From Ram

To My Honey:
These are the feelings from my heart for you...

I have never seen your face,
Nor heard words from your lips.
I do not know your sounds of laughter,
Or the softness of your sigh.

I do know that you are kind and sweet,
You are a thoughtful and caring soul.
You think of others before yourself,
These things I know about you,
Even though we have never met.
I have learned this by coming to our special place
Each day and finding you there.

You are not here in body and soul,
But as a lighted rectangle.
You come to me every day as
A message on my screen,
A message that I can rely on
To cheer me up and make my day.
Through a keyboard we share
Our ups and downs.

I have opened my inner self to you,
And you have to me as well.
We have traded secrets and laughs,
As well as sorrows and pain.
I have never met you, but feel as if
I have known you most of my life.
To most this might sound silly,
But I assure ... it is not.

Even though we have never met,
I feel a bond between us.
A bond that should have taken years to build,
Yet was built in a month or two.
A bond that lifelong friends should have,
Although most never do.
A bond that I am glad to share with you...
My Friend And Confidant.

Take care,
Ram


Photo: "Romeo and Juliet" by Sir Frank Dicksee

From Raji

Bee, you buzz in my soul, drunk with honey,
and your flight winds in a slow spiral of mist.
Last hawser, in you creaks my last longing.
In my barren land, you are the final flower.
You have deep eyes in which the night falls.
Cool arms of soft moss and a lap of rose.
Here in the solitude from which you are absent.
It is raining. The sea wind is hunting gulls.
The water walks barefoot in the wet streets.
From the tree, the leaves complain.
Bee, even when you are gone 
You buzz in my soul.
You live again in time, slender and silent.

From Parag

"Young Priestess" (1873) Adolphe William Bouguerea

To my Dear,
If I were to light a candle
for every reason I love you,
the brightness and warmth
would fill a room,
the way thoughts of you
fill my world..
There would be candles
for your eyes
as they sparkle with delight,
and another for each
of your interests
and the pleasure I get
as you share them with me.
There'd be candles
for the way you talk,
the way you look,
and the way I feel
when I'm with you...
If I were to light a candle
for every reason I love you,
there would be more
than you could count,
and the light they'd give
would be lovelier
than anything I know.

I love you.
from Parag.

One more...

From Court:

5-17-98 

this is for you, my love.... 

Two hearts inexorably entwined;
Reminds me of two others,
Whose love is of the same kind..
Why can’t I let go of you ?
You pervade my every dream..
It is your generous, loving demeanor,
That enthralls my consciousness stream !

I try to dissolve your power…
But my heart says: “It’s not to be…”
You are just a lovely spirit…
Whose life I know so well;
My darling, my lovely,
In whom my consciousness dwells!

Another one from Court...

...written while on a hunting trip with a couple of his friends:

This is for you, Goldie! High in the mountains, Over the pass, Down in the lush valley, Filled with tall grass..... East River ranch, The meadow unfolds... Mountains on both sides, We tremble with cold. Up on the hillside, We view the bald peaks; High above timberline, It's elk that we seek.... The beauty is breath taking The sky is turning gray.... We three hunters stand waiting, "Scoping" their prey. In rolls the snowstory.. Down the meadow, from the West, The hunters all shudder, And zip up their vests... Wind and snow, hail and sleet, We trudge back to the cabin... To warm frozen feet. My thoughts turn to spirits; And those that are by my side... I'm warmed by the feelings, That there YOU abide! The incredible beauty, Of all I survey... Reminds me of your spirit, Just a heartbeat away! I'm sad and I'm happy; Beguiled by the bliss... Of spiritual proximity, In moments like this... Two spirits enraptured; Two spirits entwined; Two destinies unfolding; ... a feeling sublime! Affectionately, C.

From Court, my kindred spirit, in San Antonio, Texas

"The Shepherdess" by Adolphe William Bouguerea

"The Shepherdess" by Adolphe William Bouguerea

this is for you:
I took a trip through cyber space, ...
and found a kindred spirit; ...
She told me of her life and times, ...
Of courage without limit
My heart was touched, my soul enlarged ...
with thoughts and admiration;
Her brightness shone, like stars above; ...
my mind filled with adulation;
So, K. my dear, ...
one thought is clear; ...
as our spirits mix together:
Were it not for chance and happenstance, ...
we might have missed forever...
But, happily, you came along, ...
within my spirits reach!
And now we commune, ...
in time and space;
Forever affecting each.....

Song for a Princess

Many years ago, I wrote poems for my friend's birthdays as my personal gift to them.  Then it was put as part of a webpage, also personalized, for them to share with their friends.  This particular poem was requested and written for the daughter (shown on the left, Kakku) of one such friend, and after being shared (or found), became quite popular for many fathers to give to their own daughters.   It has been been translated into other languages, engraved into wood, written on parchment and framed, and many other things I am probably not aware of.  I wanted to include it here, so it doesn't get "lost" and is still available for someone else to share with their daughter.

Dark haired beauty in blue silk

With a world of possibilities.
Is she a butterfly?
With beautiful wings spread,
Waiting to fly?
Or a nightingale?
With voice of lovely song,
Waiting to sing?
Or a rose of blue,
Petals soft and covered with dew,
Waiting to bloom? 
Is she the sun? 
Bright and warm,
Waiting to shine? 
Or the moon,
With her mystery in darkness,
Waiting to unfold?

But she is not just one of these things,
She is all of them, and much more.
Truly a princess.
The butterflies bow at her feet,
And the nightingales sing chorus to her pureness.
Roses climb in through the window
To bloom in her glowing presence.
The sun and moon shine for her,
Lighting the way for her to smile.
Sweet princess of the morning.
Dear princess of the night.
Your song...
It echoes through the ages
A constant reminder
for those who love you.

May all your days be as happy as a birthday for you Kakku.