WHERE MY FREEDOM LIES

WHERE MY FREEDOM LIES 

I have seen 

Another year

Of heart break 

And cheer...

Have been treated

Like a child

Who doesn't know 

Good from bad

Have been

Treated with 

Disregard to my feels

And with disrespect...

Yet, I smile 

I laugh

Getting through 

My days

In quiet strife!

They are happy 

Those who surround 

Me...

They believe that

They have done 

Well 

By robbing me

Of my

Sparrow friend...

Do they not

Know

Do they not

Realize 

Nothing breaks 

A real friendship 

Not even time?

Fools and hypocrites!

Wish they'd awaken

And open 

Their hearts and minds 

To let me be 

Free

And with my

Sparrow friend 

Take to the 

Skies...

For with

The Sparrow 

My freedom

Lies...!

          FREDERIKA MENEZES 

TO THE KNOW IT ALLS

TO THE KNOW IT ALLS

I am scrawling 

A rhyme

That has 

Nothing whatsoever 

To do

With the present

Time...

Neither does it

Have to do

With

The past...

These are 

Mere lines

Written

To pass my

While!

There are a 

Certain few

Who have it

In their 

Mind

That every one

Of my rhymes 

Is a reflection 

Of my heart...

Of my thoughts

Of my life...

In this case

They are 

Far ftom right...

A poem can 

Be about

None of this

Not all of it...

A poem can

Be

Just words that

For fun

Rhyme!

So here is 

To them

Who think otherwise...

My friend and friends 

Wake up

Clear your minds

And yes

Please do 

Get a life...!

        FREDERIKA MENEZES 

PRAYER TO THE SKIES

PRAYER TO THE SKIES 

It was a

Sunny noon

When on 

My window ledge

Precariously perched

A beautiful 

Song bird

Began to croon...

It's eyes were

Like that of

Melted chocolate 

And it's feathers

Resembled

Honey brown...

I gazed at it

In wonder

Thinking

Oh wow!

It sang of life

Of prettiness 

Of my eyes...

It's song held

A promise...

I smiled and laughed 

Like never before 

This song bird

Was no bore!

Oft it came

It sang and left

Oft it came 

And we became 

The closest 

Of friends...

I talked, it sang

Somehow, life feels 

And experiences

We shared!

But one day 

A harsh wind 

Blew...

The song bird

Perched on 

The window 

Got, carried away...

I tried to grasp

It

But the wind

Had it first...

The song bird 

Was not like 

Its own kind...

Brilliantly unique 

Is how I 

Still describe it...

Almost mine

Though never quite

I pray to the

Skies

I one day again see 

It...

That we

Might once more 

Be

The song bird 

And me

The unlikeliest 

Of closest of friends 

Instead...!

        FREDERIKA MENEZES

TO A DEAR

TO A DEAR

Dear you 

I don't what to say

Or do...

Constantly find 

Myself 

Thinking of you...

I haven't pulled 

Away

But close to

You 

I have remained!

Faithful and caring 

My life

With you am

Sharing...

With every thought 

I pen down 

And point of view

I pan out...

Dear you

Let me 

Tell you truth...

You won 

My deep affections 

The day into

My life

You set foot!

When will you 

Understand and accept 

Am no ordinary 

Friend...?

Am just 

Me

Requesting you 

To embrace 

And let me go never

From 

Before your

Face...!

           FREDERIKA MENEZES 

IN THE GARDEN

IN THE GARDEN

There was once

A bee

Who as it buzzed

Around 

Saw a flower...

It felt instant

Joy and attraction 

And so decided 

To say hello...

It buzzed about

Singing the "Bee song"

Until the bloom

Took notice

And the two

Began a friendship!

The Bee came 

Ever so often 

And the petaled 

One

Its company enjoyed...

The garden was alive

Wirh the sound

Of their chatter 

And laugh...

All the other 

Greens and trees

Fumed...

They liked not

The disturbance of 

Their peace...

The flower and

The Bee

Their friendship,  continued!

It all went

Smooth

Until one day

The Flower spied

The Bee drinking 

In another blosson's

Company...

When confronted 

The Bee denied

But the truth

Showed in the 

Faltered buzzing...

The Bee was a

Liar!

Angry with the 

Beautiful bloom

It decided to 

Sting...

Big mistake 

This turned out 

To be...

For we all

Know

What happens when 

A bee stings...

Another moment 

It does not live...

And so the Bee

Was gone

Peace returned 

To the garden...

The flower bloomed

And laughed and lived

Butterflies and birds

Were its friends 

And not any longer 

Bees...!

             FREDERIKA MENEZES 

WHAT INSPIRES

WHAT INSPIRES

Days slip by

Yet the dream

Stays

The same...

To be free

Among the 

Tamed wild

To live...

