Heart. And Soul.

The old sights, now in a world so free,

a new perspective is what I see.

My world has changed or is it just me?

Eyes closed or set wide open

There's only one movie in me to run

Memories of You my love, of our moments in the sun!

The dark of the bold beautiful night,

Or the bliss of the bright day's light,

In your shy eyes, they seemed perfectly right. 

A look towards me or just a fleeting chance,

Or wait, was it a stolen glance?
I skipped a beat and my heart did a little dance...

I ask - My dear heart, pray tell me what did you learn?

It says little but tells that now it's its turn
And it's time to let the spark brightly burn!

My love. My soul. For You my heart - my special place.

Sigh! Just the thought of your beautiful face!

The calm gentle ocean that is your grace...

A victorius sign. I wonder, Is it our time?

Celebration of souls in a period so sublime!

A faint whisper I hear - it is time.

                   … I realize, it’s all because your eyes met mine... 

--

Your eyes. Darn!

Scarlet

Stepping out of a zone sheltered,
I'm swept through shimmering dust - gold and red,
How do I not give in to this excitement instead?

Over the horizon crimson,
Towards of the end of reason,
Heart racing season after season;

I see confusing colors - yellow and maroon.
What awaits me - is it sunshine or the monsoon?
The deep end of the sea or is it the pristine lagoon?

A life carefully painted scarlet, darn it!
I face the tests of fires, all solved immaculate;
I see emotions - blue, green and violet.

CC by SA 2.0 / vintagechica

The melodies, the violins, the orchestras played,
The lyrics in the background and the words carefully explained,
How do I know if the beautiful colours ever fade?

Promises of a love - less than three plus more,
Whispers of careless passion like never before
Lines and lines of poetry my heart thus pours.

Honey dripping out of it's comb - perfect and sweet;
The first rays of the sun on repeat;
I know today that I shall know no defeat.

I chance upon this sacred chance,
Of intertwined destinies, fates and life's plans!

Pray tell me - how can my confused soul not rejoice? 

--
 We see sometimes, what is invisible to the eye.

You

The skies, the drizzle and the warm scent of honey inhabited the air. Fire burned peacefully, letting a cinder spark flow out and lend glow to the air around. The gentle crackles of the fireplace made their presence felt this late evening. The light was low, but enough. An occasional flash of light in the skies outside was known only by the door. Even the thunders were silent in this beautiful start of a night.

The wooden floor matched the color of the tables and the chairs. A couple of empty glasses stood proud on a few tables, showcasing the busy day that had already passed by. A thick solid door lay open baring the cool of the night to the warmth of the insides of the tavern. The curtains fluttered gently and the flames moved around gracefully like the traditional dancers of the island.

His serene but sharp gaze scanned the entire tavern. His predisposed piercing vision was given away by the creases around his now gentle eyes. He moved away from the door and he followed her, his hands on her waist, gently guiding her to the candle lit table. She moved like a whiff of fresh air but in firm and steady steps. The white and blue of her dress seemed a little wet. She sat on the chair closest to the light and he sat right next to her, facing her. The breeze played with her long black tresses. The loneliness of the bar counter reflected the silent sounds of the breeze.

As the gold of the flame fell on her cheek, He moved the lonely stand of her hair from across her face and nestled it peacefully behind her ear. He wiped a lonely tear from the back of his hand and saw a smile on her face, the first one that night. He looked at his reflection in the dark of her eye. No words were spoken.

None were needed. Ever.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xjs-khaos/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Phoenix

With mountains to climb, it is only in the depths that a person can discover strength, finding the light that shines our inner sun.
--

Blow upon blow to my raging chest,
the pushes of the cruel and the unjust,
Blood seething and a heart that would not rest.

A prayer to my unseen force,
Phoenix like poetry amongst relentless prose,
A fury within me, a passion grows.

As the walls of my inscrutable worlds fall
With me refusing to play ball
To the whims of fate, I defy to stand tall.

© All rights reserved by DG8TAL / used with permission

I pursued a punch, a jab, a cross.
I threw myself and everything else my soul could toss
Burn I would rather than be termed destiny's loss.

Is it my spirit or my back that they would break first?
Tears blood and dust,
What would it take to stop this cruel lust?

Time fleeting and having nothing to pawn.
Murmers of that the night getting darker, the light now gone.
Whatever hope within, I await my invincible dawn.

Blow on blow whilst I'm bound
I could but feel my unknown spirits around.

My bloody shackles, finally, dropped to the ground...

--
Dedicated to all who stand up and walk again. And again. And again.

May the phoenix be with you!

Infinite dreams

One leg folded, the other stretched,
I stared at the beautiful spread,
lying on the grass, of stars splendid.

Skimming through my warm hand
the evening dew lend their brand
to the happy loss of the day's demand.

What each breath said, I patiently heard.
Each moment to revere and understand
of the movement of the lights above and thoughts beyond.

A running star straying into view,
Wishes of wishes turning true,
of dreams my mind could construe.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matoken / CC BY 2.0

Lost in the whims of time,
the experience so sublime,
the ecstasy reaching its prime.

