Here goes my second dose

Here goes my pose
As I took my second dose!
This time, the moderna vaccine travels my veins
For immunity as euphoria mixes with fears and pains!

We shall witness, with vaccinations, a downward trend
In infection numbers to push the enemy to a dead-end
And it may, still, be a little early to nurture the best dreams
But I am hoping for a life ahead with yummy creams!

Hoping for glowing smiles expressed not just by the eyes,
Hoping for the best new normal as the virus subsides,
Hoping for friendly neighbors, not strangers to walk past,
Hoping for a free world again, without a curse, to forever last!

Hoping this's the final blow to the virus to exit soon,
Hoping, no human is taken for granted for a safety cocoon,
Hoping for excuses none, from the virus, after the second dose
And hoping for a future meaningful with a purpose!

Hope each person continues to inspire with resilience,
As immunity alone makes the biggest difference;
Hoping for no Covid traces, not even by remote chances
And hoping to see full faces and glamorous glances!

Bhutan is at her best again with choicest of vaccines,
The virus shall be defeated, with herd immunity, by all means;
My best wishes to all especially to the first-timers many,
For, the goal is to defeat the worst global enemy!

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With All My Senses

My eyes are wide open, ears eager to hear in haste,
My nose is ready for the smell and tongue for taste!
A touch on any issue, the mind becomes the gear
And if anything is bad, the heart moves forward to bear!

Senses do loom large and yet we feel sorry,
Perceptions vary: the very cause of our worry!
Opinions and options are no reasons for threat
Unless a vested interest, I have reasons to bet!

Senses do oscillate, vibrations occur to break
The soul and body for both are destined for a wreck;
Correct use of senses has always been with the good reasons
Follow what you are for, the future works on its own provisions!

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Old and Gold

"I was a master of all, nothing stayed low
As I matured to enhance my life's glow;
Now, I have risen and risen and grown old
Final home-going is my way forward, I am told

Wrinkles are witness to my fight for resilence
My performance is low; all around me is just penance;
My ears are deaf, eyes are blue and hazy,
Voice is low, mouth toothless and I feel a lot lazy

I need support as I walk
A helper to explain as I talk
A pillow to keep straight my back
And, truly, home-going is what I lack

I have heard enough of old being gold
But old isn't always gold and gold is never old
Gold can be moulded new but old is never a younger bold
As my home-going is eminent, rest I need not be told!"

But a few words, unconciously said, of wisdom
From deep within an exhaustion
Lies a towering soft power of an advice
Divine to clarify Old is Gold as strong, forever, as an edifice!

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Roadside Romeo

I waited along the route
To catch a glimspe of you
Now all I can sadly say
I’ve wasted another day!
Restless evening passed me by
Darkness covered earth and sky
I wish that I could fight
This fast encroaching night
And bring back some daylight
Just so that I can see you
And make my dreams come true

(Phanindra Khanal)
A short poem published in Kuensel in 1999

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Architecture and Poetry

I delve from line to line
For a structure with a strong spine
While a space white gives way to letters dark
With dimensions and metre making a mark!

Poetry and architecture correlate in creativity
From issues all to homes in a city;
There is rhythm and music in standstill and motion,
Approach is same, difference not even in notion!

I delve deeper to fill lines with material
Or engage to bring out the unexplained surreal
Underlined in metaphors, broken in grammar
Waiting editions with a roughest hammer!

And here I stand gazing at the surrounding
As sky and ground are the bases for new space founding;
Buildings create lines as well, that too standing in rhyme
And for some more of it, it’s just a matter of time!

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हिउ पर्‍यो

हिउ पर्‍यो है कान्छी
रमितै भयो थिम्फू सहर।
सूर्यको किरण धर्तीमा चमक्दा
जउला है खेल्न वरपर।।

तीन फिटको हिउमा पाखुरा डुब्दा
हाँसी दिंउला है कान्छी मरी मरी।
धराब हाँगामा अल्झेको हिउले
बर्साई दिंउला है तिमीलाई घरिघरि।।

चिप्लो बाटोमा मलाई समाए
धसिदिंउला है हिउ जिउ भरी
ऐया, आच्छी तिमीलाई भए
भनी दिंउला है नि लै लै कठैबरी!!

