M A N H O O D

They say a Man is different than a Boy.
They say that the eyes differ; one showcases imagination and the other hides the pangs of maturity.
They say that the face differs; one gleaming with innocent youth and misplaced pride and the other filled with the innumerable scars of life.
They say that the beard differs; one barely coming to life and the other hiding a whole world inside of it somehow.

A world sought after by everyone from the beginning of times; new continents and countries alike.
A world where the stars shine brightly in the night sky and the air feels like it is absolutely sublime.
A world fought for and protected with force.
A world found only through sacrifices and endless office tours.

The discoverer of unknown lands, unknown foes and unencumbered folklore.
The keeper of innumerable secrets and the guardian against merciless gore.
The protector of the weak and the upholder of truth.
The one who always feels everyone is equal in every sense of the word.

A forgotten king who’s kingdom has since been usurped,
A pious soldier who’s dying for the wrong cause,
An honest father who’s making ends meet even after selling his very own soul,
A nomad lurking about on the roads searching for the world he’d long lost his way back to.

I see him through my car window and as our eyes meet, the traffic lights turn green,
He smiles and through his beard I see the doorway into the long lost world.

The world where Boys turned into Men,
MEN who showcased true manhood.

©theblackcurse

Artist – Sakshi Jajodia

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Shubho Bijoya, Dadu

Isn’t it a paradox; how an empty room is so full?
It is strange how one human being alters the perception of a room in our minds.
Everything stays the same but their absence makes all the difference.

The aroma of the chrysanthemums lingering around,
A flashback of him sitting on his favourite chair flashes by,
‘Ei jaega ta amar khub priyo jano toh dadubhai’; the voice looms around, as if coming from behind the smiling photo hanging on the wall.
The sunlight floods the mezzanine floor,
The table tops and the furniture seem to glow. There is a lot of dust accumulated on the bookshelves and the framed photos; a sudden gush of wind and the fading ‘dhak’ beats remind me of his holy presence in the room.

The door remains closed now,
The family seems to have learnt how to forget about him somehow.
I roam around like I used to; while he used to listen to Manna Dey and Kishor Kumar; it helped him reminisce about ‘Dida’ I suppose.
We used to hum together, the yesteryear tunes,
A lozenge used to be my reward, if I was any good.

I see the open window ledge overseeing the neighborhood. I see how lonely he felt when no one but pigeons were there for him to talk to.
I feel guilt or some kind of a morbid remorse;
‘Ektu bosh na Dadubhai, kotha boli ektu?’

The pigeons still remain, they miss their old friend too,
I guess I made a mistake; should have spent more time with my Dadu.
I stand near the window ledge while the procession is afoot;
I close my eyes whilst She goes away,
Silently bidding her adieu.

‘Abar esho Maa, opekkhae roilam Ami,
Aar bhalo rekho shobai ke,
Pouchey diyo tar kache ei kotha ti,
Shubho Bijoya, Dadu.’

©theblackcurse via the room

Picture courtesy – Rupsa Sreemani and Soham Chatterjee

Unposted Letters #2

When in the morning I wake up late,
And you fly into a rage,
I quickly sit up on the bed,
For I understand what’s there in my fate.

When I don’t reply to your never-ending texts,
Your blood pressure at once jumps and the usual serenading voice of yours,
Often compared to an Angel’s by me,
Changes into a scorned and angry one,
Demanding an answer to the reason of my late reply.

I oblige with an answer as I know that you’ll not take much time to return to your lovely and graceful self.
They say ‘when all else fails, there’s family’; well, for me it’s You!
I know everyone else may feel bad, may feel left out but what do I do?
It is not always that I can tell them that.. I love her,
It is not always that I can tell you that.. I love you.

When you feel that I’m unromantic and that I don’t express my love through the preferred phrase of “I Love You’s”
I know how you feel but what to do?
And as they say, ‘true love is felt!’

Don’t worry about things I say in anger,
I’m a kid so my anger provokes these,
But somewhere down the line I’m sure you know
That though it is not always that I can tell you,
But know this my love… I do love you!

©theblackcurse via the first letter for her

Featured Picture – Rupsa Sreemani.

A Starry Night

‘Look at the stars, look how they shine for you’

But there are no stars in the night sky. The city lights reflecting on the calm water makes it look like a starry sky. The city sleeps while the dreadful whispers are heard. The night is dark and the terrors have just begun.

