WritersWorld

Three Voices

Discussion

**Three voices in pink.**
**Image from Pixabay.**

The three voices are saying the same thing.

What is tolerance… the capacity to endure hardships and… and the willingness to accept beliefs, respect the opinions that are different from our own.

Tolerance, they say, shows that you are educated for you listen, you debate and you rule out what is not plausible.

You stick to what gives you clarity and what appears to be true, true for one and all because we, the people, are walking forward together.

The boundaries are superficial.

And so the intolerant idea that in its core aims to divide, to break, to segregate is a foolish one, it does not succeed in the long run.

But oh, oh, we are complex beings, we are slow and we glow with pride or we moan with guilt and we disturb the peace, we freeze the disease in our minds and resist the resolution till the very end of the war.

We the humanity and I the individual still do not know who is more powerful… powerful not only to survive but powerful enough to understand, to forge a balanced world, to see through eyes unclouded by hatred… powerful enough to show tolerance.

The three voices are saying the same thing.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

The highest result of education is tolerance.
Helen Keller

Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.
John F. Kennedy

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रंगों की तरंग/ The Wave of Colours

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Sky The wave of colours रंगों की तरंग

शॉर्ट कविता/ Short Poem

*Holi* Festival
**[Source – Indiaculturetree.com]**

रंगों की तरंग

रंगों की तरंग

बस इतना कहने उठी,

की ये जो अस्मा है,

रंगो के लिए बना है।

Translation – The Wave of Colours

The wave of colours

Rose to say

That this sky is

Meant to be coloured.

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Jailed

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Breakout Forever Golden Light Happy Calm Light Jailed Mind Music Quiet

Flash Fiction

**Golden me and the golden light.**
[Source – Pixabay]

Four giant steps forward and six steps sideways, a room with no window, locked in it forever.

The thoughts buzz tirelessly, not letting the music of a quiet mind to settle.

The walls are painted daily, it shouts ‘I blame you’ boldly.

But there is light, it comes from underneath the door, sometimes mixed with the chirping of the birds. It fills the jail with a happy calm light. It does.

And the key, kept on a tiny table beside the door, never moves itself to unlock the door. It just waits.

Amusingly, the happy calm light never ceases to be. It wishes us to breakout.

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The Truth is Pale Blue and its Apparent Size is Equal to a Dot

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi A Brave And Startling Truth Magnanimous Universe Maya Angelou Pale Blue Dot Peace Think

Short Coverage

**Pale Blue Dot by Voyager 1 Space Probe.**
**[Source – Wikimedia Commons]**

We, this people, on this small and drifting planet

Whose hands can strike with such abandon

That in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living

Yet those same hands can touch with such healing, irresistible tenderness

That the haughty neck is happy to bow

And the proud back is glad to bend

Out of such chaos, of such contradiction

We learn that we are neither devils nor divines

This excerpt is from a refined piece of poem by Maya Angelou which shared then and is sharing still the truth.

We all call a pale blue dot in this magnanimous universe our home, and then we forget. For what else can it be if not weak memory that we repeat the same blunders and invite catastrophes?

We are full of contradictions, we are the chaos, we are neither devils nor divines… and yet we are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world. Why?

Because we can think, we can create, we can sing and dance, we can understand the science behind everything, and we can write a poem to share with everyone A Brave and Startling Truth.

Because deep down all each one of us want is peace. Yes, but only if we remember… if we remember to think.

When we come to it

We, this people, on this wayward, floating body

Created on this earth, of this earth

Have the power to fashion for this earth

A climate where every man and every woman

Can live freely without sanctimonious piety

Without crippling fear

When we come to it

We must confess that we are the possible

We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world

That is when, and only when

We come to it.

**Earth from the surface of moon.**
[Image by WikiImages from Pixabay]

Read Maya Angelou’s beautiful poem, A Brave and Startling Truth here.

Know more about our planet, the Pale Blue Dot.

My inspiration for this post – A Brave and Startling Truth: Maya Angelou’s Stunning Humanist Poem That Flew to Space, Inspired by Carl Sagan and Read by Astrophysicist Janna Levin (a fabulous article written by the fabulous Maria Popova).

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Jazzing the Big Book Look

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Albums Bebop Big Book Look Illustrations In Walked Bud Jazz Music Paul Bacon Paul's Magic

Coverage

An office room, yellowish wallpaper, green warn-out yet full of warmth carpet, dark brown wooden chairs, small tables and an old drawing board. The man sitting and illustrating is also jazzing, listening to the melodious record ‘In Walked Bud’, relishing the classic Monk effect.

