Laya Bajpai

I'm standing at the crossroads of life
Dithering between moving forward or staying rooted to a spot.
Looking fondly at the past.
The past that holds myriad emotions
...

Your mesmerizing smile
warms me from within
It is soft as it spreads all across your face
And makes your face glow with warmth
...

When is life at its best?

Is it a journey or a conquest?
...

There's smoke in the air
I walk stupefied;
For, I just witnessed a horrendous sight.
A thin, weakling child, clinging to an equally young mother.
...

My first kiss was like a rod pushed inside my mouth
I was filled with revulsion
All that saliva pouring into my mouth
He told me
...

Once you are finished
There is no looking back
The only way out is forward
There is no dithering from here
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As I stand there I feel a shadow walking out of me
Is it me or is it someone else in bright red lipstick?
I stare watching my shadow do her frolics
Is it me or someone else doing the antics?
...

What do I look for in life?
Tender talks, tender moments, warm embraces, friendly talks
Why do these simple things elude me?
Are they too much to ask?
...

While treading the roads of life,
What is the throwback...
Happy, joyous, enticing experiences
Filled with joie de vivre
...

Ah! Womenfolk, the enigmatic inhabitants of this world.
Many a poet has spent his pen in unraveling this enigma.
Are they truly enigmatic characters?
Or are they humans of flesh and blood?
...

The morning unfolds
like a slow breath —
light seeps through the mist,
softly, as if asking permission.
...

I write.
But what do I write?
I write about the feelings of the heart.
The unrest assailing my mind.
...

One step at a time
One new experience at a time
New souls, new meetings,
Each one promises to embrace me with love, emotion and kindness.
...

Bespectacled me, Bespectacled me
Peering through my glasses at the world
What do I see?
Sharp clear pictures, clear images
...

Days of unrest and sleepy nights

Why is life without respite?
...

Another day has gone by,
Am I satisfied with the outcome of the day?
Was it a typical day?
Filled with laughter and good cheer
...

The silence between us rings louder than any bell.
We stand there staring at each other but not a single word passes our lips
The silence is so palpable you could hold it with your hands
Why this silence you may ask, is it ego or shyness, hesitation?
...

I lean against the pole to find a support
Is it my weaker self?
looking for something to depend on
Or my body demanding a respite from long hours of standing
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You inspire me to live life to its fullest
You fill me with hope and feel good emotion
I who have been denied happiness and fulfilment in life
See it in your eyes, open arms and warm kisses
...

As I walked down the hill
lost in my reverie.
Noticing some and ignoring some sights and sounds.
The sight of an insect sticking to the stem of a green plant
...