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Shaken Stirred

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Your body is a cup,
Hot, cold, strong or light.
Sugar, tea, milk
Or plain water with ice.

What it holds inside,
...is what you are.
A teacher, doctor, engineer,
Maybe a movie star.

Nod in agreement,
Or shake your head strong.
We all love fancy cups,
But we know where it belongs.

Pretty outside attracts us,
Our heart skips a beat or two.
But we never hold a cup longer,
If ingredients are untrue.

Shaken-stirred, give or take,
No point keeping appearances, if it is fake.

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Location: Hackensack, NJ, USA

Comments

  1. Ritesh AgarwalApril 22, 2013 at 8:47 AM

    Hmm....the words are deeper than they appear....gud job Saru

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  2. Found In FolsomApril 22, 2013 at 2:33 PM

    Represents an individual's inner persona too...deeper than it appears :)

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  3. magiceyeApril 22, 2013 at 11:50 PM

    Contents more important than the container! Well said!

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  4. Rahul BhatiaApril 22, 2013 at 11:57 PM

    Ingredients matter for each composition and untrue ones are soon discovered! Nice writing Saru:)

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  5. AnonymousApril 23, 2013 at 12:49 AM

    As they say, ingredients in right proportions make a perfect dish :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousApril 23, 2013 at 2:28 AM

    So very very true!

    Love the wisdom of this piece of writing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. joshi danielApril 23, 2013 at 4:45 AM

    so true!

    ReplyDelete
  8. CifarApril 23, 2013 at 5:05 AM

    great thought poured with suitable writing,well done

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  9. RiàApril 23, 2013 at 7:35 AM

    I love the way you have drawn out the simile.

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  10. Gayatri SoniApril 23, 2013 at 9:16 AM

    Oh God, Saru! It's so inspiring, lovely, and shaky too! Lovely concept, firm thoughts, and miraculous you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tall Girl in Japan April 23, 2013 at 12:09 PM

    what a lovely way to give a very inspiring message !

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  12. Easwar ArumugamApril 23, 2013 at 12:11 PM

    Outward appearance , however much it's mesmerizing, is only an illusion. Who can live with illusion? Nice, inspiring write.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 29, 2013 at 1:39 PM

      Nobody, we can only admire it for sometime. Thanks for reading Sir.

      Delete
  13. Stuti DhyaniApril 23, 2013 at 1:05 PM

    Nice! all that glitters is not gold:-) and not all Those who wander are lost...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Vishal AroraApril 23, 2013 at 1:33 PM

    lovely words...

    InkMyTravel

    ReplyDelete
  15. RatApril 23, 2013 at 2:06 PM

    beautifully unfolded the truth... loved it.

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  16. Being TravelerApril 23, 2013 at 2:46 PM

    Very deep!!

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  17. KISLAYA GOPALApril 23, 2013 at 3:10 PM

    a beautiful and meaningful composition! :)

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  18. RickieApril 23, 2013 at 3:38 PM

    Charming in its simplicity!

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  19. Akshay Kumar GApril 23, 2013 at 6:09 PM

    Loved the analogy, Saru. Lots to ponder about.

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  20. IndraniApril 23, 2013 at 10:44 PM

    Very well written.

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  21. UnknownApril 24, 2013 at 1:55 AM

    so true.... What it holds inside,
    ...is what you are.

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousApril 24, 2013 at 2:11 AM

    Short, crisp and hits hard! Love the analogy!

    ReplyDelete
  23. indu chhibberApril 24, 2013 at 2:27 AM

    Very apt comparison--when we do not like what the cup holds we just throw it away.

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  24. AnonymousApril 24, 2013 at 2:41 AM

    how have you articulated and make us imagine..a hats-off !

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  25. Tomichan MatheikalApril 24, 2013 at 3:01 AM

    Indeed, what the cup contains matters far more than how beautiful the cup is.

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  26. UnknownApril 24, 2013 at 4:54 AM

    Nice use of words with a wonderful meaning!

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  27. TeamgsquareApril 24, 2013 at 7:16 AM

    Nice words . How true contents matter the most .