-फणीन्द्र खनाल

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A Street Dweller

His passion, truly, is to own the city wild
Unbothered; a matured man from a long lost child!
With tattered bags of belongings, weather battered face,
Street his home and every nook and corner his place!

Durpinay, as he is called, knows not his real name
Over the years, he has always remained the same!
His lens perhaps shows just a monochrome
Where the world he roams is all his home!

My first contact with him was in my early years;
He pulled many ears causing kids to shed rivers of tears!
He fakes a telescope, with fingers, pointed towards a hill
And hence his name ‘with durpin' that raises interest still!


I met him again a few years ago near the big cypress tree;
In capital Thimphu, the man was happier and full of glee!
He begs not as food and drinks is free onto his lap
And draws attention around without any gap!

A long stick he uses to ward off the stray dogs
His toilet is under the sky behind bushes and logs!
During a lockdown, he has been bundled into a van
Since then, I have heard nothing about the man!

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Dream of a Queen

A dream that came true for a pious mom,
The dream that the Enlightened One had arisen from,
A dream that Queen Maha Maya had while asleep
Is a dream deemed to be deep for humanity's upkeep!

It's a dream treasured as absolutely confirmatory,
A dream of a faithful for an everlasting glory,
A dream of the purest that makes peace with all beings
And a dream that cures the world of pains and sufferings

It’s a dream that gave us a way of life,
A dream of a mother that lays at rest the worldly strife,
A dream that landed us on the right track
And a dream that led secrets to crack!

It's a dream of a milk-white elephant, holy and grand
For peace and truth on every land;
It's the beginning of Wheel of Law high, complete and full
And ages of relationship with my beloved Druk Yul

This is the dream that seeks commonality
With no race, caste or creed but unity and secularity;
A dream of sacrifice and kindness
And a dream for no ignorance and wilful blindness

Photo Courtesy: Google

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Eclipsed Eclipse

A shadow is cast; a full moon night is dark
A celestial phenomenon is on its mark!
Umbra and penumbra do resurrect the minds;
Classroom stories to flashbacks of many kinds!

Glow or hide, you are still the Moon
Keep on moving and we will see you soon;
Race the orbit no faster nor late and be back
Wish to learn from you to be on a normal track!

Oh no! Clouds are thick; no eclipse is seen,
Past midnight: waiting and waiting I have been!
The dark is too deep for a moon hidden out of sight
Hope is none, for a romantic sky, on this shady night!

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Forshaken

Forshaken

In full bloom arrayed
Bidding my time for the bee
I swayed in the summer breeze
Hoping he would notice me

Nectar in me for he, the Bumble Bee
Decked out and fragrant was I
But the bee disdained my troth
And left me wanting to die

My short stay spans less than a year
My beauty is fading fast
Still until the winter frost bites
Shall this cruel betrayal last

First published in Kuensel(1998)

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आमा

नौ महिना गर्भमै बोक्ने
आन्द्रा समेत जोडियेकि
मेरै लागि तडपी रहने
मेरै लागि सुर्ताइ रहने
थियौ तिमी एउटी आमा ॥

अनमोल दुधले बडाउने
न्यानो काखमा हुर्काउने
मेरै लागि मरिमेट्ने
मलाई मुटुमै टसाउने
थियौ तिमी एउटी आमा ॥

ढिडो निस्तो खुवाये पनि
थियो मेजमान भन्दा मिठो।
हल्का-फुल्का गाली धम्की
गर्यौ मेरै लागि निको

गल्ति गर्दा बचाउने
काखमा च्यापी सम्झाउने
मेरो दुखमा परेलि भिजाउने
मेरो सुखमा खुशि रहने
थियौ तिमी एउटी आमा॥

तर चिचिलालाई छोडि जाने
छाया बनि रहि रहने
मेरो जिन्दगीलाई अधुरो बनाईदिने
संधै भरि रुवाई रहने
रहेछौ तिमी, ए मेरी आमा!

