A collection of poems by Mandar Kokatay

Birds song birds sing life's anthem soulful melody melts heart sly hunter takes aim © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Sands of time  Trepid tide beckons Shallow silent sea recedes inscribes winter sands © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Moksha - Haiku life's endless cipher death's rebirth we celebrate falls final freedom © Mandar Jayant Kokatay Moksha (Sanskrit: मोक्ष, mokṣa), also called vimoksha, vimukti and mukti, is a term in Hinduism and Hindu philosophy which refers to various forms of emancipation, liberation, and release. In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth. In its epistemological and psychological senses, moksha refers to freedom from ignorance: self-realization and self-knowledge.

Heritage - Haiku ( Non Traditional ) past present seasons Relived over generations Father, me , my sons © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Reincarnation - Haiku ( Non-Traditional) awake delirous dreamy euphoria lingers purifying rebirth © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Sovereignty - Haiku Series humans pray for peace beastly beings violence do seek angels and demons huge void of darkness is destroyed by speck of light good always triumphs © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Ode To The Tired Student I just wanna be free I just wanna be me I wanna do my own thing I wanna dance and sing I want to paint the moon I want to sleep till noon I wanna watch watch that game I wanna look up my old flame I wanna watch the latest movie I wanna climb up the tree I want to swim in the brook I want to lock up my text book I dont want to hear the clock chime I just want to be the owner of my time I want to keep the promises I make So much to do in a small break!  © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Astronaut - Haiku (5-7-5) Beautiful night sky Holds mysteries to explore Outer space beckons © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Poet's Words - Haiku (5-7-5) people die, words live shower ardent emotions immortal raindrops © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Innocence - Haiku ( 5-7-5 ) torn rag doll beloved fairy tales alive with joy innocent childhood © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Sudoku - Haiku (Dedicated to all Sudoku addicts) Number Maze Matrix Simple rules, difficult challenge Life's code deciphered © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Twilight - Haiku ( 5-7-5 ) sun melts, crimson seas homeward bound birds lift blue curtain starlit night beckons © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Time Travel Time travel fascinated me amazed me attracted me Searched possibilities in science theories of astrophysics research of brilliant minds real opportunities deluded me Till I saw a small boy head nestled in his grandmothers lap engrossed in stories of his parents childhood and then I saw a little girl telling her mother her marriage plans choosing colours and designs with only a vision for a groom schoolchildren telling their teacher their ambitions, their dreams becoming doctors, engineers, astronauts teachers, pilots and policemen and I realized this is how we travel through time by sharing our memories with our future and building a better future from our present © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Lost She lost her way ended up over the mountain she wandered all day didn't know which way to turn as it grew dark,cold and scary she was tired,hungry and desolate totally exhausted and weary she resigned to her fate she climbed on a huge tree to save herself from wild animals she wept as she missed her home badly her feet were sore with bristles she slept to the sound of swishing breeze woke up with the birds sweet melody The morning sun was peeping through leaves sight of fresh fruit made her hungry days, weeks , months passed by and months grew into years she survived, under the blue sky and overcame her troubles, her fears she made friends with wild animals peacefully they learned to co-exist she no longer hated the crawling beetles nor was scared by the snakes hiss one day there came an explorer who chanced to reach the same place so amazed was he to meet her an unkempt creature with a human face he took her with him as his houseguest ha

Divine - Haiku ( 5-7-5 ) Holy chants seep within cool water rejuvenates me blissful sacred trance © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Thunderstorm - Nor'wester ( Kaal - Baisakhi ) - Haiku (5-7-5) Rain ignites thunder Heaven showers angry tunes Thirsty earth rejoices © Mandar Jayant Kokatay Note : Nor’wester is subject of universal interest for a number of reasons. It not only gives relief after mid-day heat but pours well its crops. Its nature is unique and the causes are really interesting. During the hot weather period i.e from March to May the eastern and North-eastern states of the Indian subcontinent like West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Orissa (parts) and Bangladesh experience dramatic appearance of a special type of violent thunderstorm know as Nor’wester. In Bengal it is known as ‘KalBaisakhi’ or calamity of the month of Baisakh (April,15-May,15). Apart from its destructive effects like sudden rise in wind speed, lightning, thunder  and hail the rainfall associated with the storm although small in amount, is extremely helpful for the pre-Kharif crops like jute, Aus paddy, summer till and a large