I lay, facing endless sky
Endless thoughts of if I could ever fly
Over the ever so silver cirrus, so high.

Arms behind my spotless mind,
I stared long and far as I could find,
that beautiful pristine night, I simply dreamt myself behind.

 --

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.”
― John Lennon

Hero

One foot firmly in the ground
The other on the rock strong
He stared at the ocean around
Wondering if he’d put a foot wrong.

On the edge of a cliff he stood.
For the reasons he believed in blood,
the wind blowing against his face,
he thought about the flaws he could erase.

The intensity in his vision, sharp
He gazed on into the deep
Wishing to see his destination
He was getting back on his feet.

I watched from behind a tree
His every move
As far as I could see
I tried to perceive…

His will stronger than before
Continued staring into the ocean
But this time he was sure
About his life’s each and every turn.

I sat there behind the bush
Appreciating the determination
He was waiting to sail the wild again
And to drift into the sunlight alone…

A new world, a new perspective
He wanted everyone to see.
Something finally did I realize..

That he was none but me…

Catwoman?

Quickly scribbled a sketch of Catwoman in my break time. Perhaps the batpod next to her would have done more justice. Nevertheless, have fun folks. Go see the Dark Knight Rises (and Anna Hathaway) if you have not yet done so. Cheers!

Batman: No guns, no killing.
Catwoman: Where's the fun in that?

Source : Imdb

Retro automobile

A quick sketch on iPad app Paper. Any good?

Angel

The memories are difficult to forget, the helplessness difficult to explain. A loss is never justifiable.
--

She rose above, with grace
She looked around with an elegance;
I saw this beautiful face.

I caught just a glimpse, a glance,
My heart, but leaped in dance.
Was it her or was it chance?

The radiance beat the midnight moon,
A sting passed through, a harpoon
the moment, I felt, had come too soon.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/benhusmann / CC BY 2.0

No words said, but yet heard,
Serene and silent, the moment passed
A thousand questions my mind asked.

She vanished into a haze,
Like the morning mist at the harsh suns gaze
Memories of her I cannot erase

A drop rolled down my cheek
Am I human enough to cry, so meek?
Where can I find those answers I seek?

Through the hue, I tried to pursue
I called out - "My dear, where are you?"

A lonely whisper, I heard - "in you..."

--

In remembrance of a dear old lady who lived down the lane.

Through the seas of Poseidon

I want you to experience what I have experienced. I have been a silent witness to the event below. I have stood at the sidelines and have been inspired by the event taking place. I stood with him on the same deck. I mingled with the crew and was one amongst them. I could see he was in pain but I could do nothing, and I shall do nothing...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/psygote / © Vineeth Kashyap

Lightning cracked the sky, lighting the rain as it fell from its abode. The sea gleamed in different shades of gray; shades that shimmered, glittered and those that danced wild. The wind tore the sails and they fluttered like curtains on a windy day. Freezing waters lashed the deck like a whip-lash of a pirate. Water from the brutal sea and from the furious rain became one. The ship rode up the giant waves and below.

I had seen this before. This was, but, Poseidon's wrath. I could taste the salt in the air we breathed...

Water danced as he staggered to keep his feet on the deck. He was unable to hold himself on to his feet. Medicine, from seaweeds made by one of the crew members, flowed trough his veins as blood. The salt from the sea and his sweat met. He was unsure as to whom the medicine was killing more, the disease or him. He stood close to the edge of the deck staggering and swaggering like a drunk whore but except, he was not. He leaned over to the side. He was falling. He saw a flash of the lightning and then it grew silent, it grew dark ...

I could sense that we were close. If we could just reach the Cape Cruce...

Everything was a blur, just like the fog on darker seas. The skies were black and stormy with thunders intruding the lashing rains. He could barely see. The crew ran through the chaos to steady the ship and to anchor. These were the last things he saw before it became dark all over again...

I watched from the shadows. He lay on the deck, others too busy. He was getting better, the weed from the sea...

Water parted ways from the ground with each step. He stepped on to the sandy beach. His each step seemed to rob all living creatures of their breath for a split second, reviving them with a living force, much stronger than before. He was the living force for his land. The life around seemed to welcome his presence. His faithful steed, more so.

His home beckoned. The son had returned...

Twenty-Eleven

What a year 2010 was and what a year it shall be.

2010 promised so much and delivered. And I have a hunch that twenty-eleven is going to be an year to remember.

Stuff of legends even.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pepemczolz/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Wish each of you a brilliant twenty-eleven.

And cheers to that!

-Suman

Pencils : The Batmobile

In the movie - Batman Begins (2005), Bruce Wayne modifies a prototype military vehicle called "the Tumbler" that was designed as a bridging vehicle for the military. The Tumbler is described a machine that is a cross between a Lamborghini and a Tank. [Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batmobile]

I started with a sketch of the tumbler a couple of months ago. The next logical step was to learn to color and shade.

I present to you, the tumbler -

One more version with a bit of background and some minor tweaks.

