Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Amazon Barnes & Noble.com Freado AmericaStarBooks, USA Google Category:  Poetry Publisher: PublishAmerica, USA ISBN-10:  1615827714 Type: Fiction Pages: 120 ISBN-13: 9781615827718 Price: $5.00 (eBook) “Whatever career you may choose for yourself - doctor, lawyer, teacher - let me propose an avocation to be pursued along with it” said Martin Luther King, Jr. I am a technocrat by pursuance and a poet and writer by dream. I started writing poetry from a very young age and the exercise always gave me lots of contentment and satisfaction. Poetry always counterpoised my science and technological pursuits and brought a kind of balance to my life. I found the truth of what the great American poet, Robert Frost (1874-1963) said, “My object in living is to unite, My avocation and my vocation, As my two eyes make one in sight” in my life by the cultivation of poetry as an avocation. I always wrote for my own solace. And I enjoyed writing, it be poetry or prose writings. "Calm Reflections" is my first published poetry collection.            This extravaganza is a 120 page magnum opus of the author, a bouquet of poetry  penned by unparalleled poet, Pratheek Praveen Kumar. The topics on which I wrote were all topics on which I felt rather strongly about or topics which I felt important. They are my thoughts, impressions and feelings on various events, or people, or actions. I have written all of these poems with a great deal of care and feeling and I hope they are enjoyed and appreciated by all those who read them.  In this book, I have tried to poetically portray in words events, situations, personalities, and at occasions, a few stories that bring deeper comprehension of the world and its affairs in the larger canvas of the political and cultural dynamics of the time and their interplays as I see them in moving the world forward. I hope they are enjoyed and appreciated by all those who read them.     Many unsaid thanks threaten to over-flood my senses. I would like to thank my parents for all the support they have given me while I was writing this book. They have been pillars of strength on which I could rest my wearied back whenever I was tired or down.  Excerpt One may have a mountain-full of great skills, But only if there is Humility the mountain fills. .. .. A person with humility will always fly, Because strings of class do not him below tie, He will forever rise and never fall, As his name is written in nature’s greatness hall. - HUMILITY A trial of our endurance and strength, Our objective is not money or wealth, But to live a life as it must be led, To live with honor until we are dead. - LIFE A graceful fragile thing is a flower, Seeing it evil things do cower. - FLOWER Glorious gold mixed with bright red, Makes us with happiness tread, And makes our hearts light and gay, And ready for another weary day. - SUNRISE A beautiful night it indeed is, Everything is very calm, and it’s bliss, The whole world is at rest, This is the world at its best. - A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT A beauteous evening it is, Everything is calm and bliss, A red, majestic Sun sets, In the golden-yellow west. Birds fly freely here and there, Finding their way to their lair, And the trees wave to and fro, That it is nightfall they know. - IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING Colourful flowers bloom, Happiness does everywhere loom, After the cold sting of ice, The warmth of spring is nice. - SPRING India, the land of spice and silk, Of cattle and battle and rice and milk, . India, the land of love and truth, And people who shone in spiritual path, . . India, the home of greats like Ashoka, Of bhoga and vairagya that blend in Vedic shloka, Inspired great souls to be models world over And cleanse human kind with the spiritual fire. Great people have walked in this great land, This great land was certainly made from God’s hand. - INDIA The joy of a job well done, Is the best of joys under the Sun, - THE JOY OF ACHIEVEMENT He fought very fiercely till the end, The might of several countries did he bend, But in the end his tyranny came to a suicidal finish, And thus the world did this twisted genius banish. - ADOLF HITLER To happiness it does unfailingly lead, Beauty is what the world does need, Beauty is what the world does heed. - BEAUTY He wrote with a style hard to reach, Even now people, his language teach, The greatest playwright ever was he, A greater playwright one has never seen. .. Fluidity and style in his words lurks, - SHAKESPEARE Where a batsman tries not to lose his wicket, What game can it be but one-against-eleven cricket? When the ball cuts through and swims in the sky, Where else onlookers in joy dance and cry? Lo, on charges the bowler like a bull, And throws his ball in anger to kill, The batsman indeed looks utterly meek, Scared to death, uncertain and very weak. When the ball goes soaring high in the air, Fielders watch it and their hair they tear, On seeing it speedily falling on the ground, Fielders run to catch and gather around. - CRICKET A greater person never did walk this earth, To a greater person never did India give birth. - MAHATMA GANDHI Un-thanked they slog hard and long, Their lives need a bit of a song. - POLICE Only a few more things are more completely bliss, Than sleep and that we must certainly not miss. - SLEEP He treats kings and beggars alike, The gathering of souls he does like. Everyone in his face is equal, He strikes without warning, At night or morning, Indiscriminately he carries people off, Either by smooth ways or rough. - DEATH What is life all about, When all our actions come but to nought, When we leave the world forever and ever, And never breathe again, never, never. If in the end what we do, Is remembered but by only few. .. .. And in the end one is completely forgotten, No one cares whether one was good or rotten, And he sinks to the depths of anonymity, And none will ever him care or pity. - WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT? It is a time for actions for all, They should answer their country’s call, And vote for the leader who they feel is the best, And try to bring down the rest. . . Who for people are truly bad and uncaring, Lose all claims for a lawmaker’s bearing. - ELECTION In hunts its prey with cunning, Thus almost always winning, Awesome in its power and grace, A tiger certainly has its own place. A dangerous but beautiful creature, That it has been nature’s luck to nurture, It strikes fear in all that see it, - TIGER High above in the sky, On the earth they spy, And laugh at people’s deeds, And see