Holi - Festival of Colours ( Haiku ) Painted faces smile Water pistols, wet balloons colours riot in peace © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

miracle light replaces darkness sun's rays gently infuse life miracle of dawn © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Time - Haiku (5-7-5) Life's silent teacher measured yet seldom valued truth flowing forward © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Almighty in a flowers sweet fragrance in the magical lustre of a pearl You reveal your presence in the newborn baby's curls in the changing colours of the sky in the vastness of the ocean in the formations of birds that fly like sweet poetry in motion You are in every mothers love and in every childs laughter in the call of the turtle dove in the melody of flowing water we spend lifetimes in Your search but ignore Your every single evidence we go to a temple, mosque or church simply unaware of Your Omnipresence © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Initiation - To my Sons As you commence life's expedition may you never have to fall back you would have to overcome temptation that would lead you off track you must choose with caution you must learn to differentiate between the easy and correct option your spirit must not oscillate opulent may not mean relevant small may not be insignificant quality, not quantity is important insistance almost never means urgent saying no is not being a drag truths burden is lighter than lead respect does'nt require you to brag success should not go to your head listen to your inner voice seeds of moral values within would help you make a choice between a virtous life and sin should you need me, my dear sons, I shall always be by your side everytime you take honest decisions my heart shall swell with pride © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Religion - Haiku (5-7-5) Masters define faith worthy seek ancient wisdom scriptures reveal truth © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Siddhi - Self Actualization ( Haiku ) Searching deep inwards blank mind silent soul bright light self realization © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

A Poets Creation - Haiku ( 5 - 7 - 5) building great structures takes time,toil,gold,stones and more poets sculpt with mere words © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Ray of Sunshine ( Haiku Series ) Heat light engulfs me i soar earth bound blissfully eight minute journey give day night cycle infuse, nurture, sustain life my warmth induces rain © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

A Request To My Sons' Teacher As I hand over my sons to you here are some requests from me Do everything to see them through the first stage of their journey teach them to maintain their self respect yet never to lose their humility teach them  that they must not neglect their goal, their responsibility teach them to learn from their failure yet not to concede complete defeat that their attidude ne'er be cavalier that it's better to fail than to cheat teach them how they should harness as much of worlds wisdom as they can yet nurture their inquisitiveness keep learning throughout their life span that life isn't always agreeable that every rose also has its thorns though each event may not be enjoyable teach them to take the bull by the horns that honesty always pays in the end teach them to listen to their heart to be able to recognize a true friend to complete everything that they start that you cannot buy yourself success that you hav

memories ( haiku - 5-7-5 ) forget nasty ones cherish your happy moments relive and create new © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Water (Haiku-5-7-5) Life giving liquid, Dissolves Earths impurities, Some forms convey death © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Communication (Haiku-5-7-5)  Wall posts , text ' email Send smiles,love,warmth across earth Connect distant hearts ©mandar jayant kokatay 

Intoxication (Haiku-5-7-5)  Wines' inebriety; Ambrosias' divinity; are just not the same! ©mandar jayant kokatay

Alive - haiku (5-7-5)  Did you just feel that ? Somewhere inside your body... A heart is beating ©mandar jayant kokatay 

Adolescence (Haiku-5-7-5) joy blooms in life's spring pure and deep love binds true souls O' ethereal youth! © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Murder in the womb I was created from your loves pure seed The next generation from your pristine breed Mom, you sensed me taking root in you your happiness engulfed me you felt born anew you shared my being shyly, with dad i could hear him laughing saying he's so glad the day you felt bliss seeing my heart beat I felt nurtured in abyss with your devotion sweet you pampered me spoke small baby words you and I were we my feelings you heard until one day suddenly at the ultrasound clinic you were told 'its a she' and I could feel you panic suddenly i was unwelcome like an unwanted burden the change was awesome my growth was forbidden why did you end my dream? didn't you know what I'd feel? could you not hear me scream? when they hurt me with steel I wanted to be born and be to make you and dad proud to exist in this world and see to speak my mind aloud You rejected me for a 'he' who hadn't been concieved yet