- फणीन्द्र खनाल

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जुनेली प्यार

जुनेली प्यार (भाग 1)

नष्ट हुन्थ्योकि चन्द्रको रोसनीले
यो रातको भव्य अन्धकार‌ |
डुबी रहंदा चन्द्रकै ज्योतीमा
नहुन्थ्योकि यो जिन्दगी बेकार‌‌ ‌।।

नरन्थेकि निसास्सिएका घिडघिडाहरु मनमा
नीलो गगन बिचको कालो बादल जस्तो ।
नरुन्थ्योकि मन यो दु:खमा
झारीकन आंसु, झ‍रना सरी सस्तो ।।

नलेखिन्थ्योकि ‌‌‌अन्ध्यारोपन
काही कतै कुनै शब्दकोशमा ।
दु:ख-कष्ट, पिर-पिरोलो
नहुन्थ्योकि मेरो दोषमा ||

जून भए डुली रहन्थें
घरिघरि मेटाउदै भव्य अन्धकार ।
हटाउथें उकुस-मुकुस गांठाहरु मनका
वरिपरि छर्दै तिब्र यो जुनेली प्यार ।।

-फणीन्द्र खनाल

जुनेली प्यार (भाग 2)

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GNH and “Happiness for all, forever”

“Be calm. Stay wise. Be kind”
Be happy to leave lockdowns and quarantines behind;
Dates for the jabs have been announced
May a new normal prevail as the virus gets trounced!

Happy International Happiness Day
With themes to beat the pandemic in a unique way;
Kick the virus out happily, cheerfully and merrily
And guard yourself with mask and distance heavily

In Drukyul, we reflect, too, on Gross National Happiness:
A wholesome approach and limitless oxygen for liveliness;
A guiding philosophy propounded by our Great Fourth:
A contribution, to the Planet itself, of the highest worth!

Happiness is a gem in the wealth basket of a living being,
Being able to share it is the wisest and the kindest thing;
While the climate roars aloud, be composed and calm to act fast
As disasters unnatural are frequent for not all species to last!

At the United Nations, 17 sustainable goals remain,
Silence is often the action and the roars get louder in a chain!
The same element infusing life in us carries the enemy too
While zones and quarantines are cages for animals in a zoo!

Well, let’s reflect on happiness day by being a part of it
While every pillar of GNH must be the indispensible tool kit,
A guiding force and a wave of happiness even in the process
And for the Planet and every nation on it, GNH isn’t at all less!

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नक्सा

खेत र बारी बनिए सहरका नक्सा
जंगल बिच सड़कका नक्सा
भिर पहिरो , खोला नालाका पनि नक्सा
हाहा, मेरा जीवन साथी यी नक्सै नक्सा।।

हिमाली टुप्पा, पर्यटकका नक्सा
हरियाली हरियो, जीव-प्राणीका नक्सा
नक्सैले कोरिदिएं भविष्यका नक्सा
रुपयॉ-पैसा, हाल-बेहालका नक्सा।।

पेटमा घाउ, अनुहारमा नक्सा
फोक्सो बिग्रिए धुम्रपानको नक्सा
इच्छा र सपना, बर्तमानका नक्सा
आहा, राम्रा-नराम्रा नक्सै नक्सा।।

उकाली ओराली, समस्याका नक्सा
रोद्दन र हॉसो, जीवनका नक्सा
सूर्य र चन्द्र, दिन र रातका नक्सा
घाम र ओझल, पृथ्वीकै नक्सा।।

रातै-रातो, बजारका नक्सा
पहेलैपहेंलो आवासीय क्षेत्रका नक्सा
रंगी बिरंग्गी यो ब्रह्माण्डकै नक्सा
यो आर्किटेक्टको जीवन, नक्सै नक्सा।।
-फणीन्द्र खनाल

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याद आयो दशैंको

याद आयो दशैंको , दही चिउरा मेजमानको,

खड़्कुडामा भिजेको अट्टे र कलमी धानको!

