Albatross

Acidic asinine albatross are you,
Caustically wandering down the path.
Sardonic smart-alec are you,
Blathering on about your task.
Snarky fountainhead are you,
Wuthering on about the load.
Scathing captain are you,
Corrosive at the helm.
Mordant artless are you,
Dodgy with your words.
Tart insipid and jaded are you,
Oblivious to stochastic innovation.

Wondrous am I,
Astounded at your foppery.
Stupified am I,
Bewildered by your ineptitude.
Tarrying with bated breath am I,
Antsy for the undoing of a vision....

— Shivangi Vyasulu

Fragmented Journey Forward.

Idling on the open road to discovery
I wait for the gunshot
Sending my thoughts rumbling along
Thundering thru the valley.
I'm owed a dream.
I'm owed some stability.
I'm owed a new perspective.
Slide into place oh mighty puzzle,
Engage gears.
Fill up that open road that's echoing
One of my most nagging fears.

Picture courtesy: Priya Krishnan, Great Ocean Road, 2010.

Procrastination tempts me.
I move into neutral once more.
Idling once more.
I turn around and take off in the opposite direction.
Maybe I should pile on the mileage
Before I gun for the finish line.
The fuel gauge reads "Half tank"
I have a long way to go yet.

--Shivangi Vyasulu

Burning the venom

Slither away lover,
Surprise me all you want
Notice not my fangs and venom
From deep within your world.
I may not harm you instantly
But time will only tell
I'll make you writhe in pain and regret,
I'll be your worst damned hell.

Hold me close cold lover,
Heart as cold as stone.
Then forget me cold cold lover
But for heck just don't drone.
For I don't get cold lover
Not in rain, snow or lack of soul
I'm warm and tricky lover
When angry hot as coal.


Strike me with venom lover,
Try to kill me if you must.
But I'll burn you limbless lover
With my wrath and flaming touch
You'll slither away in pain
And I'll bask in the sun
I'll laugh at you wriggling lover
But dont expect me to hover


Of course I love you, you damned snake,
You remind me of my strength
If it weren't for you damned snake
I'd be cooking or stitching a hem

Thanks to you slimy lover,
Cold heart and vacant soul
My strength would be forgotten
Probably growing mould.

I'll lie by your side cold venomous lover,
Join you wherever and whenever you will
But if you bite me lover
You'll fall very very ill.

--Another reply to  http://rhymsterswoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/hiss-and-her-song.html

UPS Symphony

Beep thru my mind
Break my thoughts
Sound the alarm
Just stop me short
Beep beep shut down
Be-eep work starts
UPS et. al.
Just call it a day!
        --Shivangi Vyasulu

Evasion.

Swirling through the air
An epitome of negligence
Drafts of intense indifference
Bouts of nausea
Encompass the mind.
Rivulets of fresh air
Seep in only to be poisoned
Muffled and disfigured
Acetic, pungent and disgruntled,
Begging for release
From the frigid throes of routine.
I wander through it all
Diversions, conversations, and the likes
The root of the issue
Buried under paperwork
Improvement impotent without backup.
                                --Shivangi Vyasulu

Grandma said it all!

Grandma called me a lady.
She said I was good.
She thinks I'm unpredictable
She says I'm "modern".

Grandma thinks I should go out with friends,
Stay the night if I'd like.
She wants me to be careful
Make sure I do it all right.

Grandma told me to protect myself
Despite the moment
She said she's heard nightmares
And she'd say it in truth.

Grandma asked me about men.
She said they'd  be willing
But when the time comes,
They'd behave a little chilling.

Grandma said I didn't have to get married
Unless I knew the dude was right
She said, " I know you youngsters..
Always trying to hide"

Grandma told me she was young too
And met people new
But grandpa came along
"Too bloody damn soon!"

Grandma says he was a good man.
He provided for her well.
But the times were so complicated
She's now in a shell.

Grandma says I should be free.
Do the things I want to do.
If you are sure about it,
Who am I to stop you?

Grandma gave me the sex talk.
The modern version I guess.
She said I'm old enough
So she won't second guess.

Be careful my darling
People are on the prowl
But if they push you around
Tell me and I'll make them howl.

Grandma is eighty-four now
Who'd have thought she knew
How well she knows me
And how incorrigible I am too!

--Shivangi Vyasulu

Steel

nine years ago i learned something good.
i'm as strong as steel. i shine cold and bright.
the sun makes me glint warm, the sarcasm makes me sneer.
i'm strong as you've ever seen me
drop me and i wont break
leave me on the flame n forget me
and i'll only burn you later.
i'm steely strong and cold to you
nine years have proved you wrong.

GTH

I sit still beneath the layers of warmth

Envisioning my day

And everytime I reach somewhere

I seem to doze off.

My throat feels rough, scraped like cheese

My brain filled with cotton

My nose seems to freeze

I curl up in bed

Willing myself to get better

There’s things I could do

That are so much better.

The weather outside torments me

The rain that falls seems to hiss at me

I drift off to sleep a little cross

Missing out on Friday

Oh what a loss!

I peep out from under the covers

And a draft of air sends me back at once.

TV and movies beckon me

But the damn fever and cold

Under the covers, me they tightly hold

A waste of a day and a long weekend,

If  well, I’d be on a beach

Lets not pretend.

Headed to work this morning

I peer outside

Oh what’s the matter with you sky?!

I will my throat to cheer up please

I want to relax outside and not freeze.

Out with it damn cold

Free your hold

You’re tormenting others too I’m told.

Fever bullying me like a little child

If you don’t stay away I’m gonna get riled

Just leave me alone!!!

—Shivangi Vyasulu

Tequila stamp of glory.

A few days ago I drank tequila,
More than you'd ever think
Each time I saw a shot
I would simply grab it and drink.
The shots came faster
the night got thrilling
Until I hit the floor.
How many shots I did
I really wasn't sure.
I spoke English in my head
Spanish was heard by others
I leaned against an imaginary pillar
Oh brother!!
I tipped back straight
Fell on the floor
And shocked a few around
I chattered through the ride back home
Oh I uttered all the sounds
The next morning I awoke at ten
Happy as a clam
I thought of the previous night's story
The applause, I remembered roaring
And then I noticed on my head
A painful tequila stamp of glory!
                                       - Shivangi Vyasulu (c)

Tracing an image of Reality

Floating just over the glistening ocean

Beyond the crashing waves and between the sunset

Aiming for the horizon that never comes

I begin to breathe in inspiration.

Turbines of thought churn the words into life

Sealing them together in context

Seasoning them with a little wistful smile.

I’m encumbered by the need to assemble my thoughts

Bringing reality to life

Reality likes being obscure, unattainable and inexpressible.

I surge forward determined

Slicing through the chill waters

Warming up to the reality

Chopping the distance in half

Melting into the currents

The horizon tip toes further away

But I touch it briefly before it does

I have won it. It is mine.