Friends for life (2nd September 2002)
Our family has seen a whole history of dogs and cats, in almost all shapes, sizes and colors. Over a period, we grew so used to having a four-legged companion with us that the family felt almost empty without one...

My Date with the Dentist (26th August 2002)
My teeth have been an eternal source of trouble for me. From cavities to gum infections, and molar decay to wisdom tooth problems, I have had it all...

You Walked Away… (19th August 2002)
You chose/To shower me with love/And brightened my somber life/Restored my missing smile...

The Dilemma (12th August 2002)
Two uniformly vigorous forces/Flex me in distinct directions./And being fully justified in their own right,/Compel me to make the toughest decisions...

It Happens Only in Bangalore… (5th August 2002)
These days you don't need to leap to land in a pit. All you need to do is drive on Bannerghatta Road on a rainy evening. You will surely land in some crater or open drain. 100% satisfaction guarantee...

The Nightmare - Part II (29th July 2002)
I found myself lying on the ground, in the college corridor that led to the hostel. I was bathed in sweat, and when I looked down at my palm, I gasped. There was a knife in my hand...

The Nightmare - Part I (22nd July 2002)
The knife dangled dangerously over my head. Its sharp blade glistened threateningly in the moonlight. I was breathing heavily, in short, quick gasps...

Mirage (17th June 2002)
The mirage of contentment/Swaggering naked before the eyes/Hauls the yearning heart...

I Love Traffic Jams! (3rd June 2002)
While you wait for that never-ending red signal to turn green, what do you usually do? Count the seconds as they tick by slowly? Fidget? Curse under your breath? Think about the zillion odd things that you could do if only you could get the hell out of this frustrating traffic...

Rain (27th May 2002)
Large droplets/and the gust of cold air/Trees swaying/in perfect rhythm/The fresh smell/of wet mud...

The Makeover (20th May 2002)
It had happened to me in the past. I had battled with severe clinical depression for seven months. Frequent visits to the psychiatrist, weekly sessions with the counselor and heavy doses of tranquilizers...

It's Election Time! So what…? (13th May 2002)
"But why the cycle? Why not the 'lotus'?" I questioned, expecting a reasonable justification. But my maid just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Because my husband asked me to..."

Friends (6th May 2002)
Some are amicable and intimate/They understand the way we feel/They are reliable and always there to/Comfort us, so our wounds may heal...

The Journey (29th April 2002)
I thought I was late, and if I missed the passenger train to Maniachi, I'd miss the connecting train from there to Bangalore as well, and I had to be at Bangalore at any cost the next day...

Death (22nd April 2002)
The masked villain in Black/approaches silently,/In twilight when/the vision is blurred....

Colleagues and Contemporaries (15th April 2002)
Ramya left Chennai with a heavy heart, full of sweet memories and a strong inclination to stay back. She had enjoyed life for a whole year in Chennai. She had loved her job as a web content editor. In one year, she had grown accustomed to the wonderful people, the freedom...

What does it take... (8th April 2002)
What does it take/To be free/And liberated…

The Decision (1st April 2002)
"No!" said Mr. Nair firmly. "Mira will never marry a Christian. Not while I am still alive!" He got up from the chair and called out to his wife, "Lakshmi, ask this gentleman to leave at once!"…

In Search of True Love (25th March 2002)
What true love is in essence/I had no clue/And I explored on and on/Till I happened to meet you…

Auto... Auto... (18th March 2002)
Recently on my return from Madurai at 6 in the morning, I tried to take an auto rickshaw back home. All the auto drivers I approached demanded double or triple fare...

The Five Rupee Note (11th March 2002)
"Sorry madam, I can't take this five rupee note," said the shopkeeper nonchalantly as he returned it to her. "Our customers are extremely fussy and would never take that 'dilapidated' note from us...

The Mask (25th February 2002)
The hypocritical smile/Conceals the turbulence within/The tranquil countenance/Camouflages the negative emotions...

The Tightwad (11th February 2002)
He was obsessed with saving, so much that he sometimes preferred to skip a meal than spend on food. He had a scrimp's reputation but he vehemently denied being one...

Embarrassing Moments (4th February 2002)
All of us have experienced embarrassment at some point of time or other. And believe me, these moments are very hard to forget...

Of Burps and Farts (21st January 2002)
People always associate burps and farts with something disgusting, sometimes revolting and at other times hilarious...

Oh! What a Way to Kill a Great Day (14th January 2002)
It was 29th December. With the New Year just a couple of days away, Sema was excited. She was going to party like wild this time...

The Brutal Murderer (7th January 2002)
"You murderer," accused she/He was bewildered/"Murderer, me?" asked he/She looked away with disgust...

Ouch! That Hurts... (24th December 2001)
I have always dreaded the stinging needle that doctors have always enjoyed thrusting into my poor unsuspecting buttock...

Tired... (17th December 2001)
I wanted to soar high/To reach the vast blue sky/I wished to be admired/But now I am tired...

My Brush with Oracle (10th December 2001)
Looking for a job when the economy is going through a downturn is one of the most nightmarish experiences ever. With the high degree of uncertainty on the job front and the pressure to remain employed...

The Stranger (3rd December 2001)
I boarded the train just in time. Barely two seconds later, it chugged out of the platform. I whispered a fervent prayer of thanks as I made my way to my seat...

Those Things That Make You Special (19th November 2001)
That sheepish grin/Those yellow teeth/That huge bald head/Those massive arms...

Declaration of Independence (12th November 2001)
For the first time/In years, perhaps/I have done this 'crime'/Of doing something/On my own...

I'm not Superstitious (5th November 2001)
The doorbell rings. As I am about to open the door, Mom sneezes. "Oops! I wonder what bad luck awaits us," I mutter as I open the door...

