The Last Samurai

Salad Song

Black olives truffles a twist of lime
Cold Mayonnaise and a dash of wine
Fresh grated pepper and Parmesan
A spray of mint and parsley
Chopped, serve with elan.
Zucchini radishes tart and spiced
Mellow dill and tangy onions sliced
Cherry tomatoes blossom beetroots red
Carrots and celery sticks elegantly laid
A sprinkle of Apple cider vinegar and sake
Salt and lettuce leaves if you're lucky,
My salad days of Roses long gone
In middle age slimming groups preach
The Salad Song.

Pasta Song

Macaroni and cheese and the game is on
Molten mouthfuls lipsmacking fun
Fettuccini folded in white saucy cream
Melts in the mouth like morning dreams
Spaghetti and meatballs in red tomatoes doused
Aah! In Italian heavens I'm aroused
Lasagna crisp on top and soft within
My bottom line is caving in!
Vermicelli is how an angel sins
Hair thin pasta like a poet's dream,
Penne canellini a peasant's bucolic feast
Stuffed so good with spinach mix
Alas here I end my pasta song
Having supped on baby cabbages with an egg along
Going to bed now, with an empty tum
And an yearning face, mournfully long!

Dessert Song

I must be hungry. Lol.

Pralines, nougats marzipan
Caramelized sugar in the pan
Roasted nuts and honey dough
Eclairs and doughnuts and toffees too
Cheesecake and souffles creme brulee
Macaroons bowls of glazed pudding
Cinnamon cookies gingerbread
chocolate truffles bring on the spread
Sweet chewy bread for the simple sugar kick
A dollop of cake mix yummy fingers lick
Ice cream cakes and custards and cupcakes kiss
Are sweet nothings no one should miss
Hate your diet and train your tongue
Apple pie, or crepe Suzettes anyone?

Color Song

Orange green pink and blue
Purple is a color too
Brown gray black and white

Are simply parts or the whole of light.
The whole greater than the sum
Beige taupe wine and rum
Golden cognac tawny strains
Red and yellow will blow your brains
Cream and roses milk and ice
Chocolate mocha cheese delights
Violet lilac indigo lime
Icy blue satin lined
Velvet Moss and bottle green
Certain types are best unseen
Robust rust and grimy dust
Or glistening motes of pearly lust
Arcs electric passionate shades
Russet browns and garnet red
Blood of Universe in Ruby sparks
Tuesday's grace in topaz lurks
Deep ominous passive jet
Haunts my heart with darkest death
Jade revives a fairy glade
A Glen so green emeralds inlaid
And thus and so
And on it goes
Colors seep into eyes
That life beholds...

Calendar Song

April's folly May's Demise
June derides with weeping eyes
July blazes through skies so blue
August majestic powers through
September steps in sister of my heart
Greet me October where this life did start
November's gun metal matrix grey
Diva December's soft Sashay
January jitters February blues
Oh maddening March
I am stillborn in you.

True Tolerance

How religions that insist on conversion, due to an intrinsic belief system that there's one path to God, and Only one, can estrange and in some cases even absolve one of family duties and ties.
A recent convert to Christianity refuses to perform the last rites for his deceased Hindu father.
Perhaps it was a personal grudge, because the father had disapproved of the conversion. Harsh but human nature is capable of inexplicable cruelty.
However, what did strike me was, wouldn't the rites, (first, last or in between), of another religion be unacceptable to any religion that preaches exclusivity? Isn't this entire insistence on conversion, and proselytizing, itself divisive and non secular in nature?
I should add, of course anyone should be free to research and discover a particular faith is eminently suitable to him, and adopt it free of disapproval or discouragement from anyone however close. But, in the same breath, it shouldn't be thrust upon one, or even implicitly encouraged simply because, one feels one's religious path is the sole path to Truth and Heaven.
Especially if a person chooses to marry outside his or her faith, neither pressure should be brought to bear upon that person to convert, nor should social approval or amity be withheld, if said person resists. Because a subtle form of ostracism or disapproval becomes a dangerous weapon, making a person feel worthless, a non entity, unwanted and unloved.
Loss of self respect and esteem occurs, causing incalculable damage, to that person and his or her relationship.
This surely cannot be the laudable goal of any religion.
People should feel free to belong to a religion and participate in the rites and festivities of another, with no value judgement imposed.
Only then is there any true freedom. Passive tolerance is then transformed to joyful and positive acceptance.
Kudos to Ms Yakub Bi who is able to take on this sensitive empathetic and transformational role.

Cognac eyes

Anushka Ramchuran
see what your whiskey eyes did

In cognac eyes

In cognac eyes
Cooling crystal dreams
Shimmering gleamed
And glimmering steamed.

There were times
They even streamed
From cognac eyes
In copious lies
Amorously.

Withheld hopes
Her sympathies
Showed no symptoms
Found no release

Moved in a maggots maze
In a stunted liquid daze
Her stunning lotus gaze
Incongruous inchoate haze

Softly encased
In shimmering dresses
Sheltered under submissive tresses
She salutes your aggression
A toast to the Establishment's
Urgent presses.

Reporting no problems
Sashaying, paralyzed at ease,
Ashen white, eager,
Easy to please.

Play and sing
Puck clutches your dreams
Insane liquid froth
In the depths of
Wells of sombre gold
Tawny haunted green.

Come visit, come hither,
See my superimposed lies
Prescient you,
Toy apart and maul my soul
Delve deep and wide
Into my cognac dreams