Friday, November 30, 2012

First Snow


(Image Source: http://mi9.com)


Winter draws my heart
Descending with the first snow
Polar bears from moon.

Polar bears from moon
Playing across white blanket
Snow man hugs me tight.

Snow man hugs me tight
Gifts me faith and promises.
Striking a sweet note.

Striking a sweet note
Welcome Santa to my world
Winter draws my heart.


This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem and the Prompt is First Snow.




Thursday, November 29, 2012

Conflict Ignites Fire

(Image Source: http://web.njcu.edu)


Conflict ignites fire
Of action and reaction
Clouds raining ashes.

Clouds raining ashes
Nature reacts furiously
The birth of Phoenix.

The birth of Phoenix
Cradled in the Divine womb
Rising against odds.

Rising against odds
A lesson to remember
Conflict ignites fire.


This Haiku is shared with Sensational Haiku Wednesday and the Prompt is Reaction.







Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Full Beaver Moon



Full Beaver Moon writes
Blessed stories of sacred hearts
Foundation of dreams.

Foundation of dreams
Crafted on the banks of hope
Stars twinkle in awe.

Stars twinkle in awe
Witnessing the dawn of dusk
Full Beaver Moon writes.


This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem and the Prompt is Full Beaver Moon.








Tuesday, November 27, 2012

A Tidal Sadness

(Image Source: http://cosmographica.com)


High tidal sadness
Separated by their fate
Waves rise to the moon.


This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem and the Prompt is Sadness.





Monday, November 26, 2012

A Guy Who Wasn't Too Bright



A rich guy who wasn't too bright
Married a gal he thought was right.
But then one day
While he was away,
She stole his belongings, and ran out of sight.


This limerick is shared with Limerick-Off Monday.





Sunday, November 25, 2012

Silent Streams Of Smile

(Image Source: http://wallpaperswide.com)


Silent streams of smile
Paper boats sailing with pride
Raining happiness.


(Image Source: http://www.123rf.com)


Magical jewels
Adorning silken petals
Rain flirts with nature.


(Image Source: http://delhigreens.com)


Lord dances in rain
Rainbow sings and clouds whisper
Melody of love.


This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem and the Prompt is Rain.





Saturday, November 24, 2012

A Relaxing Saturday

Someone had rightly said, "Music defies all boundaries." So true. Music isn't narrated by words. Rather, it's felt through the souls. Music isn't comprehended by language. Instead, it's spoken from within.

A few years ago, I came across a Korean music video on YouTube, and to this date, this is one of the best songs I have seen. This is full of love and emotions. True, some events in this story may seem highly dramatized, but that doesn't rob this piece of its soulful melody.

Do check the video and let me know what you feel :-)



Saturday is always so pleasant and relaxing. There is no tension of going back to work the next day, nor no anxiety of waking up early to do the daily chores. Saturday is the time to get lazy, to do whatever you like, without anyone complaining. Perhaps, Saturdays can easily be regarded as the best thing to have happened for the human race.

Weekends are like pencil shaving. The more you shave, the better it runs throughout the week. Weekends are about rejuvenation, and re-energizing your body and mind. I unwind mostly by reading novels, watching movies and playing the guitar. What about you?

I am currently reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. This is the final installment in the Millenium Series. I love crime fictions, and this one rates right among my favorites.




What are you guys up to this weekend?




Friday, November 23, 2012

Together



Together
We scribble with chalks
The lines of fate
On the red sun
Hiding the nakedness
Behind clouds of cotton
As we seek refuge
In the calmness of the moon.

Together
We draw the curtain
The play commences
Basking in the applause
We plunge headlong
A moment of bliss
Purity, rejuvenated
We dance with the stars.

Together
And forever
We promise this union
In search of destiny
Sailing across seven seas
Rough tides we fight
Steering our safe paper boat
We wait for the magical night.


This Poem is shared with Theme Thursday and the Prompt is Together.








Thursday, November 22, 2012

Princess Of The Sea



Princess of the sea
Whispering seductively
We walk hand in hand.

We walk hand in hand
Across honey - laden beach
Her breath tingling mine.

Her breath tingling mine
Passionate waves dance in rhythm
Fire burns within.

Fire burns within
Miracle performed on beach
Love crosses borders.

Love crosses borders
I unwrap her mystic veil
Princess of the sea.


I am pretty excited to announce that this is my 100th Haiku. Wow, what an amazing journey it has been. I am really thankful to all my blogger friends from whom I have learnt this beautiful art. Thank you everyone for guiding me in my blogging journey. I hope this association between us goes on forever :-)

And as always, Love Your Life and Live Your Life :-)



This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem and the Prompt is Beach.





Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Rust



Where do I belong
I know not
'm a mere pawn
In this game of life

I shuffle between wrong and right
The faces silent, their words mute
The time has come to say sorry
But no, I am strayed by my pride.

Unless you feel the fire
Burning in your bust
You cannot find the beauty
Hidden in the rust.


This Poem is shared with








Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Flying Roses


(Image Source: http://www.freeimages.co.uk)

Flying roses sing
Blessed melody of red love
Nectar on her lips.

Nectar on her lips
He tastes sweetness of the rose
Divine time stands still.

Divine time stands still
Witnessing the game of hearts
Flying roses sing.



This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem and the Prompt is Rose.




Monday, November 19, 2012

Over-speeding Line

(Image Source: http://www.pic2fly.com)


Over-speeding, she heard the line,
"Ma'am, you gotta pay your fine."
She got out of her car,
Took the cop to a bar,
And winked, "Would you like to be on cloud nine?"


This Limerick is shared with Limerick - Off Monday.









Sunday, November 18, 2012

Here There And Everywhere

(Image Source: http://www.layoutsparks.com)


Imagine
What if today
Our worlds meet, unite
Down the valley
Over the mountain
We fly, high, high, and high.

The angels gape in awe
The fairies sing and hum
The song of love, a feeling so divine
The moment of bliss when you step on the line
Rhythmic verses play to the tune
Even the Gods sing praise for that Lady on the Moon.

Here, there, and everywhere
This is so perfect, yes, our pair
We sip in the nectar through our glasses of wine
Smiles curled in harmony, your and mine
Dreams united, lips sealed with the kiss
Life is beautiful when you share it with me, Miss.


This Poem is shared with Carry on Tuesday and the Prompts are Imagine and Here There And Everywhere.








Saturday, November 17, 2012

The Golden Tree



The golden tree bows
Weary souls seeking shelter
We loot and plunder.

We loot and plunder
Gold crumbles in misery
Tree smiles patiently.

Tree smiles patiently
Mockery of creation
Dreams of sand, dissolve.


This Haiku is shared with Haiku Heights and the Prompt is Tree.






Thursday, November 15, 2012

Silence

(Image Source: http://www.salon.com)


Silence - a rare gift
Blessings of the sacred heart
Eyes speak out the words.

Fingers on your lips
Teacher shouts at the children
Now pin drop silence.

The kiss of passion
In the Garden of Eden
Lord smiles silently.

Silence of the Lambs
Hopkins - Foster masterpiece
The perfect thriller.

Silence rules my heart
As I wade through roads of thorns
You light up my world.


This Haiku is shared with









Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Reigning Wars



The houses burn in peace
Resigned to their fate
Gallant witnesses of futile war
Soaring over the clouds of ash
Days ruled by nights
Shrouding the moments of joy
Fatigued screams emerge
Sinking in deaf ears.

The souls dead
And replaced
With the adamant lure of power
Guided by seductions galore.

This house was once home
Of dream and faith
Is now broken shards
That pierces your souls
With an uncanny precision
Reminding you of the days gone by
When you played with your toys under this roof

And now you join hands with evil
To blow off this very same roof.

The toys hidden in dust
Lost and broken.


This poem is shared with The Magpie Tales.







Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Hidden



What lies hidden
Does come out
The naked seeds cry
The apple revolts
It's killed
Cut into halves
The silence reverberates
Through the crust of my skin
My chest protects you
As these are your eyes I hide
Locked in the red casket
Which beats in rhythm
Every time you wink
The tears give me life
Flowing through the veins
Teaching me to breath
Where I adore your fragrance
I promise you would be hidden
Even though they may cut me into half
Tear me into pieces
But the lock wouldn't break
It would still sing the song
You whispered in my ears
The song of trust
The song of love
It would still dance to the melody
The melody of life
The melody of our lives.


This Poem is shared with













Monday, November 12, 2012

Treat

(Image Source: http://www.esquire.com)


A lady in the bar would frequently treat
This suave guy with her sensuous dance beat.
When the music stopped,
Together they hopped
Away to his suite across the wide street.


This Limerick is shared with Limerick-Off Monday.







Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Way Out



I am trapped
As the coffin plays with my soul
Relishing the taste
Of lost love and hope
Shrouded in darkness
Laughing at my struggle
Each attempt, futile
The nails on my fingers
Melting in the sand
Eyes under the mask
Draped in misery, now wet
With tears that catch fire
Burning my dreams
The wax reminds me of the candle
Where I flickered once
Not too long ago
The flame now silent
In muted oblivion
Searching for the way out.

