Heartbeats in Rhyme

By Anita Britto

The Art and Soul of Anita Britto

 

If you share my passion when it comes to rhyme

I hope my book appeals to you and you lose track of time

I’ve let my mind meander and travel far and wide

Unrestrained – Unfettered – My soul has been my guide

 

When words rush in like angels perhaps where eagles dare

And my heart with pleasure fills while floating in mid air

I drift along the mountains, the valleys, lakes and hills

And soak in William Wordsworth with golden daffodils

 

I dream of Keats and Shelley while Byron plays the fool

Once you breathe Kahlil Gibran you’re sucked in a whirlpool

Enticed by none but Oscar Wilde whose wit one can’t surpass

Walt Whitman will knock you out with his leaves of grass

 

While Rilke’s sonnets beckon and Rumi makes you swoon

And Javed Akhtar sings a rhyme under the crescent moon

No matter whom you fancy obey the tide and swim

Listen to Neruda’s call before the lights go dim

 

Words don’t ask for reason nor do they ask for rhyme

Express your thoughts with passion and sentiments sublime

While Rumi makes you ponder reflecting on each word

Gulzar is magic to my soul – “I’m shaken and I’m stirred”

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Sep 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9783748758051

Book preview

Poem 1: Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

While the tectonic plates in my chest collide

I feel a tightness which doesn't subside

There are feelings of anguish, of fear and despair

While I want to reach out and say that I care

I think of so many we've lost in this quake

Of those buried in rubble, never to wake

We've lost our Cathedral in a sacred place

And many loved ones, whom we cannot replace

We feel so helpless to be brought to this plight

To be rattled and rocked in an unfair fight

While our monuments fell, our spirit didn't falter

With values as firm as the rock of Gibraltar

We're Kiwis at heart and we did all we could

And helped those who struggled while trying to do good

While we all have our fault lines, with many a crack

Compassion and Kindness, we don’t seem to lack

We all were Crusaders on that fateful day

While we stood to help out without running away

There were acts of kindness which should not surprise

We're a nation abundant with angels in guise

While I hate politicians I have to concede

They left no stone unturned in this hour of need

John was amazing - he tried every Key

To lift up our spirits in this tragedy

As for English he's tried to foot every Bill

For many it was a hard void to fill

Having Mark on board, I'm sure you'll agree

Is a job Wel don for he'll oversee

That our city that lies on its knees will rise

With Bob Parker to lead and supervise

Amidst all the debris, amidst all the noise

We all stand united with one Kiwi voice 

Poem 2: Mother Teresa

She didn't have a Dior dress and she looked rather plain

In her coarse blue bordered sari which she wore time and again

She didn't have a Gucci bag to keep  her precious things

All she had was in her heart - she didn't crave belongings

She didn't have Chanel shoes to move from place to place

On the roads of death there was no need for fancy lace

She didn't have the figure of a supermodel crew

And was frail and thin and tiny, perhaps diminutive too

She's never been on cruise ships or holidayed in France

And  struggled very hard to give the poor another chance

She's never tasted Caviar or sipped an Emma Peel

Didn't hesitate to pray and said it didn't hurt to kneel

She didn't sport a Rolex watch to check the hour of day

From morn to night she cared about the ones who had no say

Cartier diamonds weren't her choice - she didn't dig jewellery

And believed you were empowered when you held the Rosary

Unlike our politicians who're all for power and fame

This Angel from Albania loved lepers and the lame

She didn't waste time with lofty words and tried her very best

To nurse the sick and tired while God put her to the test

To the dying in Calcutta, her touch had meant the world

To the destitute who had no hope, her love she had unfurled

To the wounded in Vietnam who simply lost all hope

Her warm embrace gave courage and they learnt to live and cope

To the starving in Ethiopia who'd soon be vultures prey

She begged the world to do something, much to her dismay

Those orphaned in Ireland had lost their near and dear

The Mother gave them faith to live - and they forgot their fear

The handicapped in Aussie  had stumps instead of feet

Her compassion reassured  them and they learnt to make ends meet

To the lonely and unwanted whose hearts just seemed to ache

She gave them love and dignity - so that they wouldn't break

With gentle words of comfort and eyes replete with pain

She worked in slums and footpaths  politicians would disdain

While some would shrink in horror seeing maggot ridden folk

She cleaned their wounds and nursed them -  her love in them would soak

With boundless faith and courage and a spirit that was strong

She changed the lives of many, while she taught them right from wrong

A statue in her name, was the last thing that she sought

For Saint Teresa of Calcutta was one who couldn't be bought

Poem 3: The India of my dreams

In the land where the Ganges flows

Meandering through a mighty course

Over hills and plains among worshipping folk

Who in her sacred waters soak 

A multitude in prayer I see

Right from her source in Gangotri

I pause and stop to take a glance

While mesmerized and in a trance  

And soon I’ m lost in reverie

Which takes me back in history

To sixty years ago and four

When we had dreams and hopes galore  

In a nation - great and wide

Where many sacrificed and died

Some struggled hard to set us free

To make our tryst with destiny 

As Nehru had proclaimed that night

Despite the darkness we saw light

Our pledge once more we did renew

Our nation ancient, yet so new 

We promised that we would succeed

And show the world that we could lead

Though challenges we had in store

Our forefathers had borne much more  

And at that moment etched in time

With heartfelt feelings so sublime

We said we'd put an end to crime

Disease and poverty in time  

But time has passed and we have failed

With doubts and fears, I am assailed 

We still have hungry mouths to feed

Who are in want of basic need 

With a heritage like ours

And dreams that we might reach the stars

I shrug my shoulders with dismay

Paradise Lost I'm forced to say

For in this land that's so unique

Some thrive by silencing the meek

They loot the poor with all their tricks

A cesspool known as politics

They promise you the sun and moon

With idle talk they make you swoon

They need your votes to win their seat

Until they win they'll touch your feet 

They cheat and bribe to make their dough

And have no qualms to stoop real low

Entrenched into just every scene

I smell corruption in their spleen

Moral fibre's what they lack

And black money they love to stack 

They have the same old reputation

When it comes to tax evasion 

This thick-skinned bureaucratic crowd

Would have done Machiavelli proud

And though expletives come to mind

A ray of hope sometimes I find

Among the 1000 Million souls

Some haven't lost sight of our goals

In 'Hazaaro"  we find one

My heart and soul Anna has won

He's struck a chord within us all

I'm sure we'll rise and hear his call

And I believe that we will win

Hum Honge Kamyaab ek din

Poem 4: Happy Birthday, Mr. Bachchan

"Happy Birthday, Mr. Bachchan from all your die-hard fans

Who've followed