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  28. UnknownApril 24, 2013 at 8:50 AM

    very well said Saru, now everytime I hold my coffee mug I shall think about you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:03 AM

      That's great, I can be a part of your life that ways :)

      Delete
  29. MalinyApril 24, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    Liked the comparison. Quite true if thought that way! Beautiful lines, saru :)

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  30. Samar KhanApril 24, 2013 at 10:48 AM

    I truly liked the lines. Deep feelings.

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  31. UnknownApril 24, 2013 at 12:01 PM

    Beautiful :)

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  32. SoumabhaApril 24, 2013 at 2:39 PM

    This is one of the best poems I have read till now.. way to go Saru!!!

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  33. prathima gangadharApril 24, 2013 at 2:59 PM

    true ...beautifully penned saru

    ReplyDelete
  34. UnknownApril 24, 2013 at 3:03 PM

    Lovely, Saru! Each of your words is so true!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. MaliniApril 24, 2013 at 9:13 PM

    So true, I read this somewhere recently - A woman wants to age faster and why? Because she wants to stop caring as to how she looks and start caring about who she is. But it is not actually necessary to wait that long, isn't it? Once we realize that our bodies are all just cups that may shatter anytime, we will all start focusing on the larger purpose. Thanks for sharing Saru!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:08 AM

      No, we should rather care about being a better human being than a good looking person. If we can do both, there's nothing like that. Thanks for sharing your lovely views and for reading. :)

      Delete
  36. smiling soulApril 24, 2013 at 11:47 PM

    saru u are rocking as usual, i loved this lines :) it depth ...

    We all love fancy cups,
    But we know where it belongs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:09 AM

      Welcome back dear and glad you liked the poem. :)

      Delete
  37. Sabyasachi Patra | Conserve Wild IndiaApril 25, 2013 at 2:05 AM

    Nice one. So true. Initially people get attracted by the beauty (or as is the fashion these days like the "sexy"). The charm can wear off soon. Custard apple doesn't look great from outside, whereas tastes great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:11 AM

      True. Also, we can't put up a facade for a very long time. So, lets just be who we are.

      Delete
  38. Anupam KarnApril 25, 2013 at 2:15 AM

    'Shaken-stirred, give or take,
    No point keeping appearances, if it is fake.' Awesome Lines

    ReplyDelete
  39. AnonymousApril 25, 2013 at 2:23 AM

    Saru, you shake and stir my soul with your beautiful lines.Please keep them coming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:11 AM

      Glad it evoked those feelings in you. Thanks for reading. :)

      Delete
  40. Jidhu JoseApril 25, 2013 at 2:36 AM

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. C SureshApril 25, 2013 at 2:51 AM

    Wow! One of the poems that resonate with me

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  42. PanchaliApril 25, 2013 at 5:38 AM

    Amazingly comparison, Saru. A poignant piece..Loved it!:)

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  43. Sri ValliApril 25, 2013 at 6:35 AM

    Wow! The last but one stanza added so much depth to the poem. I loved the way you explained the concept using fancy cup as an example :)

    ReplyDelete
  44. RachnaApril 25, 2013 at 11:40 AM

    Powerful words though I would say the outer appearance matters as well not as much as what is inside though.

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    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:16 AM

      Another way of putting it. Thanks for reading Rachna. :)

      Delete
  45. KarthikApril 26, 2013 at 2:04 AM

    Ah... U stirred my heart :)

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  46. Saurabh ChawlaApril 26, 2013 at 2:56 AM

    Truly loved this one :) The concluding lines is the crux of it. Awesome work Saru!

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  47. Ranjana's craft blogApril 26, 2013 at 4:33 AM

    True. But nowadays most of the people give importance to outer appearance :-(

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  48. AnonymousApril 26, 2013 at 10:30 AM

    Lovely...made me look at myself in the mirror!!

    :)

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  49. vinayApril 28, 2013 at 3:22 AM

    The things inside matter the most. Lovely words. :)

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  50. LeoPawApril 28, 2013 at 6:49 AM

    What if it's the best content in an ugly cup?

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  51. AnonymousApril 29, 2013 at 10:11 PM

    Well Explained....

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  52. Saru SinghalApril 30, 2013 at 11:18 AM

    Exactly! We need to focus on being a better person.