But is there a way out?




This Poem is shared with











Saturday, November 10, 2012

The Mud That Lies



The mud that lies
Beneath the sole of my soul
Reminds me of the path
We crossed in rain
Hand in hand
Fingers caressing love
Lips savored the brightness
Of the moonlit night
Where we traversed
Across million promises.

We endured pain
Deceit, false hopes, betrayal
And yet we were too weak
To fall off the cliff
Our hearts shattered to pieces.

If you walk there tonight
The shards of glass will shine in darkness
Neon lights calling out your name
Singing the song of our love.

I wipe out the tears
That glance in muted wonder
The pieces I collect
In my bag of toys
Memories play with my nakedness
And I stand vulnerable.

'Cause beneath the sole of my soul,
Is the mud that lies.



This Poem is shared with Sunday Scribblings and the Prompt is Mud.





Banking With The Bankster



"Meet the John Grisham of banking" - says the cover of this 364 Pages novel by Ravi Subramanian. I had heard of his books before, but this was the first time I was going to read any of them.

Ravi Subramanium is an alumnus of IIM Bangalore and works as a banker and financial service professional. He pursues his hobby of writing in his free time. He has four other best selling novels to his credit - If God was a Banker (2007), I Bought the Monks Ferrari (2007), Devil in Pinstripes (2009) and The Incredible Banker (2011).

Like his other books, The Bankster too is based on the backdrop of the global banking world. This can be attributed to the fact that the author has a wide experience as a banker, and thus writing a story on this premise comes naturally to him.

The cover of the book is quite fascinating, as it portrays a dark silhouette with a gun in one hand and a briefcase in the other, standing on the rooftop of a high rise building. Will this be a crime thriller? Yes. In fact  the Wall Street Journal compares Ravi to John Grisham. That's a big compliment indeed, considering the iconic image the latter has created in the literary world.

The name of the book is quite appealing. The word Bankster can be thought of as a combination of two words - Banker and Fraudster/Gangster. True to its name, the story revolves around fraud, lies, deceit and treachery in an International Bank, the Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2). The operation of the bank runs smoothly until a string of murders put the reputation of the bank at stake. Who is behind the murders, no body knows. The motive is unknown. It's then that Karan Panjabi, a press reporter and ex-banker of GB2 comes into the play to unravel the sinister mystery. However, as the picture starts getting clearer, he realizes that this is a global conspiracy that can have far reaching impacts if not controlled properly. With less than two days at his disposal, he gets into the task of solving this puzzle and bringing the bank out of this web. Whether he succeeds, and how, forms the crux of this novel.

Being a big fan of thrillers, I turned the pages in anticipation, with bated breath and muted expressions. The story travels through various continents, sailing from one country to another. Actions take place in Angola, Vienna, Kerala and Mumbai, each of them connected with a fine thread. The banking jargon has been used appropriately, displaying the vast expertise of the author in this field. How people try to achieve their means through dirty politics is also shown in the manner as it happens in the real world.

The story is fast paced, and that's what keeps the interest alive. The interactions between the characters, and the dialogues, sound real. They speak in the way normal people do, with their friends, colleagues and acquaintances. The plot is well woven, with the epilogue summing up and concluding the story in a neat fashion. The twist at the end was brilliantly conceived.

There are too many characters in the story, and probably that's a weak point in the layout, 'cause the characterization is weak with not much emphasis on their backgrounds. The characters jump into the story here and now, without providing a clue about their past and their nature. Whatever we get to know about them is through their present activities in the events that take place in the book.

The story flows more like a movie script, and less like a novel. True, this isn't a classic, and we shouldn't compare it with one that provides solace to the eyes that seek literary treat; however, having said that, the story telling could have been a bit better, with more attention paid to the development of the plot. Though I enjoyed the read, I couldn't find a single WOW moment in this novel.

I would surely recommend it for a light reading. Do not compare it with other thrillers that you have adored in the past, and you won't be disappointed.

Title: The Bankster
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Binding: Paperback
Publishing Year: 2012
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Categories: Urban Life, Suspense, Thriller, Crime
Number Of Pages: 364
Language: English
My Rating: 3/5

Thank You Blog Adda for providing me with the wonderful opportunity to review this book.


This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books!







Friday, November 09, 2012

The Golden Veil



The eyes that speak
Through the golden veil
Damp at the edges
Sharp at the core.

She hides those tears
Longing for his touch
The patience unmasked
Shouts bare promises.