That is it from my side folks. I leave you with a memorable quote from the movie, 'Batman Begins' :

Rachel Dawes: Wait! You could die. At least tell me your name.
Bruce Wayne: It's not who I am underneath, but what I *do* that defines me.
Rachel Dawes: [ realizing] Bruce?
[Batman turns and leaps off the roof] [Source: imdb quotes]

Cheers!

Edit : Hyperlinked the second version of the image instead of showing it up in the post.

Moon rocket

Hi folks,

My first attempt at creating a poster using Paint.net. The learning curve for this particular tool was far lesser than when I first tried using gimp. (Gimp is cool by itself. Make no mistake!) The intuitness factor was better with Paint.net.

The poster is now on my new and shiny Facebook page. Head there to have a look at it.

Cheers!

P.S. Thanks Vivek for the tool suggestion and thanks webtreats for the lovely grunge background.

Pencils - The Tumbler

I started drawing this one quite a while back. I had a hard time trying to get the back end of the car right, though. In any case, enjoy the stripped down version of the Tumbler. Perhaps, they'll consider this version for the next installment of in the Bat series. :) (fingers crossed)

This one has been built for pure speed. Period.

P.S. I thank Rohit for the suggestion to draw the mean machine back in "Gotham or NY".


Tools used :  MS Paint

[Here are links to the actual one  - here and here.] 

An everlasting smile

It is everlasting.
You can see it casting
a shadow on sadness.
It will make you smile for a while.
Away from the worldly madness.
To another of bliss.
It is that smile
that never fails to make gloom fade.
Do you agree
that it is as precious as jade?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwl / CC BY 2.0

--
I started off my poetry with a smile almost more than a decade ago and this is the same one you just read.

Before I leave, one more thing, hold that happy thought you have had in your head now. Yeah, now you can smile please. :)

Cheers!

Sea of melody

The shimmering waves lashed the sand.
We sat through the night on the shoreline,
trying to spot that distant land.

The melody, the weather, the company fine.
Fine sand slipping through our hands;
we watched the stars, brightly, shine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/evoo73/ / CC BY 2.0

We joined dots on the canvas,
spot coloured lights on the horizon.
We could never let those sands pass.

The silver we saw at that one glance!
Nothing in the world, will match
the silver on the gray waters' romance.

The shimmering waves and the shiny sparks
and we sat through the night on the sandy shores
as the wonderful hunter and his dear friends watched our backs...

--
Edit:"The Hunter is not whom you may think him to be and You shall see only what You want to See...".

Drop in a comment if u did figure out what I'm talking about!

Edit 2:  I intended the poem to be cheery. So I edit the last line to more reflect that.

Roses, for the ladies

Working on my next sketch and it is a tad bit more complicated than I'd imagined. In the meantime, I thought I'd experiment a bit with shapes and the result is this -

I'm getting back to work again. :)

--

"There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint

a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted."
Henri Matisse

Pencils : Gotham or NY?

It began with the theme we had for our yearly fest at work. The theme was placed around NY Times Square and we were supposed to be the NY cops. This got me started on the current sketch. The picture of everyone's favourite hero was incidental. Nevertheless, I like the way it ended on paper finally. :)

--
Want to be sky bound? Sign up.

twenty ten

It seems like we've just had nine blinks from 2000 and we're here at 2010!

2009 has been a satisfying year : I tried my hand at a lot more sketches and have gotten better. I tried my hand at new kinds of prose (I'm referring to - 'fortress of solitude' and 'the return of the knight'). I redesigned the site myself instead of using an existing template.

Anyway, let me share a few stats of the site - Skybound got a total of 1649 pageloads with around 1.71+ pages/visit in 2009. The most popular posts have been - 'the windmill landscape' and 'the fortress of solitude'. Come 2010, I wish to increase these numbers. I think its a decent enough resolution to make for Skybound's sake :).

Finally, it is now time to usher in the new year with all the celebrations, resolutions, joy and kindness. I wish that each one of you have an year where you better yourselves and bring joy to your family, friends and the rest of the world (too). Thank you folks having been a part of this flight.

I wish you once again - Have a great twenty-ten folks!

Remember to fly high... Get skybound...

Design Redesign

Whew! After a day's long work, my blog redesign is complete. Well almost! There are still a couple of things I need to take care of.I will do so over the coming week.

There were a few reasons for the redesign. One thing for starters - the previous template NiteLife from Blogger-Templates was stunning and I loved it. And it was Skybound's template for almost 2 years. Though it was beautiful I decided to move on to something new, something that I wanted to create on my own.

Photo by: pareeerica

That said, I had a lot of help on the way though and I need to thank :

• Stargazer - for letting me reuse his site layout.
  
• Webtreats etc. - for the beautiful background image and beautiful icons (free). Do visit their site.
• As you can see the background has both dark and light elements. Displaying text as-is would spoil the font visibility. blog.zurka.us had a way out.
• pareeerica's lovely picture in this post.
  
• And You folks, my passengers - for the feedback, inspiration, love.
  

So, I present to you my new and shiny design! I believe this will give you guys a better experience. In case you notice any issues, chinks in the armour or have suggestions, please feel free to reach me.

Have a nice day!