Hours and minutes

Of sweet and bitter

Talk

Are penned down 

In the mind

And heart!

Will it all

See reality?

Does the heart dare

Beat?

I know the heart

And mind

Of the one 

Upon whom the 

Talks have been

Penned...

The two belong 

To a life

Who dares!

The name is known

For every inspiring

Work

Yet what inspires

Is the pain

Behind the smile

Of the one who

This rhyme

Writes...

Yes, days slip by

Yet the dream

Stays the same...

To live

Alongside the 

Wild tamed...!

          FREDERIKA MENEZES

A CALL TO SLUMBER

A CALL TO SLUMBER

Come sleep

Let my eyes

To the world

Close...

It's taciturn face

Let me see no more...

Envelope me

In bright dark

That my dreams 

Might make my

Heart laugh!

Overpower me

King of unwaking

Draught

Let me drink deep

Of you

And never again

Thirst...

For thirsting 

Makes me weak

As I long 

Of the fount of 

Love

To endlessly sip...

I am still

Awake

Why, oh why

I ask

Quiet and desperate!

Confused, my mindless 

Heart wanders

The streets of

The past...

My ever thinking 

Mind reels 

I do not 

Want to feel unless

It is l

Painless feels!

Come slumber

With open arms...

Embrace my life

Show me

Your charms...

I reckon

They are better 

Than all I have 

Thus far known...

They shall render

Me happy 

When I, my eyes

Never to open 

Close...

Come, comfort me 

Embrace this life

Who willingly 

Surrenders

To an endless night...!

             FREDERIKA MENEZES 

WHAT INSPIRES

WHAT INSPIRES

Days slip by

Yet the dream

Stays

The same...

To be free

Among the 

Tamed wild

To live...

Hours and minutes

Of sweet and bitter

Talk

Are penned down 

In the mind

And heart!

Will it all

See reality?

Does the heart dare

Beat?

I know the heart

And mind

Of the one 

Upon whom the 

Talks have been

Penned...

The two belong 

To a life

Who dares!

The name is known

For every inspiring

Work

Yet what inspires

Is the pain

Behind the smile

Of the one who

This rhyme

Writes...

Yes, days slip by

Yet the dream

Stays the same...

To live

Alongside the 

Wild tamed...!

          FREDERIKA MENEZES

THE GAMBLE CALLED LIFE

THE GAMBLE CALLED LIFE

Oh life

What have you

Dealt me

In this game

Called "Living"?

I can go

Nowhere I desire

Hold no hand

I choose...

I can see 

No one I love 

When I want to...

Yes, you do

Grant me joys

Moments I treasure 

But life,

At the sunset 

Of everyday

You let me

Taste the bitter...

It's the taste

Of lonely hurting!

Why, life

Have you dealt

Me these cards...?

Am I not worthy

Of uplifting

Your name

In the gamble 

Of lìving?

Do I not deserve 

The taste of sweetness 

That you give

To so many breaths

Breathing?

Am I a pawn

In your complicated 

Ways

Or am I 

An accidental being

Merely existing...?

        FREDERIKA MENEZES

A GIRL MANNEQUIN

A GIRL MANNEQUIN

One day

My selfish heart

And me

Went a wandering

Down the lane

Of feels...

We found emotions 

Amazing...

My heart grabbed

Onto love...

Tightly it held it

And told my head

To not think!

"Let me feel!" 

My selfish 

Heart exclaimed 

"Let me revel in the

Same!"

It said without

Restraint...

I thought I was

Afloat

With my head 

Upside down

And my heart in my

Thtoat!

Like a sweet  

And pretty balloon

Up and hugher

I went

Until suddenly 

A bird with 

A beak so sharp

Me, pecked...

Wooosh...I burst

Open

And elastic like

Slid down to

The ground...

On my feet again

I continued my 

Walk about...

My selfish heart 

Beat very slowly 

Just as my thoughtless 

Mind, ceased thinking!

Just a girl I 

Knew I was...

The lane of feels

Was never for me

I am girl mannequin...!

          FREDERIKA MENEZES

THE GAMBLE CALLED LIFE

THE GAMBLE CALLED LIFE

Oh life

What have you

Dealt me

In this game

Called "Living"?

I can go

Nowhere I desire

Hold no hand

I choose...

I can see 

No one I love 

When I want to...

Yes, you do

Grant me joys

Moments I treasure 

But life,

At the sunset 

Of everyday

You let me

Taste the bitter...

It's the taste

Of lonely hurting!

Why, life

Have you dealt

Me these cards...?

Am I not worthy

Of uplifting

Your name

In the gamble 

Of lìving?

Do I not deserve 

The taste of sweetness 

That you give

To so many breaths

Breathing?