The surprising and free rhythms touch his soul and soothe his forehead wrinkles. Piano teases sweetly, bass and saxophone builds a smoky castle in the air and the drum beats make him spill the rum.

He laughs and continues drawing, with two colours maximum, he walks the jaunty jazz path.

Paul Bacon

And he did it till the very end. He was Paul Bacon, an amazing American album and book cover designer and also a jazz musician.

With a decent dose of technology available at that time, he drew all his designs by hand (used photographs for some of his album covers) and his minimalistic book cover style – bold title, author’s name and a symbolic image – known as the ‘Big Book Look’ became famous in the late 50s.

Paul Bacon designed around 6,500 book jackets, some of them are –

Giving this crazy classic a crazy touch.

Psychedelic soft colours

A twisted touch.

Visions… on the road.

The ‘R’ sways like a flag. Subtly symbolic.

Intense look.

And we are cornered.

American dream, just a fable?

BOLD!

The most beautiful map.

We did?

The Asian saga, part one.

Bold colour for the bold classic.

Living in the golden jazz age, attuned to Bebop, Paul breathed his passion for jazz into his illustrations. Apart from the name of the composer, it was upto the designer to catch hold of as many jazz lovers as possible, to reach out and rule.

Paul’s magic worked without fail. The album covers reflected the mood of the music enclosed in the round disc beautifully.

Paul Bacon’s first album cover for the company Riverside.

How powerful his work is! All the illustrations are no less than a wonderful jazz composition.

Strong and straightforward designs that play the voice of the artist! He carried the charming jazz era within him without any embellishment to glorify it; he was just a true lover of the jazz music.

Things are looking up (2002)
– one of Paul Bacon’s two albums.

To read more about the fabulous Paul Jazz Bacon, click here.

Check out the track In Walked Bud, by Thelonious Monk here.

All images from – jazzwax.com

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Zigzag Lines

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Fuel The Mind Future Heart Memory Monsters Messy Exuberance Mind Path Rush Structured Confusion Swoony Transparent Wintry Zigzag Lines

Flash Fiction

**Thai Mural**
**(Source – samforkner.org)**

Running lines, zigzag running lines fuel the mind often. Like lost in a busy city, burning with shiny lights, where no one knows whether it is day or night, I am lost walking, running, gliding on a zigzag path.

Neither snow white wintry nor swoony soft summery winds can be heard here, who knows why.

All I can hear is the hub-dub of my heart.

Trapped in this maze, facing dead ends and memory monsters, I solemnly walk ahead. And after an endless time passes by, I walk out of the maze. Exhausted, yes, but hopeful, why, for I kept walking.

Looking back from the mountain top I can see a cloud of zigzag lines, an imprint of time, a link between battles and victories, between a structured confusion and a messy exuberance. Ah! It goes on and on.

My heart is eager and my mind alert for the future to reveal itself.

I am not afraid anymore for the zigzag lines are transparent and always in a rush.

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कलाकार/ An Artist

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Artist Creativity Life Poem Soil Time Vessel Wheel कलाकार पहिया समय

Poem

**The wheel is spinning.**
**Image – Pixabay.**

कलाकार

सोमवार को दी एक पुकार

की जल्दी में क्यों हो सरकार

आना भी है, आकर जाना भी है….

मिटटी गुंधे जो बैठा है कुम्हार

जशन से टशन से घुमाएगा पहिया वो

आदर और अदब से फूंकेगा वो

जब जान, तब बनेगा एक घड़ा जो

जल से भरेगा, तरेगा, करेगा शोर

की जल्दी में कयों हो सरकार

समय से कब बंधा है कलाकार?

Translation – An Artist

I spoke to Monday once

That why was it in such a hurry

To come and in a hurry to go…

The potter who has kneaded the soil

Will spin the wheel in his style

Carefully and respectfully he will instill

A life force and the soil will take the shape of a vessel.

In usage this vessel will make some noise and ask

That why is time in such a hurry,

When it can never bind an artist’s creativity?

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MIRAI

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Childhood Days Dreams Future Jigsaw Puzzle Joy Life Mirai Mixed Fiction Past Present Rain Stories

Mixed Fiction

Mirai o Mirai, where are you? You cannot hide for long.

Mirai o Mirai, I will find you.

**Flying in the past and future simultaneously.**
**©Studio Chizu**

Those childhood days gone by, gone by in playing, playing hide and seek, ice-water and cycling, cycling all day long like a crazy fool and laughing, those childhood days gone by eating candies and ice creams, hopscotching and skipping ropes, flying kites, strolling aimlessly, gazing at the sky, merry minds flying high, those childhood days are now a dream.