their desires and needs. The Sun, the majesty of the golden brilliance, The Moon of the eternal silvery radiance, Give the Earth the wealth of day and night, And the joy forever of recurring light. The Sun and the Moon smile on the Earth, And bestow life of birth and death, They brighten the sky with flaming radiance Those enwrap the Earth with perseverance. The Sun and the Moon brighten hills, And plateaus and cities and deepest vales Without a favour and without a spite, That is why they remain forever bright. - THE SUN AND THE MOON The curse of Humanity indeed is War, From Humanity it must be thrown very far, Despicable thing it most certainly is, . . A dreadful thing indeed is war, The face of humanity it does mar, And throws the life of people away like sand, - WAR AND PEACE Nature, the true home of all features, It be big or small never matters, And nestles life, force, matter in it’s womb, And homes everything, it be loud or dumb. Nature, the mother of all that lives, She fondles her off springs with love and care, Trust her and save, she repays in droves, She is our treasure and hope forever. - NATURE On goes the haloed beautiful moon, Walking the night in her heavenly cocoon, Here and there she peers and sees, And awakens blossoms to restless bees. The beautiful moon goes slowly by, “Look over there” loudly people cry, The majestic moon riding high in the sky Casts soft spell ‘neath knowing not why. As she completes her long journey, In the West in huge heavenly sigh, Sees the Sun in the East rising by, And prepares herself to quickly die. - FULLMOON NIGHT Harm has it always brought, To all those who it have sought, Leisure is a poison in excess, Thus one should enjoy it less. - LEISURE Friends everywhere, everyone for all, This is where harmony likes to dwell, No discords anywhere, no notes shrill, This is the world poetry creates for all. . . Poetry is true sunshine, poetry is divine, Poetry builds bridges to heart and brain, - POETRY HELPS HARMONY IN LIFE It brings loss and terror ever never told, To stop it, all people need to be bold, And love each other, be it win or loss, For, nuclear war means humanity’s loss. - NUCLEAR WAR All are equal deep down the core, He be a baker or broker or a beggar, A king, a farmer, a soldier or cleaner, All are equal deep down the core. .. .. All are equal, all brethrens in essence, Poor or rich makes no difference, Nor wise or stupid, nor cruel or kind, For, man is man, while comes to the world. - ALL ARE EQUAL War, the greatest enemy of humankind, And its lieutenant the dark death do find Hostilities and factions feast in killing And millions hapless wounded and dying, Alas, death and grief attack mostly those, Who are poor and weak to withstand force. . . A pledge to end war we all must take, And to peace do need all people awake. - DEVASTATION OF WAR From a timeless naught that is indefinitely vast Sprouted all outward in a universal blast And carried the cradle of energy and matter In the heart of the heat that flared everywhere And sprang up the universe out of the naught, Its atoms, suns, life, consciousness and light. The birth of the universe signals the start Of the drama of which we all are part. - THE BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSE Truth is power, truth is true wealth, Truth is unequalled ultimate strength, Truth makes soul its own king And makes the angels in heaven sing, Truth is joy, truth is sunshine, Truth is heart’s pristine sheen. . . Truth is might, truth is true light, Truth is the path always right. - TRUTH IS WEALTH And say, “O God, let soon the strife be over, And let peace and harmony hover everywhere”, Till the prayers go unheard and unmet, Man moves on the brink of death’s lust. Let peace rule all over the Earth, For, survival itself is its true worth. - PEACE While beauty goes deep and enwraps the whole, It gives its owner the greatest of the pleasure, So great that the joy goes beyond any measure In being in the reach of the ultimate cosmic role Of that peace and harmony that constitute all. Beauty is that end, it is the cosmic soul, That created this world and enlivens one and all. - BEAUTY IS TRUTH God needs none, no human helping hand, He is the only religion of all the human kind. - RELIGION Will and determination, truly crowning passion, Built and pulled down crowns and nations, - WILL AND DETERMINATION The dispenser of truth rules the world, Even in a world where Satan has hold. - TRUTH WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL The lamb, Oh! What a sweet little thing, Dumb, yet smart and innocent thing, When it clings, its soft wool warmth brings, When it brays, cuckoos join and sing. The world, a busy nest where all live, Of heights, people strive, and pools, people dive, The World is filled with bumps and dents, With men and women, and Satan and saints. Rain, oh! What a cool shower, Pours from heaven, people run for cover, Rain, oh! How cool you feel, When it sweeps with thunderous gale! Mother, an endless spring of love and care, Who, in her child’s distress, willingly share, Be it in lion, deer, horse, mouse or hare, Mother is mother, for her little, she dares death’s lair. Up, Up, in the sky, Birds do try to fly, They chirp and sing, And beat their wing. Life is a road of bumps and humps, Each bump and hump springs unexpected jump, Life is beautiful, but full of thorns, And thorns force life to unexpected turns. Short, stooping, simple man Gandhi was, In bare loin cloth and thick wire frame glasses, He spent hours on spinning wheel, toiled, And did what battles for centuries failed. Tick-tock, tick-tock, on goes the clock, Day and night for years without a block, Some clocks are big and some are small, But all in time’s hall look equally tall. A subtle and tender flame is love, None knows when it flares, and how, Love makes hearts and souls bond, And contentedly dance in joy’s pond. Lion! Oh, What a ferocious beast! Yet how splendid and royal is its gait, Lion! Oh, What a look of strength, Its grace and mane, its royal wealth. A lovely, lithe and dancing bird, Peacock strides in grace and pride When clouds gather and rain pours, Its feather Lord Krishna’s crown adores. Blue, blue, blue everywhere is sea, Salty and blue wherever we see, Vast and washed with whales and fishes, Sea is deep with endless riches. Birth, the melodious spring of life, A spark that lights new world of self, Death, the dark chasm of discord, Makes to leave the wondrous world. Trees are everywhere wherever we look, Their green splendour is wondrous to look, Their long brown branches support life And make this world lovely and safe. - CALM REFLECTIONS

