Torrey Pines

A sonnet on my favorite spot in town:

The sheer cliffs and fantastic folds of the land,
Can inspire awe for hours on end.
Smooth pebbles and soothingly soft sand,
And so many trails to wend!

Blankets of blossoms on sheets of green,
Adorn its head as if a crown.
In the sky, gliders aplenty do careen,
A gentle breeze takes them up and down.

The majestic blue of the mighty Pacific,
And her unending waves of lore.
The fiery orange of a sunset so terrific,
An infinite loop of beauty on this shore.

What splendor the earth, sky, and sea have wrought!
A more mesmerizing place around here, I know not.

Envy

A sonnet on envy:

The world is not really small,
Nor is it a grand zero sum game.
Even if you do not have it all,
You grew from what you overcame.

Why frown at another's delights,
When their struggles, you know not?
Forging your path to new heights,
Requires giving it your best shot.

Yes, there is enough to go around,
If you would but change your view.
As far-fetched as this may sound,
It is more often than not true.

Watching on from the sidelines and going green will never cease the pain.
As they say, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.

Equanimity

A poem on equanimity:

Running towards many a pleasure,
We try to avoid pain at any cost.
But each brings its own treasure,
Yet, on us, this seems often lost.

The stepping stone is such a cliche,
But forget it, we do, when we fail,
To succeed, there is more than one way,
Embracing this does lift the veil.

Paralyzing ourselves with so much fear,
When the winds of change bring the unknown.
Letting the water settle makes it clear,
Transforming that unknown into a known.

Letting our vagaries push us to rage,
We grasp many a piece of hot coal.
The burns on our hands, we can't guage,
But they will certainly take their toll.

One day we enjoy a warm sunny sky,
But the next might bring cold, dark rain.
The desire to control is hard to deny,
But reality, we face, again and again.

From joy to sorrow, sorrow to joy,
We swing like a pendulum sans rest.
Of circumstances, we needn't be a toy,
Realizing this is the ultimate test.

Adieu to Jeff

One of my PhD thesis advisors at UW-Madison, Prof. Jeff Naughton, is retiring this week and joining Google in Madison. This sonnet pays tribute to his incredible career as one of the most respected academic researchers in computer science and his renown as a spectacular guide for his students (including me!). I wish him the very best in his new role.

In understanding a student,
None I've seen surpasses you.
Patient, placable, prudent,
And unbelievably witty too!

Your mark on UW is indelible,
You will be missed for sure.
A career so long and incredible,
Many a storm you did endure.

I wish you the best of luck,
As you move on to a new career.
Given your remarkable pluck,
I think you will own this veer.

It is indeed an honor to be advised by you,
With heavy hearts, we the students bid adieu.

Randomness

A sonnet on randomness:

You are serendipity, you are luck,
Is there a life untouched by you?
Directing us to raise our pluck,
You enable us to break through.

Time after time, we crave control,
Deluding ourselves beyond measure.
Letting go may avoid this toll,
'Tis a skill we truly treasure!

Is the Universe a friend or foe?
Is that really the key question?
Sans an answer with what we know,
We bias ourselves to an obsession!

You bring joy, you bring pain,
Seeing through you brings peace.
Repeating this again and again,
Illusions of control do cease.

You are abhorred, and you are praised,
But you never fail to leave us amazed!

Together

Day and night, you're all I dream about,
Your eyes, your face, your beautiful smile,
You have me under your spell, no doubt,
No games, no hesitation, no guile.

My penetrating gaze makes you blush,
A sweet smile forms on your lips so red,
Enjoying every moment sans any rush,
There is no one else I'd be with instead.

O my dear, look what you've done to me,
With your smart mind and gorgeous grace.
It seems this is how love is meant to be,
Everything seems to have fallen in to place.

In my arms, you are light as a feather,
And time itself stops when we're together.

A Poem about Poetry!

Lifting my mood when things go blue,
The beauty of the world, you do show.
I know not if I can live without you,
An endless sense of awe, you bestow.

When words so musical start flowing,
Even the stars of the sky come to play.
And all things around me start glowing,
Ah, this feeling, no words can convey!

Enabling an experience so sublime,
Very few can match your resplendence.
Losing track of all space and time,
Yea, a truly tranquil transcendence!

With ethereal moments such as this,
You always yield a beautiful bliss.