In The Times of Fanatic Fear

 

In these times of fanatic fear

The cuckoo sings songs of cheer

Assuring trembling tender hearts

Let my humble poems join!

In these times of cruel lust

The voice sings tunes of trust

Let my lowly lyrics join!

This is not the spring of diversity

When flowers of all colours bloom

The arrogance of the elephant

Tramples the garden to gloom

When the air groans in despair

The voice sings a song of hope

Let my lowly lyrics join!

Cries of pain rise from low villages

Beaten and trodden by high feet

Thought virus lurk in dark corners

Step not on the feverish street

In the times of gross insanity

A little voice tweets of sanity

Let my lowly lyrics join!

Long may be the demon’s night

But will surely dawn the morn

Out of the debris a people free

In our dear land will be born

Sing, sing, O cherubim cuckoo

Alone you’re not in the song

Let my heart and soul join!

Xavier Bage

Thursday, March 01, 2018

Bank on Brotherhood

 Brotherhood, in trade and commerce

You must continually cultivate!

“Bhai” in particular is a useful word

More useful if you can strike

The relationship it stands for

It will become yet more useful

If someone calls you a ‘Bhai”

Someone who speaks from high state!

It is like a certificate you can flaunt

It is a reference you can count on

You will move through hurdles

Like breeze through thick trees

It is a cheque you cash at any bank

a grease billions to you to gravitate!

You must cultivate this fraternity

If you wish to score in trading field

Make brothers in power corridors

Call them to your parties, feed them;

Serve them exotic wines from Europe

Give expensive gifts and associate!

Make brotherly call to them all,

Hug them, pat them on their backs

They will return their loyalty in hard times

Will forewarn you of any weather change

Of storms or tsunamis or of visitors unwanted

From bureaus or sniff dogs that investigate!

Xavier Bage

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Flags

To my eyes it is white

You assert it is black

For me it is a bag

But you call it sack

For you it’s a tree

A hill, I disagree!

You hold one dear flag

And lift it to be right

My mind clings to other

So we endlessly fight

You label me lousy left

Of reason I see you bereft!

Your revered ideology

You claim to be the best

For the good of humanity

Bundle of lies the rest

Minds which are different

To your ways must be bent!

We fling at each other

Mud missiles of blame

Don’t you think we both

Put our gods to shame?

When we are out to kill

Their teachings to fulfill!

We have found holy joys

On foolish ways to walk

Though wise, we chose

In demonic tone to talk

To win we loudly shout

By force we want foe’s rout!

Wouldn’t it be better if

We alter our vision’s range?

Aim to understand others

For a much needed change?

Harmony that will bring

A peace song we can sing!

Xavier Bage

Sat, February 24, 2018

The Wink and the Hoodwink

The cute little cat from Kerala

Shot a naughty little wink

That made her the national crush;

The diamond tycoon of Gujarat

Performed a smarty hoodwink,

That swindled the nation in a gush!

The eyebrow dance of Priya Varrier

What magic did it contain

That set billion hearts to dance!

What  did Nirav Modi  sing in the bank

And winged away with dollars trillions

Binding the bank with a trance!

Hush, he is who musn't be named

Don’t ever so loudly utter the name

It might sharply offend his clan

The whole land is their game

And his army patrols villes and cities

To execute his unashamed  plan!

The wink and the hoodwink

Goes on and on in our motherland

It’s an honorable profession

An uplifting game of adorable money

And power to roll out their fancy

Let the world reel in recession!

Xavier Bage

Tues,  February 20,  2018

Three Youths at the Railway Tracks

Three youths at the railway tracks

That soft spring sunny morning,

They aimed to shoot video films

Likes in plenty that would bring.

Two sat on the tracks conversing

While the third held the phone,

Stills and movies they recorded

Facebook fame richly to hone.

Their minds thus lost in dreams

Deaf to all the worldly noise

Didn’t hear the sirening traim

That charged at their poise.

The two actors in a quick moment

Turned into a permanent scene

thousand eyes gathered to watch

Two young lives that had been!

They did appear in the newpapers

On TV  and social media upload

Their final post drew views plenty

Now, forever they will be off road.

Xavier Bage

Thurs, February 15, 2018

Be My Valentine for a Moment

Clementine, O Clementine,

Will you be my Valentine?

Will you receive my li’l rose

And come with me to dine?

Out of my window, I see

you walk down the street

My heart a hundred times

has knelt at your fair feet!

I couldn't make myself do

In person before you stand

Me a son of a humble home

You a princess of fairyland!

You float over high clouds

While I walk earthly roads

My hands so rough and hard

Lifting, porting heavy loads!

Finding you as my Valentine

May  remain a fool’s dream

You’ll never turn your gaze

On a penniless man to beam!

As your name so declares

To stand a moment, deign

Will you receive my li'l rose

‘Ere as the queen you reign.                                                

Xavier Bage

Wed, February 14, 2018

The Statue of the Swami

At the prominent intersection of the highway

and the arterial road entering the town

The corporation controlled by a party

Installed a life size statue of Swami Vivekananda

The same energetic pose of looking sideways

With both arms intertwined on his chest

The Swami, the herald of India at Chicago!

On the eve of the holy man’s birthday

It was lifted to the pedestal of honour

And was unveiled by the honorable leader

Garlanded and bowed to reverently

With singing and chanting of hymns

And cameras of all sizes flashing around

Smartest phones capturing the august event!

In a month the memorial has gathered dust

And the city crows have left their signatures

On the holy shoulders so proudly posed

The chaotic traffic passes on like before

The police booth gathers ‘extra income’

As usual to fill the pockets of the officers

The Swami watches all with his helpless gaze!

Xavier Bage

Wed, 07, 2018