याद आयो दशैंको,घरको दियो र फूलको

टिका र जमराले सजिएको घरढोका मूलको।।

याद आयो दशैंको, घर मावल र मित्रको

रातोमाटो डम्फूडाँडाको,कमेरो छॉगेखोला भित्रको।

याद आयो दशैंको, राड़ीमा बसेको

ढिकी जाँतो मानो पाथी सबैले खटेको।।

याद आयो दशैंको, खुशीले भुंइ छोड़ेको

ठूलोघर् छेउ खनीउ रुखमा पिङ जोड़ेको।

याद आयो दशैंको, कुराँउनी पाकेको

मीठोमसिनु खाएको,नयॉनौलोले ढाकेको।।

याद आयो दशैंको, दिनै औंला गनेको

'दशैं आयो, दशैं आयो', गॉउसहरले भनेको।

याद आयो दशैंको, हाम्रो चाहाड़ कमालको

शुभकामना सबैलाई यो फणीन्द्र खनालको।।

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Water Scarcity

Precious drop! The trickle has diminished
Tanks are empty; water, so soon, gets finished!
At the roof eave, a sparrow is waiting
At the drought-torn field, a farmer sweating;
A dry spell!

Oceans of thirst unquenched-
It becomes usual this time of the year
The reality of "water-water everywhere"
And drowning in drought is unusual to bear

Here and there, buckets clatter for a fill
While homes smell with the sources drying still;
Questions! Should rivers dry along their courses?
Or haven’t we managed our water resources?

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Umbrella

Protect me all during sun or rain,
Drenched or scorched, be over me time and again!
The folds do unfold for your dominant show,
You are as colourful as the brightest rainbow

I stand the bitumen melt or the flooded footpath
And, if I fall, we both shall feel the heavy aftermath;
Remember that we both are collapsible in and out,
I hold your handle tight as the winds regularly tout

Wet or dry: torrential rains or the baking sun
I value you most as I dare not make the fun;
You stand high above and I remain below:
An umbrella is much more than what the colours show!

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A Gardener and Pumpkin: A Story re-written

When Dorji was short and fat and Penjore tall and thin,
There was a moral story that is causing my head to spin

A gardener after having toiled hard, relaxed under a shady tree
"It isn't right!", he commented on God's creative spree;
"Pumpkin on a small creeper, tiny fruit on a large tree; that, God does keep!"
And the gardener as he thought deep, drowsed to sleep!

The breeze blew; a fruit detached itself from the tree and flew down and down
Until its thorn pricked the gardener at his nose tip; he jumped and screamed in pain like a frantic clown!
The thorn - a sharply pointed pin - on the fruit had pierced the gardener's skin!
As he realised, he thought of his fate had it been a pumpkin!
Then the moral follows as the gardener regains his mood,
"Whatever God does, He does it for good!"


My Story Begins Here
I happen to see a large jackfruit tree,
Its fruits are big too, some larger than pumkin!
Have I understood the moral vis-a-vis "Gardener and pumkin" story, poor me?
If so, why is jackfruit with the size of pumpkin on a large tree?

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The Restless Soul

Heartbeats are the loudest sounds,
Silence all around surrounds;
Eyebrows dance with music in the ears,
Sight is blurred and mouth fed with salty tears,
Restless I am; restlessness for too long prolongs
As, restlessly, I move on to dance to many songs
And there stood none to watch and see,
Only rotten tomatoes and eggs flying at me;
The hall was moonless dark: no lights,
A semblance to resemble my plights;
I keep dancing awfully to music never heard
Feeling odd, awkward and so much absurd,
Then, cries of hell reverberate and echo several times
As my soul cries too; it’s been tried severely for no crimes;
A knock wakes me up; it’s Chhotu, the ‘canteen-boy’,
“Tonight’s Freshers’ Night, be full of joy!”

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Age of Innocience

Right in the womb, my journey begins
With my cries, a wish is what my mom wins!
I chuckle and get the best suckle
One and all, for my needs, buckles!

Soon I crawl with my dolls sprawled;
I am lapped, kissed, smudged, bawled,
Oiled and powdered with warmth of sunshine
And best of everything sublime!

Hand in hand with elders, I learn to walk
My voice no more a noise; I can now talk!
I love rhymes, letters, all colours of joy,
Bicycle, ice cream, and my favorite toy!

I haven’t yet visited a zoo
Nor in time ever reached the loo;
I carry a Mickey Mouse to my school
While at my house, we both swim in a pool!

Onto my teens, there are many talks of the town;
This, that, why, how, here, there, up and down!
My toys gather dust; school is tougher by the year;
My dreams are being shaped by people near and dear!

I get to mid-teens to be a little ignored
And at times, without my friends, even bored!
My age of innocence is getting over
A challenge as many things about my life hover!

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