Whatever I do, wherever I go
I am too famous, don’t you know?
People recognise me straightaway
Whether it’s night or whether it’s day
It’s not for something I have done
There’s just nothing that I have won
But I dance to her ghastly tune
I, the husband of Misfortune
I don’t remember how it came to be
She has always been with me
Causing all troubles in my life
My lovely loyal luckless wife
(To be continued)
I have a little garden
A garden full of words
Prose they act like flowers
The poems act like birds
It blooms the whole year ’round
Whether spring or snow or fall
For reading is like rain
And sunshine for them all
Never a dull day I’ve had
Never have a dull day I will
For years and years from now
This garden be growing still
Yes I want to be a poet
But haven’t had my heart broken
Never felt the touch of love
Or had a sweet word spoken
Yes I want to be a poet
But never had a point to savour
Curse me someone with your love
Come and do me a favour
Never ever have I seen a dew
Or watched the falling snow
Never ever have I tamed the wild
Or gone where the winds blow
Never ever have I fallen in love
Or lost my way in a storm
Never ever have I climbed a mountain
Or seen a true beauty’s form
Never ever have I played a song
In front of a jumping crowd
Or sailed on a magic carpet
And jumped on a smiling cloud
So much more I may have never seen
Never heard or never done
So much more I may never say
Never dream or never learn
Yet all these things I have sensed and felt
Though it is not exactly how it looks
In a world I made for myself
With words coming out from books
Every book that I read
Every movie that I see
Every song that I hear
I let it change me
…
Every person that I meet
Every event that I partake
Every emotion that I feel
I let it change me
…
Like a snake
Shedding its skin
Only to cover itself
With a new one
To let go
Of the parasites
To reach
A new stage of growth
…
Every step that I take
Every choice that I make
Every breath that I take
I let it change me
If my words could speak
What my heart yearns to say
All the feelings I cannot leak
To you I would convey
…
If my words could reach
The heavens in the sky
To you would come then each
Where you so gently lie
…
If my words had powers
To bring you back to life
I would write for hours
With no fatigue or strife
All this while I never knew
The giant hole I’m into
Cover of darkness all around
No way to go. Up or down?
Left or right? Or straight across?
How eyes can guide when faith is lost?
Because I was resting in your lap
No noise could bother me, my nap
No light did touch me when I slept
No harm did try to have me wept
No darkness ever greeted my eyes
Except for the shade of paradise
Now you’re gone and I have found
No place to sleep on thorny ground
No sword to fight my war for me
No shield to save, no armoury
The only comfort in this hole
Your memory makes it beautiful
The roof is leaking
The roof is leaking
Now that the cover is gone
The roof has holes
Oh so many holes
Couldn’t see when the cover was on
…
The roof is leaking
The roof is leaking
The roof will be breaking soon
Soon there will be
No roof to see
Nothing between me and the moon
…
The roof is leaking
The roof is leaking
The house will be flooded now
The water contains
So many complaints
Reaching up to my brow
…
The roof is leaking
The roof is leaking
Bringing end to all frowning
All that I know
Is everyone must go
Now time for my drowning
I have counted every day
Ever since you left our way
Four hundred and forty four today
Next month it’s my birthday
The second without you
…
It is harder to keep sane
With the growing aches and pains
But who am I to complain?
Next month it’s my birthday
The second without you
…
There are so many things to do
So many mountains to get through
How I wish you were here too!
Next month it’s my birthday
My second without you
Everything that I needed
My genie used to do
Though I never wished it
No words were spoken too
All my wants and wishes
My genie understood
What is right for me and not
What is bad and what is good
It’s like the genie read my mind
Better than even me
No word could correctly describe
The greatness of Genie
Search her in the heavens
Snatch her from God’s lap for me
I am nothing without her here
Nothing without my genie
Frank Solanki 