Am I a pawn

In your complicated 

Ways

Or am I 

An accidental being

Merely existing...?

        FREDERIKA MENEZES

OH TO HAVE A FRIEND

OH TO HAVE A FRIEND 

Oh to have

A friend

To ride the waves

Of life with...

Oh to have a someone 

Unequivocal...

Like the ray

Of sunshine

Bright and burning

Yet a one that 

Lifts your soul!

Oh to have a friend

Quirky and kind

Unlike any other

But more like

A treasure...

To have a friend

Who understands 

And listens

Fights but without

Malice, just feels...

It is truly rare

It is a blessing 

And if you found

Such a one

Complain never

But cherish him

Or her...!

         FREDERIKA MENEZES

A SLOW DANCE

A SLOW DANCE

Silently falling apart
Within, without
Crumbling like
A sandcastle
With every breath
And beat of the
Heart...

Waves of feels
Crash into each
Other...

With ever crash
Ripples gather!

Ripples of emotions
Set astir
By the present
The past and the future...

Mistakes that have
Been made
In the long ago
Have no place
In the now
Or the tomorrow...

They are locked
Away, away to
Stay
By the closest of
Friendships...

Two souls have merged
In a bond
That nothing can pull
Apart
Two souls
Yours and mine
Let them dance
To the rhythm of
Our hearts!

A slow dance
A ballet,
A tango
A salsa...

Let us dance
Because we belong
To the now and
The tomorrows...!

                 FREDERIKA MENEZES

BEAUTIFULLY STRONG

GRACEFULLY STRONG

On a sultry
Eve
Graceful and strong
You came
To me...

One smile and
A hello
And we knew
We were meant to
Be...

Time trickled
Grains of
Sand
Slowly as we
Talked
We held hands...

Magical was
The feel...
And rightly so
It turned out to
Be the real deal!

We shared hours
Of endless chatter
Laughs and quiet
Grins...

Meaningfully we
Bonded
Over things so
Common
It surprised me
To my core...

The depth
Is deep
The feels, strong
On that sultry
Eve
How grateful and
Glad I am
Oh gracefully strong...!

                 FREDERIKA MENEZES

...WILL I EVER FIND IT?

...WILL I EVER FIND IT?

Like the rain
And snow
They fall, my feels
Upon a million
Lives..

I watch and wait
To see
If any of
My feels
Touch any heart...

I find it not
To be so...
Oh, how sad...
My feelings go
Unreturned!

Like the waves
Of the sea
Emotions crash
Upon rocks and shores...

Oh won't anyone
Cup a handful
Of my love, affection
Joy and passion?

Like a gentle
Breeze
A strong wind
The breaths of
My heart, blow...

Oh does anybody
Feel me breathe?

Frail life
That I am
I look for strength
In love...

Will I ever
Find it...?

                FREDERIKA MENEZES

AFTER YESTERDAY

ÀFTER YESTERDAY

I sit and wonder
What a marvel a day
Can be...

It holds promise
With the first
Rays of
Daylight
But for only
Those who see it
With a smile!

How many of us
Wake up
Frowning,
Thinking of how
Dull another day will be?

A day is
Twenty four friends
All siblings
From the house of
Hours
Who join
To make us feel good
Not bad or horrible...

And how do many
Of us say thank you?

By frowning, grumbling
And being grumpy...

How bad, how mean
A lot, we are
When we are gifted
Days and days on end
With such promises
That we can be richer
Than
Queens and kings!

Yes, it is time
For us to open
Our eyes
Every morn
With a smile
And thank
The stars we got
The chance to
See a new day
After yesterday ...!

Rain

RAIN

Oh I hear
The clouds are
In child birth...

Their cry is loud
As thunder
Their suffering
Is bolts of lightning...

The mother clouds
All gather in
The sky
They crowd about
The sun
For comfort
As now, is their time!

The birth giving
Is glorious
And a needed respite
To us on the
Ground...

How evil
We are...
Use we do the new borns
To quench our thirst
And water our field
Of grain...

What an evil people
We are...
Forgive us
Mother rain
For murdering
Your rain drops
Your little ones
Whom you
Birthed...

But we need the water
The little drops
Make our rivers flow
Our food grow
Our thirst die.

The rain drops
Make us, in relief
Sigh...!

       FREDERIKA MENEZES

WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER

WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER 

I met him

Once

At a wedding party...

There he was

A great man

Dressed

So simply...

No airs of

Aloofness 

Surrounded him

A man with 

A heart

And soul

Who had

A sense of wit

About him...

This is what   

I know him for

And shall never 

Forget!

Greatness simplified

And personified 

Is what, he was.

And he might be

Gone now physically 

From our midst

But in every

Goan who understood 

Him

He forever lives...!

            FREDERIKA MENEZES

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