Two syllables,
One follows the other tamely.
One pitch, both even, not higher.
Nor sinking down like fire.
What drama is it that lies in its utterance?
I lie back in my bed all day
Repeating it over and over,
Savouring the feel of it on my tongue.
December 07, 2009
December 05, 2009
I walked that evening across that bend
Past each known bush and where we first met.
Past the old house of my old friend
Past paths that lead to the church’s exit.
No one passed me as I strolled.
Hand in sleeve, and my hands grew cold.
I was easy company, at our sad ease
No chivalry, no curtsies
The lights glow on, who lives here now
Neglects the garden.
I take the turn and you are gone
Is aloneness a sign
Of greater wisdom in design
The torque of me and mine
Some talk of failing and some of love
That terms are reckoned from above
Past each known bush and where we first met.
Past the old house of my old friend
Past paths that lead to the church’s exit.
No one passed me as I strolled.
Hand in sleeve, and my hands grew cold.
I was easy company, at our sad ease
No chivalry, no curtsies
The lights glow on, who lives here now
Neglects the garden.
I take the turn and you are gone
Is aloneness a sign
Of greater wisdom in design
The torque of me and mine
Some talk of failing and some of love
That terms are reckoned from above
December 04, 2009
Looking into Sehwag's mind
Virender Sehwag is an exceptional man. Yes, we all know he is very talented, has excellent hand-eye co-ordination, great balance, can time the ball really well and hit it with immense power when he feels like. But you could say most of that about Suresh Raina as well. Sehwag is exceptional because he has an unusual brain. On a pitch where the ball was swinging in the air at one wet end and spinning furiously at the other cracked end, where Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly managed less than ten runs between them, where Muralitharan was at his sublime best and Mendis in the midst of one of the most sensational debuts for a spinner ever, he just batted through the innings for his 201 not out at an astonishing rate and rarely looked in trouble. The thing about Sehwag is that he comes across as an untutored, raw talent. He is pristine for he is largely untouched by any regard for history, conditions, coaching manuals or even conventional wisdom. Over the years, I have marveled as much as at Sehwag's batting as his approach to it seen through his comments, anecdotes and legends surrounding him.
In his book on Top 100 cricketers he ever played with/against, Shane Warne tells a very interesting story about Virender Sehwag (rank 35). During his county stint for Leicestershire, Sehwag was batting with Jeremy Snape. Abdur Razzaq, who troubled Sachin Tendulkar so often was getting the old ball to reverse swing a fair bit causing all sorts of problem for the batsmen. Sehwag discussed his strategy with Snape to counter this and says, "I have a plan." He promptly hits the ball for a huge six out of the stadium so that they have to now replace it with a new one.
In his Wisden article on Sehwag, Ganguly wrote that to find out how Sehwag approached batting, one needed to sit with in the pavilion and watch another batsman on-field. Most balls are punctuated with comments of "Chhakka gaya, Chowka gaya" (Six missed, four missed)ruing missed scoring opportunities.
Yesterday Sehwag said, "I missed a big one in the last Test, so I didn't want to miss out this time." For those who have forgotten, he scored 131 in the last Test. King cricket in his blog comes up with a new system to apply adjectives to him.
"We’ve a new system:
* 100 = okay
* 150 = good
* 200 = very good
* 300+ and feats of rapid scoring = special adjectives reserved solely for Virender Sehwag
To knacker up bowling figures and careers is one thing. To knacker up the English language is going some."
Maybe the key to understand the way he thinks is his most recent comment. "I play each ball on its merit and try to hit only the bad balls," he said. "That's the key to my batting."
But, I prefer the peek into his mind he offered earlier this year when asked how he stayed focussed on field. He said, "I try to hum songs, bhajans, Sai Baba bhajans, Kishore Kumar songs, especially those pictured on Amitabh Bachchan, till the bowler is about to deliver. I try to sing songs as perfectly as possible in order to keep my mind completely uncluttered."
In his book on Top 100 cricketers he ever played with/against, Shane Warne tells a very interesting story about Virender Sehwag (rank 35). During his county stint for Leicestershire, Sehwag was batting with Jeremy Snape. Abdur Razzaq, who troubled Sachin Tendulkar so often was getting the old ball to reverse swing a fair bit causing all sorts of problem for the batsmen. Sehwag discussed his strategy with Snape to counter this and says, "I have a plan." He promptly hits the ball for a huge six out of the stadium so that they have to now replace it with a new one.
In his Wisden article on Sehwag, Ganguly wrote that to find out how Sehwag approached batting, one needed to sit with in the pavilion and watch another batsman on-field. Most balls are punctuated with comments of "Chhakka gaya, Chowka gaya" (Six missed, four missed)ruing missed scoring opportunities.
Yesterday Sehwag said, "I missed a big one in the last Test, so I didn't want to miss out this time." For those who have forgotten, he scored 131 in the last Test. King cricket in his blog comes up with a new system to apply adjectives to him.
"We’ve a new system:
* 100 = okay
* 150 = good
* 200 = very good
* 300+ and feats of rapid scoring = special adjectives reserved solely for Virender Sehwag
To knacker up bowling figures and careers is one thing. To knacker up the English language is going some."
Maybe the key to understand the way he thinks is his most recent comment. "I play each ball on its merit and try to hit only the bad balls," he said. "That's the key to my batting."
But, I prefer the peek into his mind he offered earlier this year when asked how he stayed focussed on field. He said, "I try to hum songs, bhajans, Sai Baba bhajans, Kishore Kumar songs, especially those pictured on Amitabh Bachchan, till the bowler is about to deliver. I try to sing songs as perfectly as possible in order to keep my mind completely uncluttered."
December 02, 2009
The time of your life
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
One of my friends made me listen to that song by Green Day and made me wonder about the idea of having the time of one’s life. Music has always had an intrinsic association with anything barely romantic in my life. Hence, it was perhaps fitting that I reflect on this idea while listening to this song over and over again.
it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
One of my friends made me listen to that song by Green Day and made me wonder about the idea of having the time of one’s life. Music has always had an intrinsic association with anything barely romantic in my life. Hence, it was perhaps fitting that I reflect on this idea while listening to this song over and over again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)