A Three Kilometre Walk  a three kilometre walk with empty milk bottles rattling yawning in the queue at the booth licking cream from the bottle cover   a three kilometre walk with an overflowing schoolbag running back during break time jumping walls to save minutes   a three kilometre walk to the nearest public phone where a rupee coin provided endless minutes of chatting   a three kilometre walk from the railway station to college huge collars, bell bottoms, thick belts neverending cups of tea in the canteen   a three kilometre walk from the hostel to engineering college 'T' squares and minidrafters peeping eyes red from late night assignments   a three kilometre walk to the nearest bakery, juice centre watching movies in the stuffy parlor all night canteens during exam time   a three kilometre walk to the college playground new teams, lifelong friendships power hugs drenched with sweat   a three kilometre walk to the nearest tempo stand

Winners and Sinners (Haiku-5-7-5) God grants glorious gifts Sinners squander supreme skill Worthy win with will © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Meaning of Dreams Can you hear ? Can you see ? What the man in the mirror is trying to tell me? dreams, hazy images, spiralling staircases, long narrow passages, dark, eerie places, strange layered rooms, large sprawling box beds, shapely bottles of perfumes, drapes with silken threads, intricately carved deities, bridges across deep water, balconies over many cities, corridors connect my alma mater, voices that cant be heard, icy cold winds whistling, driving away beastly birds, blurred shadows chilling, vehicles that drive on their own, through dense traffic of beasts, complex machines with beeps and tones, enormous tables laden with feasts, fire pouring out of recesses, stone walls echoing laughter shrill, worms scurrying in their crevices, and dead silence as time stands still, halls filled with leather bound books, drawing boards with geometric patterns, assorted garments hanging on brass hooks, volatile liquid boiling in huge urns, is it

Culmination - The Final Resting Place - ( A Haiku story ) passed away at last buried him beside your grave booked mine in between © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Freedom (of a poet) - Haiku (5-7-5)  To show all my world Thoughts hopes dreams of soul laid bare Nothing to hide from Mandar Jayant Kokatay

Blood lines - Haiku (5-7-5) All blood is not same Veins define colour and strength Hearts blend many shades © Mandar Jayant Kokatay

COLOURS OF LIFE (From a childs perspective) The divine blue pair I always long to stare The sea and the sky I do not know why Every morning I meet A yellow flower sweet The suns yellow ray infuses life in my day The rich red blood flow keeps lifes lamp a glow Red rose marks young loves union vermelion enhances beauty of maiden Lonely mountains covered with snow White like milk that helps us grow clean and pure like childrens soul divine truths on ancient white scrolls The greenery of the trees gently cleanses the breeze Provide us with food and shade natures assets precious as jade gray clouds bless us with showers gray steel builds tall towers twilight washes the world with gray beginning or end of another day Black is like the dark of night All encompassing absence of light black shoes,tyres and road that link thoughts penned down with black ink Water is colourless like glass both bend light thats let pass One white is divided in seven like se

The Creator Of Beauty The monstrous rock on the hill grotesque, ill shaped and deformed was a blot on the smooth landscape Loathed by the entire village, had been aptly named 'the horrid one' A young man, chisel in hand set out to carve the beast the skeptical, doubtfully discouraged the sly ones showed satirical sarcasm Nevertheless, the sculptor began toiled through the sun and rain relentless days ran into weeks incessant months became years till at last the miracle dawned the contours had metamorphosed the patterns had tranformed Lo! Behold! the village stared the most beautiful statue emerged A face with divine benevolence that knows no hatred or fear the horrid one was now elegant amazed villagers stood dumbfounded A small boy kissed the sculptors hands "thank you" said a tearful voice What a magnificent creation! Your artistry is absolutely brilliant The sculptor simply shook his head "I have not created anything" The s