while misery and pain go away,

Up high, the spirits soar; the tyranny of grief temporarily flows away.

Bartender, "Life is very short. There is no time to waste.

Bring me a glass and pitcher of wine with utmost haste."

"Here, gently put your thirsty lips on the brimming goblet and drain it cheerfully.

Drink to your heart and soul’s content till the bowl of fire consumes you completely."

A drunkard is like a lost, confused and abandoned child

With its brain shrouded in darkness followed by no light.

Drunkards can’t keep secrets: their verbosity can’t be suppressed

Like love and fragrance, addiction to alcohol can’t be repressed.

Drugs are the armed hunter; the addicts are the helpless prey,

Once trapped in their snare, it is very hard to escape.

Drugs are venom that brings neither pity nor ruth.

To support the habit, addicts find many an excuse.

Apology

For all the pain and misery I brought you,

For all the sorrow and grief I caused you,

For all my lame excuses and lies,

For all the welled up tears in your eyes,

I sincerely wish to apologize.

With silent tears sluicing down your cheeks

And staring at the lifeless walls and empty ceiling,

You lay in bed alone, tossing and turning,

Instead of dancing with me in the sheets.

For all those lonesome, sleepless and interminable nights

When I could have held you in my arms, close and tight,

I sincerely wish to apologize.

For all the times I was gone away,

Neither was I unscrupulous nor did I go astray.

You always milled around the periphery of my life.

Close beside me, I kept your fond memories alive.

Beautiful belles with angelic curves and suggestive strides,

Always flashing broad, seductive and flirtatious grins

Could not tempt me into the forbidden path of sins,

I always kept me drowned in your sparkling smiles.

Nymphs with impish faces and oscillating hips,

Attempting to stir the feeling of passion in me

Failed to seduce me into reveries of infidelity,

Your passionate kisses always lingered on my lips.

Though I was confused, misguided, lost and inebriated,

The vows of fidelity, I never compromised or violated.

In my life’s garden of weeds, you blossomed like a fragrant rose,

Yet like a fool, I shattered your dreams and withered your hopes.

Now a transformed man, I have come to realize

That life is love; without it there is no purpose to life.

To rekindle in your heart the flame of our past romance,

Would you please consider giving me another chance?

Like a devil on its knees,

I beg for your forgiveness and mercy.

One more time,

I want to sweep you off your feet

To make you fall head over heels in love with me.

Run my soft fingers through your tousled hair,

Show you how much I really cherish you and care.

In a passionate embrace, hold you tight and close,

In my arms, tenderly rock you back and forth.

Unleash in your pulsating chest a swirl of amorous emotions,

Ignite in your heart a rampant storm of romantic notions.

On a deserted promenade by the river side,

I wish to dance with you on a moon lit night.

Make love to you all through the night,

And color with vigor the grey canvas of your life.

Bringing to an end the past disappointments and tragedies,

Let’s make the future together full of exhilarating possibilities.

Let’s leave behind the sordid events of the past

That badly hurt you and fractured your heart.

Our lives forever seem to be entwined,

Heaven-sent opportunities like this are a gift of the Divine.

Let’s make our two bodies recognize each other

And converge to make ourselves whole together.

Let’s make happiness once again a permanent resident of our lives.

Don’t you think an apology like this one makes it all worth the while?

Monica, my love, won’t you please forgive me,

And accept my sincerest, heart rendering apology.

As Long As

As long as the newborns cry

And the mothers sing them lullabies,

The flowers bloom and the birds fly,

The galaxies shine way up high,

I will look up into the blue skies;

They were your big beautiful eyes.

As long as the mighty oceans roar and the rivers flow,

The mountains stand like sentinels and the winds blow,

The planets rotate; the orbs of sun and moon glow,

There is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow,

Nature displays its awesome fireworks; clouds thunder,

The flashes of lightning break the skies asunder,

I will raise my hands and with deep sighs,

Look at the rays; they were the light in your elfin eyes.

As long as wishes are made over burning candles and a falling star,

To be felt and seen, a deeper truth