IF.......

One of my friends once told me that people around me see my poetry as a medium to express my languauge skills, and as a form of true art. But she thinks its an expression of feelings, a medium for me to bring out my thoughts, and help myself adjust to the people around me. At that time, she said she was 'sorry' if what she said was wrong.... I would like to say this. To Padmaja. I don't think you should have apologised for something that couldn't be truer. I think poetry is something difficult to be appreciated, even by people who do write it. To all my friends out there, who take the pains to read all the crap i write, and say its good, whether they like it or not...its a big thankyou! And to those who tell me their interpretations,and discuss them with me, and read it more than once to understand it, its a bigger thankyou! Its great to listen to the way different people look at words u know....u wud never have thought of so many possibilties! This blog may have a great deal of my work posted in the future. Thats one reason i started this blog (tribanga, i took your advice!). Well, this kinda means that some posts are going to be really boring! Sorry abt that.... Well i just indirectly said that poetry's considered boring. I think so too...unless you can relate to it. Once something gets through u and strikes a chord, aaah, you'll definitely like it. Maybe thats why i don't mind reading my poems...Gawd that sounded so silly...its me who writes them! But the poem you will be reading in this post, is one such piece. I didn't write it, but i can relate to it.Like hell. And i think many many people can. Its one of my faves.

By Rudiyard Kipling.

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

A few of you may recall that the last few lines were on one of our prose pieces in 12th std....

So...this post...is a tribute to the writer of the Jungle book...which made him famous. I guess there are more of his subtle works that need to be appreciated.....

I'd like to close by repeating Kipling's words.... If you can meet with truimph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.....
Maybe we all think life would be better just IF...... loads of things happened. What an apt title.... And this brings me to a quote that says 'you should be the change you wish to see in the world....' Don't know how true it is, but it makes sense in a few situations.

Signing off...