Futile hope
Wrinkles her smile
The fingers once curled
Now lost in the wood.

The wood of darkness
A void in her heart
Embracing her misery
She shouts in silence.

Her lips painted red
For kisses to be exchanged
They remind her of failure
And throbbing pain within.

The eyes that speak
Through the golden veil
Damp at the edges
Sharp at the core.



This Poem is shared with Picture It And Write.






Thursday, November 08, 2012

And Yet We Complain

(Image Source: http://emissaries.org)


We compromise to live
The journey called life
Through its various twists
And turns
When all of a sudden
We are faced with the decision
That promises to change
And make amends
To the pain inflicted
On our weary muscles
As we tread forward
Guided by the illumination
A realization, an awakening
Dawns upon our soul
What if we never swam across this troubling sea
Would life then had been half as exciting
As it is today?

And yet we complain
And yet we complain ....



This Poem is shared with Three Word Wednesday - Compromise, Decision, Forward.






Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Mark? Who?




"You are so pretty."

"Am I? Even Mark was saying so last night... Oops!"

"Mark? Who is Mark?"

"Oh forget it dear. Would you like a kiss?"



This Micro-fiction of 140 Characters is shared with Succinctly Yours.




Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The Wound That Heals

(Image Source: http://webdesignfan.com)


The wound that heals
Loses it's essence
Over the course of time
As fading memories
Give way to dreams anew
'Cause pain inflicted in the past
Are now lost
Somewhere in my History book
I turn the pages
And recollect the sight
Of endless passion
Leading to cruel cries
That wake up the dead
From their lazy graves.

The wound that heals
Is a tribute to the times
Of abundant smiles and scarce tears.

The wound that heals
Is the journey of our lives
Through fate and hope
Expunging hate and fear.

The wound that heals
We all know how it feels...



This Poem is shared with Sunday Scribblings and the Prompt is Heal.







Monday, November 05, 2012

Yellow Boat Adventure



A fellow would frequently quote
His adventures in the big yellow boat.
And then came the truth
The story of his youth;
Being sea sick he never set afloat.


This Limerick is shared with Limerick-Off Monday.






Sunday, November 04, 2012

Live Your Life And Love Your Life

(Image Source: http://wallpaper.diq.ru)


Live Your Life
Love Your Life
Break The Swords
Burn The Knives

'Cause Life Ain't A Battle
That You Got To Fight
It's A Subtle Moment
To Eliminate Wrong From Right

False Depths Of Despair
A Guide To Tumultuous Shore
Rotten Evil's Plan
To Scramble Your Core

Illustrate The Charm
Being Upbeat Is The Key
Sallow Wrath Your Foe
Disguised Wanderer Free

Happiness Flees Fast
Elusive Gift Of God
Swelling Pain Hurts
Enable Dreams Broad

Dreams Of Joy
A Smiling Ray
The Sun Now Coy
The Moon Comes To Play

And Thus I Say ...

Live Your Life
Love Your Life
Break The Swords
Burn The Knives

'Cause Life Ain't A Battle
That You Got To Fight
It's A Subtle Moment
To Eliminate Wrong From Right


This Poem Is Shared With










Saturday, November 03, 2012

Kiss Me Hard Kiss Me Slow



Kiss me hard,
Kiss me slow,
Drown in this rain,
Dance to the flow.

Touch my heart,
Caress my breath,
Sing a new song,
Of love and faith.

Play with my lips,
Our game of power,
Let go of the umbrella,
Relish this shower.

Time has stopped,
Busy watching this show,
For you my dear,
I rise high, and stoop low.

Kiss me hard,
Kiss me slow,
Drown in this rain,
Dance to the flow.




This Poem is shared with The Mag.







Thursday, November 01, 2012

Spooky Souls Night



All souls night invite,
Party of the afterlife,
Red delicacies.

Spooky haunted house,
Sorry tales, revisited,
Scary adventures.




This Haiku is shared with










Risk

(Image source: http://hereandnow.wbur.org)


As I learnt to walk the rope
With my eyes wide open
The legs did not stumble
The threads obeying my command
Dancing to my mystical tune
And then
My eyes now closed
Shut tight with the lure of ambition
A deception of reality perceived
Cradling against my nested thoughts
The tune sounds stranger
The rope dangling precariously
Under my blatant commands
I couldn't open my eyes
It's a risk I got to walk through
Crossing the path in a maze of darkness
'Cause I have heard
That light waits for me on the other side.


This Poem is shared with Sunday Scribblings and the Prompt is Risk.