Babloo (29th October 2001)
Lara took one look at the ugly, disabled child in front of her and puckered her brow. The lines on her forehead grew more prominent, her whole body tensed. She tried hard to fight back tears of frustration as Thomson handed her the document...

First Impressions (22nd October 2001)
I shook hands with all of them. Most of them had a very official demeanor, but Hari had seemed different. Weird. Bigheaded. Those were my first impressions of Hari. Hari, the invincible - that I eventually branded him as...

Why do Fools Fall in Love? (15th October 2001)
I was troubled by what he said. It set me thinking all over again. I had not thought of that… did that mean true love was absolutely non-existent? The apprehensive expression on my face seemed to urge Vas to go on, "There is no love anymore. There is only lust...

Shyam Sundar's Underwear (8th October 2001)
He charted out the day's plan mentally. He would water the plants, walk Mr. Subramanian's dog, read the latest Harry Potter and go over to Sumi's place. Not essentially in the same order. He would probably go to Sumi's first. The dog could wait. And so could Harry Potter...

Of Writers and Critics (1st October 2001)
A conversation between a writer and a critic...

The U.S. and Us (24th September 2001)
A man to his colleagues at office: "Oh, boy! I can hear a plane in the distance... and our building has four floors! For all you know, the plane may crash right here...

Be There Now, For Tomorrow It Might Be Too Late (17th September 2001)
Your best friend is going through a bad phase. And he says needs you. But you think otherwise. You reason out, "He's not going anywhere. Besides, this must be just another one of his usual woe-stories! He'll get over it... But if I lose this deal, I am going to lose a lot of money...

If I were God for a Day (10th September 2001)
If I were God for a day,/From the world I’d take away/All hatred and ill feelings...

Formula for Happiness (3rd September 2001)
Have you ever wondered what it really takes to be happy? Does it take just money or power? Is happiness in seeing your name on the front page of the leading daily? Is it having the 'ideal' family?

You are my Destination (20th August 2001)
The door's open wide,/My eyes fixed on it,/My heart filled with pride...

A New Beginning (13th August 2001)
She dressed hurriedly and picked up the car keys. As she locked the door, her mind wandered to Umesh. He would be flirting with his secretary. She felt the anger rising within her. She sighed and started down the stairs. She started mentally evaluating her chores for the day...

Life... (30th July 2001)
Life is a road of thorns/Life is pure chance/Life is joy for some, disastrous for others...

My Experiences With the Bangalore Express (23rd July 2001)
I was upset. I was leaving Chennai for good. My luggage was packed. I had the train ticket. And I had my friend with me. So, why was I worrying so much? I tried to shake the uneasy feeling off, but to no avail...

A Child's Plea (16th July 2001)
You killed my spirit/Without any care/You crushed my heart/With no remorse/You held me captive/To you I was/The only child/And you thought/You were doing your duty...

Write... (9th July 2001)
One fine Sunday morning, a friend of mine visited me. Finding my room in a mess, with papers and books of all kinds strewn about, he asked me what I was doing. When I told him I was writing an article for Zine5, he was amazed. He asked me why I take the effort to write, when I already have my hands full with work...

We (2nd July 2001)
You alleviate my fears/With your warm touch/You wipe my tears/And love me so much.../Your strength fascinates me/Giving me a reason to smile...

Dawn (25th June 2001)
Warm sunlight on my face/I wake up/Wander out into the lawn.../Bliss/Dewdrops on leaves/Cool winds blow/Birds chirp... /Bliss

Will You Be There? (18th June 2001)
Will you be there/To wipe my tears/To protect me from/My baseless fears?/Will you be there/To hold me close/And liberate me/From my woes?

How Elizabeth Jose Eats Food (11th June 2001)
"Why do we have to eat?" she wonders aloud, as she suddenly recalls, "Oh, my wrist hurts so badly!" Now, that is a million dollar excuse for not eating. She alights from the bed, plate in hand, and walks over to the kitchen, where she deposits the uneaten uthapam in the trash can...

Ecstasy (4th June 2001)
Large droplets of rain/Seemed to fuel the emotions/With a soft humming that surpassed/All limits of so-called sanity.../The pleasure, the touch, the warmth/So pure, so peaceful, devoid of vanity...

Eclipse (28th May 2001)
It was dawn/I pulled aside/the curtain/And peered out/No sunlight.
It was late/I pushed myself/up from the bed/And turned the switch on/No power.

Solitude (21st May 2001)
A tear rolled silently down my cheek/As you drew your hand away from mine.../You disappeared into oblivion/Leaving me behind, in solitude...

The Green Devil (14th May 2001)
My computer, with its 16 MB RAM, takes its own sweet time to load the pages. I wait. And wait. As I wait, my eyes wander around the room and I see my colleague working peacefully on her brand new Pentium 4 processor. I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn to look. But I see no one...

Now... Here... (7th May 2001)
I want to make you laugh till you cry/And kiss you till you are high.../I want you to be mine, and only mine/And look into your eyes as they brightly shine...

Poison (30th April 2001)
A silent tear rolls down my cheek, as a plethora of melancholic images envelop me. The darkness around me pierces me like a million shards of broken glass... the disquietude of silence threatens to deafen me...

Reflections (23rd April 2001)
I was just saying goodbye to the bride when he came up to where we were standing, and said "hello..." We were then formally introduced. He turned out to be the bride's brother. We exchanged our phone numbers and e-mail ids...

My First Date (16th April 2001)
Most people have romantic memories about their first date. They do a lot of interesting things and usually get dreamy and nostalgic thinking about it. Well, thinking of mine, I laugh out loudly. To put it simply, I wrote this poem...