I remember, I still do, Aru and I were sitting, Pinti was roaming around as always; Aru was talking non-stop, sharing one of her charming stories, a feature film story I must mention – our protagonist, a little girl, the best detective in the town, begins her quest, she is looking for some stolen bright precious stones – we paused the story and went to play hopscotch with Pinti, she had re-drawn the rectangle-y pattern for us, sweet Pinti, we talked and played, then followed the clouds, just when we were about to get hold of the moody clouds, they turned and shouted, “peek-a-boo.”

We screamed and ran back, but could not out-do the rain bullets. And then… then we guffawed and danced in the rain, I remember.

Those childhood days gone by were full of dreams, dreams of the future, pocket full of adventure and sweets and joy and endless playtime… those dreams were of the future, a hidden gold chest…

Through those dreams we time travelled and blushed, knowing well that we have to wait a bit before we discover this treasure… we treasured the future and waited.

Those childhood days gone by, what a sweet melody… the future we still dream of, what a happy idea…

And what is left is the present, this very moment – quiet, true, rudely true, factual and boring, but euphoric if grasped and powerful enough to change everything, the past as well as the future.

Take the golden thread I say, take it and chart the course, know that it will not break for it is tied to you, you of the past and you of the future.

Mirai is a Japanese animation film written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda.

A truly beautiful and emotional film, it is a must-watch for it is a piece you need to get hold of to solve this jigsaw puzzle called life. It is beautiful!

**Solving the life-puzzle in Mirai style is the best style.** **©Studio Chizu**

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Children of the Sea – A Glimpse and A Message

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi A Glimpse A Message Anime Children Of The Sea Comet Life Magical Sky Universe

The times when the sky mirrors the sea and the sea mirrors the sky, when the horizon disappears and the sun’s reddish stroke colours both alike, at those times you get a glimpse of the whole Universe celebrating life.

Children of the Sea is a Japanese animation film directed by Ayumu Watanabe and is based on Daisuke Igarashi’s manga series.

The story unfolds leisurely as the protagonist Ruka, a teenager, meets two brothers – Umi and Sora – who are from the ocean.

While the grown-ups stay occupied with understanding the physiology of the two boys, hoping to know through them the secrets of the marine world, Ruka, Umi, and Sora go through a magnificent journey.

**Ready to explore the marine world. © Studio 4°C**

The unseen and the unknown happen for Ruka as she sees and lives the connection… the connection of every being with the universe.

Umi and Sora tell her that every living being is waiting to be found, that the awakened bright light in one finds the other and that if you pay attention and listen, you can hear the sea and the sky talking.

Quite depths of the ocean await the light of the comet for it is then that the celebrations begin; all the marine life gathers to be in this light of the comet.

Umi and Sora take Ruka along as a guest to witness this mystical event, themselves turning into a comet and disappearing forever.

**The light of the comet is here. © Studio 4°C**

**Dancing round and round. © Studio 4°C**

Ruka on one hand cannot forget the surreal experience, cannot forget Umi and Sora, on the other hand, she just can not understand the meaning of it all and is not ashamed to say it out loud.

Dede, an old lady, tells Ruka that she also met a boy from the ocean when she was her age and that she did not understand things just like her, but she learned to understand the sound of the wind that carries secrets from the five oceans of the world.

Ruka’s confusion reminds me of Arjun from the Mahabharata, he, after witnessing the supreme lord in his absolute vastness and glory and listening to him, requests the lord after winning the battle to elucidate once again the message of the Bhagwat Gita.

An unfathomable experience and a human’s forgettable nature…

Summer vacation ends and Ruka heads back to school, to the routine life, on the way she hears the ocean and looks at the sky, she feels the secret is within her and smiles.

The times when the sky mirrors the sea and the sea mirrors the sky, when the horizon disappears and the sun’s reddish stroke colours both alike, at those times the Universe shares a message, one that is meant for you and only you.

Violets

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Jagriti Rumi Basho Charming Conversation Haiku Journey Lovely Mountain Path Violets Warmth

Conversation

**Walking and observing.**
[Source – Pixabay]

Violets—

how precious on

a mountain path.

– Haiku by Matsuo Basho

The violets, the lovely peaceful charming quiet perfect violets, helped me see the path that I had covered, the mountainous journey suddenly filled me with warmth and glow and I blushed.

I know not what lies ahead, but I am sure to see some violets.

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