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  53. sushmithaMay 6, 2013 at 6:46 AM

    Very well described. Nice and true :-)

    ReplyDelete
  54. Ankita SinghalMay 6, 2013 at 2:59 PM

    WOW... you have captured something so deep in such simple words... LOVED IT!! I like bitter coffee-- am I bitter :) :( :)

    ReplyDelete
  55. BGTMay 7, 2013 at 12:06 AM

    Outer beauty v/s inner beauty! Outer one can survive for the time-being. Its the inner beauty that remains with us throughout.. :) Nice corelation between beauty / appearance and coffee Saru! Genuis indeed.. :)

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  56. UnknownMay 19, 2013 at 10:22 AM

    I am impressed by the divinity of the realization that it is the essential strength of goodness that makes a man human. A great post with a keen insight.

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    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalMay 20, 2013 at 11:54 AM

      Thank you Kajal. Glad you liked it :)

      Welcome here!

      Delete
  57. UnknownMay 25, 2013 at 11:15 AM

    Well written... Soulful and deep....

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  58. RituMay 25, 2013 at 11:55 PM

    Beautiful. You have such vivid imagination. I'm not a poet (never written a poem) but I do enjoy reading them. Loved your insightful poem!

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    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalMay 26, 2013 at 8:38 AM

      Thank you so much Ritu for a generous comment and welcome here :)

      Delete
  59. sathishJune 9, 2013 at 11:11 AM

    a message that cannot be eschewed...
    loved it saru.. loved it.. i mean it

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  60. rockingparoJune 12, 2013 at 9:05 AM

    Loved this literary piece. :)

    ReplyDelete
  61. silentdrashtiJune 17, 2013 at 6:28 AM

    True, Very very True :-)

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  62. BrajaJune 25, 2013 at 12:00 PM

    Beautiful poem. What is inside matters. And the best thing is the choice is ours on what we want to fill in the cup .

    ReplyDelete
  63. AnonymousJuly 21, 2013 at 1:57 AM

    poignant

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  64. Sumeetha ManikandanJuly 21, 2013 at 2:32 AM

    Good one. Can connect with it at many levels.

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  65. SushantJuly 24, 2013 at 2:08 AM

    Incredible...

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  66. UnknownJuly 24, 2013 at 1:58 PM

    Simple yet effective! Good job! :)

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  67. vinnyJuly 27, 2013 at 11:33 PM

    You maintain quite a few blogs Saru..great to know you. hope I can keep up with your blog posts

    Nice poem..written simply hiding a deeper meaning to ourselves:)

    ReplyDelete
  68. Anil SawanJuly 31, 2013 at 2:16 AM

    i so love this!

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  69. HemantAugust 10, 2013 at 2:30 AM

    Loving this cup which is able to find rhymes in your dictionary....lovely read!!

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  70. Shine KapoorAugust 11, 2013 at 2:49 AM

    It describes relationships so well. Nice thoughts stitched together.

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  71. UnknownAugust 21, 2013 at 1:57 AM

    Short and impressive keep it up saru

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  72. AdicrazySeptember 1, 2013 at 5:26 AM

    Loved every word. Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  73. Rohit_blogger at http://floating-expressions.blogspot.in/September 1, 2013 at 4:50 PM

    visiting after long time..this one is abstract but not same as one of your previous ones..'cross-roads' something if I remember was in hindi..

    ReplyDelete
  74. Jyotsna BhatiaSeptember 10, 2013 at 2:03 PM

    How mundane things you have taken and what deeper meanings the words hold!!

    ReplyDelete
  75. RajlakshmiSeptember 29, 2013 at 6:40 AM

    the last two lines are very powerful... well written

    ReplyDelete
  76. UnknownOctober 16, 2013 at 5:52 AM

    Nice poet i like that line Pretty outside attracts us,
    Our heart skips a beat or two. u can song writer. Web designing Company

    ReplyDelete
  77. dxbNovember 25, 2013 at 8:20 AM

    I am just loving your writes.i will surely come back again and again.

    ReplyDelete
  78. NoopurDecember 3, 2013 at 4:08 AM

    Less words..but deeper is the meaning...
    After reading this post I realised since how long I didn't visited here :(
    But happy after reading u again :)

    ReplyDelete
  79. a gal in cityDecember 5, 2013 at 2:11 PM

    I loved reading this poetry. I wish I could write any poem like this ever. I'm very inspired by this post

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalDecember 18, 2013 at 7:50 AM

      Humbled! Thanks a ton for a generous comment. :)

      Delete
  80. UnknownDecember 30, 2013 at 5:53 AM

    Wao. You read my mind here. Really nice :)

    ReplyDelete
  81. Shepherd-NamaFebruary 15, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    Good one...

