Starry Nights : Illustrated Haiku

                             ***starry***

                                           nights                   *         

                                                               m *           

                                         yearning for  o   *

                                                               o   *

                                                                   n *

                                          among ^cl                   *

                                                      ^ou

                                                         ^ds 

                                 >>>>>>>e

                                >>>>>>>c

                                >>>>>>>h   

                            >>>>>>>>>o<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

                                                their                     

                                          l  o  n  g``````

                                                     i  n  g  s~~~

Poetry of Acquired Aplastic Anemia

Acquired aplastic anemia, 

rare in the West, common in Asia,

its fury, took the precious life of Marie Curie.

Overlaps in pathophysiology with,

myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia,

no one knows the triggering antigen,

or the perfect causative pathogen.

 Inflammatory cytokines, cytotoxic T-cells, mutations,

act as ammunitions,

destroying the bone marrow castle,

in a one-sided battle,

stem cells are killed in their own den,

with no chance of evolving into other cells,

trilineage pancytopenia is the outcome,

leaving the bone marrow in glum.

 But wait, there is hope,

with bone marrow transplant and immunosuppressive therapy,

there is a remedy.

 With further research, factors that merge,

to create acquired aplastic anemia

can be identified,

and,

battle against this disease can be won,

patients can live their life, without any strife.

 

Acquired aplastic anemia (aAA) is a life threatening disease. My doctoral thesis focused on aAA and therefore,  I dedicate this poem to all the patients and physicians , putting up a brave front against this disease. aAA was the reason of Madam Marie Curie's death as well, a great Nobel prize winning scientist and a great inspiration for all the women in science.

Gifts Of Night: Toddaid

                                  As the starry night descends on, earth’s lap

she brings heavenly sap, and her scent

she unfurls the moon, from under a veil

enchanting dales, with moonlight’s boon

her cape of bright stars, floats among flowers

forever showers, peace near and far

dreams shine bright, away from reality

embracing tranquility, of night

  Toddaid: A Welsh poetry form. Quatrains, L1 10 syllables, L2 9 syllables.

xxxxxxxA xb
xxxxbxxxA

 

Wounded Heart : Harlequin

A
wounded
tender heart
somewhere wriggles
writhes and withers
and the swollen
dim sombre
welkin
cries

 

Harlequin: Nine lines and twenty-five syllables. Syllable count:  1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1.

Flow Cytometry : Let The Cells Flow!

 

Aliens

 

Outlier

We know an outlier

can set data on fire.

If not removed,

results can be dire:

maybe by chance,

they tend to enhance

research’s errors,

at least at first glance..

But review the outlier,

while you enquire

and you may discover

some clues that inspire.

First published in International Journal Of Epidemiology. 

SARS-CoV-2 Virus

First published in Clinical Chemistry. 

Ripples Of Time

When emotions roll through,
the river of memories,
countless ripples of time,
splash through the mind.                                                       

                                                                         

Every ripple,
a special feeling,
love, anger,
happiness or sadness,
carries a story,
of life lived,
cherished,
lost or survived.

Beneath these ripples,
beats a heart,
resides a soul,
bearers of our,
spiritual existence.

Ripples of time, a chronology of time.

First published in Spillwords

 https://spillwords.com/ripples-of-time-a-chronology-of-life/

 

Insomnia’s Heaven

 As the night blankets the world,

and stars sing a lullaby,

insomnia’s heaven rises just right.

 The world is quiet,

its silence- an elixir,

for the hungry spirits,

lost in the day - light.

 Night’s stillness,

a refuge,

for the countless thoughts,

scattered away like pearls,

night sews them into the sky’s veil,

and lets them fly to infinite heights,

where,

insomnia’s heaven rises just right.

First published in Literary Yard. 

https://literaryyard.com/2022/07/11/insomnias-heaven/?fbclid=IwAR3msaPirpcHAuLgvnkY5H2ELJTQ3AhePG26pgAWKC_ud1R1Kexn_zCHaWo

Early Morning World

The early morning world,

a smooth, round pearl,

curled up in an oyster,

emanating a lively lustre.

 

Enclosed within the core,

holy prayers, hopes, aspirations,

a few remnants of yore,

wanting to unfurl,

a smooth, round pearl.

 

Sitting quietly,

in the vast worldly ocean,

engrossed in meditation,

the early morning world,

a smooth, round pearl.