A traveler from far beyond, traveling in a forlorn boat with no one for company but long lost ghouls. The atmosphere is eerily calm, as if it is the silence before a storm. The buildings are lit even when the city is fast asleep.
“Peculiar thing” the traveler thinks.

The horizon is blue, the end seamlessly far. The traveler muses to himself about the unforgiving nature of his past. The life left behind, the sins committed, the vows taken only to be broken, the face of death worn like a glorious mask on his face.

There seems to be no life around. An inexplicable fear creeping up on to the back of the man. Has he been here before? Passing the city that sleeps through the day only to wake up during the unholy hours of the night? He looks around and sees men, women and children; all looking straight into his eyes. He sees the fire of hell in them; they’re walking but there’s no life in them. They recognize him. He realises he’s been here before.
Following orders of the Devil, removing anyone who tried to oppose.
He has arrived. The final destination of his venomous soul.

The boat travels towards the destination alone.
No stars, no moon, no traveler.
Waiting for the next sinner to come aboard.

©the black curse

Artwork by Sakshi Jajodia (inspired by Van Gogh)

Paradise

The door slams shut. The earphones are plugged in.The violins shimmer into life.
The bass takes it’s place.
The rhythm is set and then it all begins.

‘When she was just a girl…’

The song begins and slowly the lyrics work like magic. The eyes close.
The dream begins floating in her mind.
The day and all the rumbling,
the countless innuendos and the quarreling;
they’ve conspired against her to make her feel weary, to make her feel that this reality is just too cruel to live in.
But she has surpassed them all, she’s flown away and now none of this can touch her again.

She lies on the soft grass, while the sun is frolicking and the breeze is singing. The world is at utmost peace. A faint sound of the waves crashing into the shore looms around. The sound of the daily lives have been muted. The birds fly in merriment and the world around her is shrouded in leaves and trees and bushes and forests. The world feels like it has a new life now.

Some images rush by her eyes, transporting her to the ghastly incident. A few tears roll down her cheeks. The walls are again closing in. She feels like running once again and just then the lyrics float back into her ears to usher her into a new dimension; where she sees what she had been vehemently praying for.

Her favourite Mango tree dancing on the tunes of the spring time winds and smiling broadly at her.

The tears stop. A smile awakens on the corner of her lips. For she has seen her favourite tree come alive; moments after seeing it being chopped down mercilessly and watching it breathe out and die.

Yes, indeed she has found paradise.

She has found her paradise.

©theblackcurse

Artwork by Nilakshi Sarkar.

Once upon a time…

“Why does your audience fall in love with you every single time?”, the reporter asked..

“I’ve lived the characters I play..”, answered Emraan

“So your characters are real life incidents?”

“Not necessarily.. My dreams are my stories and reality is my stage.”

“Is Tanika in real? Your audience is curious because this name is associated with you since Day 1…”

“Sometimes, Somebody’s absence makes you a better person..”

“If you could share this story with your audience, they are looking forward to the reason behind your success. The perfect success story. Emraan, if you could….”

“Tanika, she is my novel and our life are the chapters. The best part is that our chapters will never end because I play her part as well, with utmost honesty. Her voice is in my heart, her expressions in my mind. We live together in my dreams like there’s no end. I guess it is better to dream than to have it in reality. We all recreate the things we want but in reality it is nothing pre-planned.

Tanika was never mine. She was just there in my life and that is where it all went right.. ”

If you’re reading this, just know that you have an Emraan in your life who’ll never show himself to you but is the one to devote his all for you.. ❤️

Just don’t let go,

#LikeDreamsLikeReality

My Bougainville

I’ve walked around a fascinating place,
Up in the mountains, away from the plains.
I’ve walked across gorgeous gardens,
Where my gloomy childhood blossomed
And the happiness was never shrouded.

I’ve seen colours painted across the sky,
I’ve seen birds singing to fireflies.
I’ve walked past the place where I saw you,
Been there a zillion times and yet it still feels so new.
I’ve attached our memories to the petals and the feathers,
In Autumn they fall, only to re-emerge through unposted letters.

I’ve stood beneath you, my Bougainville,
I’ve whispered my worries into your ears.
I’ve stopped by while rushing to a destination,
Only to catch a leaf fall to the ground in silent anticipation.