A COLLECTION OF STIMULATING POEMS by rdsubramanyam in BARNS & NOBLE website
A collection of stimulating poems is here as "CALM REFLECTIONS". As the name itself says, poems are replete with ripples of thoughts from the quiet depths of the poet's mind. These poems are primarily simple thoughts and ideas of the poet sans the complications of red hot emotions and riddles of the modern life and for this reason makes pleasant reading.

The poet basically deals with the everyday life in its hightened form stirring the reader to its innate beauty and rich meanings. The approach of the poet is basically idealistic and sings the values of ideals like humility, honesty, peace and truth.

Consirering the age of the poet and the truth that itis his first collection of poems, there is no way but to appreciate the talent and endeavours of this budding young poet.

LOVELY CUTE POEMS by LyndaJonson in BARNS & NOBLE website
February 26, 2010: "Calm Reflections" is a collection of brilliant poems composed by Pratheek Praveen Kumar. Poems here strike with the beauty of recurring rhythms and musical rhymes in consonance with the tides of the subject matter though the poet follows free verse to express his ideas, thoughts and emotions in this striking anthology.

Refrain self-imposed by the poet in the liberty of the free verse brings an untold charm to the poetry of this volume. Subject matter spreads from religion to science, from life to death, from peace to war, from nature to human values, covering an unlimited spectrum to meet the needs of every kind of readers.

This is a collection of beautifully scripted and crafted poems that are simple in style and simple to comprehend as any good poem should be and immensely readable collection of poems.

STRIKINGLY CHARMING VERSES by Chandu Lal in BARNS & NOBLE website
These are strikingly charming verses of magical qualities. Really calm reflections in every sense in this age of tumultuous disturbances and dangerous conflicts gripping and spreading even to the field of healthy poetry. Some of the poems in this collection are sheer joy to read and reflect in quietude. I congratulate the poet, Pratheek Praveen Kumar for his wonderful work and skilled craftsmanship in this beautiful volume. It is a super work of art.