First published in Indian Periodical.

http://indianperiodical.com/2022/07/early-morning-world/

My Home

Warm sunny sky

mist flying by

flowers kissing bees

gently flowing breeze

leaves dripping dew

my heart yearns for you

 

Chilly brisk weather

purple Scotch heather

precipitating snowflakes

tranquil fresh lake

nature’s aesthetic art

profess, my home, is your heart

Magical Night

We lie under the stars

hand in hand

averring

the test of time

our love can withstand

 

we met through many journeys

from one lifetime to another

our love ever strong every time

 

holding each other’s hands

we tread the cosmic path

turning into starlight

brightening the night sky

and now, among the stars we shine

The Evolution of Life

 Dive deep into the oceans or

Immerse in the beauty of mountains

Viruses, bacteria, all the fauna and flora

Enchant the ecosystem flowing in life’s fountain,

Rising up or down by mutational aura

Singing along the way, many adaptations these life forms attain

Inhabiting the perfect surroundings,

Towards a successful generation

Yodelling through the time, evolving to higher life forms

The poem depicts the various forms of life i.e microbes, viruses etc... found on the planet earth. The life forms have evolved through millions of years by different mechanisms like genetic mutations. Genes are the basic unit of inheritance consisting of DNA. Mutations lead to alterations in DNA sequences thereby altering the genetic makeup of an organism. The changes introduced by mutations are the main cause of diversity. Further, the interactions between mutations and environment play their roles.

First published in Consilience Journal, issue 6-Diversity.

https://www.consilience-journal.com/issue-6-the-evolution-of-life

 

Rose-Red Berry: Naani

 Your ambrosial taste

lingers upon my lips

as if

kissed by a rose-red berry

Naani poetry form: Indian poetry form, 4 lines, total 20 to 25 syllables.

Rhyming Within My Heartbeats

 Rhyming within my heartbeats,

is your love-song,

that I hum every night,

and float into a world,

where,

to each other we belong.

 I am, not me,

my heart and soul devoted to you,

surrendering all desires,

with a faith,

to be,

eternally yours.

       

 

 

Our Long-Lost Home

 Lingering whiff of sodden earth,

sprouting with new blossoms and birth,

beginnings and endings merging together,

here life flows on soft feathers.

Shades of fresh leaves and ferns,

a wishful abode for a heart to return,

the forests are our long-lost home,

where our old souls still roam.

First published in August 2021 issue, Borderless Journal, Singapore.

https://borderlessjournal.com/2021/08/13/our-long-lost-home/

A Flowery Delight: Renewal Of Earth’s Turf

Rain kissed earth,

sings in rainbow hues,

of empire blues,

dazzling under,

a misty sky.

 

Bellflower, daisies,

roses, bottlebrushes,

smile in soft hushes,

through their,

renewed buds,

a time for change,

in earth’s turf.

It is rainy season in North India and nature is in its splendour!

Oh! Moon, Shine Your Light : Monotetra

Your love is the pure silver white,

Enchanting the earth every night,

Showering flowers of delight,

Oh! shine your light, oh! shine your light.

She waits for you, counting the hours,

For the night, like a moonflower,

To bloom under your love’s power,

With smiling stars, with smiling stars. 

For dVerse

Monotetra poetry form  (Line 1: 8 syllables; A1, Line 2: 8 syllables; A2, Line 3: 8 syllables; A3, Line 4: 4 syllables, repeated; A4, A4)

Bone Marrow: The Start of All

Red and yellow, spongy matter,
Squeezed inside the sternum, thigh bones and hip bones,
Sometimes stored,
To be used later,
For someone of your own.
 
Red part - a blood making factory,
Stem cells rising to make RBCs, WBCs and Platelets,
Many factors involved,
Like bees surrounding a nectary,
Working tirelessly, never ever resting.
 
Yellow part – a supporting stromal partner,
Concoction of adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes,
Serving the microenvironment with great honor,
Working together just right.
 
Oh! many times ill- luck strikes,
Depleting blood cells from the sites,
Life threatening - aplastic anemia,
Or any leukemia.
 
But, there’s nothing to worry,
Bone marrow transplant is the answer,
Matching it right with the patient,
To do away with the blood cancer,
A new hope awaits………………………….

For the love of biology and research!

First showcased in Bio Patrika magazine

https://biopatrika.com/2021/06/19/poem-bone-marrow-the-start-of-all/