    ReplyDelete
  82. AnonymousMarch 14, 2014 at 8:26 AM

    just stumbled upon this beautiful piece Now. Brilliantly executed. Loved it, Saru

    ReplyDelete
  83. UnknownMarch 26, 2014 at 12:19 PM

    'No point keeping appearances,if it is fake' . Beautifully woven. :)

    unfettered-wingss.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
  84. Vinay NagarajuApril 3, 2014 at 10:53 PM

    Nice one! Beauty certainly is skin deep :)

    ReplyDelete
  85. AntrikshMay 4, 2014 at 5:03 PM

    Deep! Well written.

    ReplyDelete
  86. BikramMay 16, 2014 at 7:16 AM

    isn't that the truth .. and sometimes we are so selfish we empty that cup and then leave it behind .. dumped

    Bikram

    ReplyDelete
  87. Sweta SarangiMay 26, 2014 at 10:07 AM

    Theme is well justified. I liked the last two lines the most.

    Well written!! Keep writing.....:)

    ReplyDelete
  88. AnonymousJune 4, 2014 at 12:15 PM

    Brilliantly written - love the metaphor.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Chaitali BhattacharjeeJune 13, 2014 at 10:37 AM

    Wow...magnificent...

    ReplyDelete
  90. JeyJune 16, 2014 at 9:39 PM

    Great. I like it very much

    ReplyDelete
  91. Anil BalanJuly 8, 2014 at 3:11 AM

    Great Post Saru Jee

    ReplyDelete
  92. AntaraJuly 21, 2014 at 7:22 AM

    Good allegory Saru :-), and I liked the fact that you kept it short and direct. Will keep coming back for more.

    ReplyDelete
  93. UnknownAugust 8, 2014 at 7:13 AM

    Perfect, fits life well.

    ReplyDelete
  94. UnknownAugust 18, 2014 at 1:28 PM

    very well described... no use keeping fake appearances... and the best part u practise bfore u preach-ur blog is humble and content is deep and thoughtful!
    do read my blog and give a feedback!! and kudos!!!!
    shahensworld.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saru SinghalAugust 18, 2014 at 3:33 PM

      Humbled! Thanks for your kind words. Would love to read your blog.

      Delete
  95. AnonymousAugust 20, 2014 at 1:41 AM

    Wow...you manage to tell a lot in just a few words.:)

    ReplyDelete
  96. VinithaOctober 2, 2014 at 3:00 PM

    'But we never hold a cup longer,
    If ingredients are untrue.' Very true... Loved it Saru! :)

    ReplyDelete
  97. UnknownFebruary 8, 2015 at 11:05 PM

    really deep!

    ReplyDelete
  98. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2015 at 11:06 PM

    Simply SUUUUUPERB!

    ReplyDelete
  99. KeirthanaFebruary 9, 2015 at 8:44 AM

    This one made me ponder on how we judge people as a society, was a great read!

    ReplyDelete
  100. Kokila guptaApril 11, 2015 at 2:41 AM

    Beautifully written ... and I was wondering how come I am missing in action here - a place I love so much ?
    Answer - I was not following !!!
    Now I guess I would never have miss your words .. beautiful , serene , provoking , satirical, intense .... myriad :)
    Best wishes Saru for EveryThing :) :)

    ReplyDelete
  101. दिगम्बर नासवाApril 28, 2015 at 4:34 AM

    बहुत खूब लिखा है ...

    ReplyDelete
  102. Binod MairtaJuly 21, 2015 at 7:13 AM

    Your poems are really inspiring and soothing. How beautifully you use imagery and metaphors.

    ReplyDelete
  103. Nagendra BharathiAugust 9, 2015 at 9:55 PM

    Beautiful thinking

    ReplyDelete
  104. Karan ShahAugust 31, 2015 at 7:45 AM

    very poignant..well written :D

    ReplyDelete
  105. Aiswarya MoodadiMay 13, 2016 at 8:23 AM

    Wow! I liked the concept a lot! :)

    ReplyDelete
  106. SreejaAugust 29, 2016 at 9:36 AM

    Short and deep...beautiful!

    ReplyDelete

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