I’ve left the city which beholds you,
And yet I reminisce about the evening walks and what I’d do.
In this foreign land, on this foreign soil, every dawn,
You bloom just as beautifully as you did in my backyard lawn.

The pinkish hues feel soothing to my eyes,
As I float back to the afternoon in my mind,
When below you I so peacefully lied,
And the world seemed like it wasn’t dying.

©the black curse via My Bougainville
@d_debi clicked.

Like Dreams Like Reality..!

In a coffee shop.

“So? What happened?”, asked Meher

“Where should I start from?”,looking at the table Wreeju answered.

“From the start, maybe..”

“Start? Hah! Yeah.. sure”

Wreeju had ordered a cappuccino for himself and a latte for Meher which they had not taken a single sip.

“You said from the start.. Pheww! It’s going to take time Meher..”

“All ears”

“I don’t know when it all started, not when I first saw you in that black top, straight hair.. Definitely not when I started following you on Instagram, liking all your pictures like a stalker.

Even when I gathered enough confidence to initiate a conversation, I don’t think it started then..

See, it’s like it was a lame approach to ask for your number because I never did that before but when you said you already had it saved, that’s where I feel it all started..

Still looking down at the table and stirring his cappuccino, Wreeju continued without making any eye contact..

I’m a person with zero expectations but I strive to live a life devoid of any regrets. I’m simply not a ‘kaash yeh karta toh yeh hota’ kind of a guy. You might feel I’m exaggerating to look cool and whatsoever but I’m not. It’s who I am..

You know the best part about all of the things that happened, my respect for you kept increasing..

I don’t claim to love you the most, I don’t even count myself to be in your list. It’s just the feeling that I have kept to myself and wish to never share with anyone, not even you. Even today I can’t explain what you really mean to me Meher. We hardly talk, and we don’t get to see each other often but you are there. You are always there with me right from the morning, everyday. You fill up my senses with positivity, with a sense of security that come what may, I have you to fall back to.

I’m sure you’re having no idea when it started and when did all this happen, I had the same question and you were my answer.

Our ‘not so frequent calls’ are my lullabies when I turn insomniac and our chats are my stories. You might have started to think I’m insane, right?

Having said that, I have always believed that insanity is needed as it keeps one dedicated even when things don’t work as it is expected to.

Meher, I love you not for the sake of it. I love you because I don’t need your consent to love you more with each passing day and it’s unconditional..

I don’t need any consolation and amidst all of this I expect nothing in return..

While Wreeju was still fidgeting with the spoon, Meher grabbed his hand and asked to look at her…

“It’s Sunday so it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to sleep all day long”, shouted Wreeju’s mother and switched off the fan (indian mothers you see)

“If not in reality, you’ll always be mine in my dreams” – Wreeju

Message

“let’s meet at the coffee shop?” – Meher

Euphoria

I think I’ve seen the place where the clouds are made,
I think I’ve seen how the elves make the snow rain,
I think I’ve seen the place where the stars take their shape.

I’ve been nearby yet never fully made my escape and I’ve heard the faint whispers of those who’re working there for ages.

I’ve seen the swirling smoke rise high up into the night sky,
I’ve seen the moon get shrouded and the Earth preparing to stand by.
I’ve felt the lights fade away and the cascades of my imagination illuminate,
I’ve always wondered if the world was just a minor gateway or is it possible that we’re all pantheistic?
My psychedelia seems to have taken over me and now I can say this surely..

Yes, I’ve seen the place where the clouds are made,
I’ve seen how the elves make the snow rain,
I’ve seen the place where the stars take their shape.

© theblackcurse

Artist ~ Sakshi Jajodia

Quote Unquote ~ Day 3

So this is the final day of the Quotes challenge for which I was nominated by @therendezvousclub. I thank you again for this.

I nominate @sanaa001

This is a Hindi quote written in English. Hopefully you’ll be able to relate to it and like it.

Here it goes..

The English translation would read something like this :-

Does that heart of yours beat in the same manner for him when your eyes meet? Do your lips quiver the same way when you take his name?

Will you destroy him in the same fashion as you once had ruined me? Will he be able to sacrifice himself for you like I had once done so easily?

Will he be able to become yours like I had once been?