Sunil & Alka

A family I have

In a country far away

An Elder Brother and Bhabhi

In whose care I did stay

The ginger tea

And Bhabhi's advise

Sunil's outlook

So practical and wise

They taught me little things

I still use till this day

How to live in the now

Spreading joy in their own way

Tandoori Chicken, Rajma

that Bhabhi did teach

How to run a family

With a magical ease

How to treats kids

With love and respect

To live in the now

From sunrise to sunset

Sunil's shopping style

Of reading the labels

His observations of life

From fruits to train timetables

Our conversations

Without exchange of words

Crossword, Badminton

And navigating the London roads

A thousand miles

And 16 years away

I still can't forget

My Hounslow days

Mary Chakunny Puthur

An aunt who is a globe trotter

and an inspiration to my gen

She is also a time traveller

with stories of now and then

She has frozen time on paper,

old coins and collected stones

She understand humans

How they feel in their bones

She has done a lot of good

Being there for everyone

praying for their health

Unlike any under the sun

In height she may be short

But she does pack a punch

She can work more than anyone

she is superhuman is my hunch

Even though she is single

She is like a mother to us

Unconditional love

No tantrums, no fuss

Being their at time of birth

praying at times of illness

Consoling when a soul departs

a nurse at time of sickness

An ideal daughter!

Who got Scotch for her dad

Helped mom in the kitchen

And all the siblings she had

She walks with Jesus

And is on a spiritual quest

Hear her words of wisdom

on life, on solitude, on zest

Never complaining, always smiling

that is her signature style

She is a model Christian

Who always goes the extra mile

Teresa Joseph (Puthur Jos)

I am blessed to have a sister

Who is three in one

A friend,  a sibling and a mentor

Second to none

Its not just me

Who will vouch for your heart

There are a hundred life journeys

Where you have played a special part

Your energy and resolve

Can bring light to a township

Your helping attitude

A true example of friendship

A head full of ideas

Perfect in execution

For every possible problem

You can create multiple solutions

But for me all that is secondary

Your love transcends the ordinary

You are like a second mom

Your home is like my second home

Thank you dear Kunechi

For being so  wonderful to me

If I have your blessing

Ups or Downs,  I will live free

Love Manoj

Puthur Jos Michael

An elder brother

I always looked upto

Calm and composed

Is the chettan I always knew

A zest for a rustic life

finding joy in simple things

an observant eye,

hundred ideas take wings

All his stories

I have heard over the years

Overflows with simplicity,

joy and never any tears

His collection of old pens

His Bajaj and his cycle

With treasure of old stories

Is our brother P J Michael

He writes and he reads

He follows and he leads

He is a taster and a cook

a librarian and a book

He will talk with nostalgia

With a cup of tea in his hand

Every conversation, I collect

A few more grains of sand

I wanted to grow up

And be like him

And though years have passed

I still idolise him

Love Manoj

Puthur Uduppu Chakunny : Appapan

                                                                 Written by Jibrael Jos 

First person I ever cried for

The day he passed away

My Grandfather was the best

Memories which linger and stay

Walking to the market

Barefoot just like him

Taking the cow to graze

Or to the stream to swim

Inspecting the fields

Learning to tie knots

He telling me about plants

And how things are bought

Evaluating tapiocas quality

Or freshness of fish

Different types of bananas

And tasting a perfect dish

Helping him in my little way

Was an excuse to be with him

Here was a man I aspired

To grow up just like him

I will ask him to tell

Of incidents long gone

Though I heard them many times

I would ask him to go on

Sitting on his chair,

Eating achh roti like him

Holding on to trinklets

Once used by him

Hug when we arrived

Tears when we did leave

Summer Holidays in Kerala

Taught me to give more than I recieve

He gifted me a hammer once

I held it with such pride

Some part of me is sculpted

I can feel him inside

Tears do well up when I think back

Of the love I did receive

How I wish I could hold his hand

And walk through green fields

A hardworking father and farmer

Who believed, God has a plan

All my sibling and cousins

Will vouch for this great man