Vincent Van Ross is a freelance journalist and writer. He writes on national and international politics, defense, environment, travel, art and culture, social themes, spirituality, philosophy, conservation and a whole lot of other issues. He has authored four books and edited five books.
Vincent’s articles and features have appeared in The Hindustan Times, The Pioneer, The Hindu, The Tribune, The Statesman, National Herald, Sahara Time, Speaking Tree (The Times of India), Daily Excelsior, Northern India Patrika, Himachal Times, Free Press, The Free Press Journal, The Sentinel, Newstime, The Shillong Times, The Hitavada and several other newspapers and periodicals in India. He has also written a weekly column called ‘Musing’ for the Bangladesh Newspaper ‘The Independent.’
Vincent has been on the editorial board of several small and medium publications. He is fond of writing humour. His humorous and satirical writings have been carried in the ‘Morning Cup,’ ‘Flipside,’ ‘Silly Point,’ ‘Guest Column,’ ‘Musing’ and middle columns of newspapers and magazines.
Apart from these, Vincent writes fiction, poetry and dabbles in creative photography. Some of his Hindi poems were included in an anthology of Hindi Poems called ‘Guldasta’ some 15 years ago. Many of his English poems have appeared in national and international anthologies. Several of his English poems are posted in various sites on the web. He has also blogged for renowned international community blogging sites such as SiliconIndia, Instablogs, NowPublic, FoodIndustryIndia, Wayn and SpeakingTree besides his own blogging sites in Blogger and WordPress in addition to being member of several poetry and writing sites on the internet.
Vincent was one of the directors of the Press Club of India, New Delhi in 2009-10 and nominated member of the ‘Legal Committee’ of the Press Club of India in 2010-11. He was an adviser to the Delhi Union of Journalists (2013-14). He was a member of the National Council of the Delhi Union of Journalists for the year 2016-17. Appointed Ambassador of The César Egido Serrano Foundation and the Museum of the Word (Spain) at their plenary session in 2018.
Vincent is a life member of several groups interested in nature and wildlife, writing, photography, art, conservation, environment etc. and has been office bearer on several councils and committees of organizations dealing with social issues, environmental and charitable causes as also promotion and conservation of heritage monuments as well as nature and wildlife.
Wanderlust
My mind is
Neither here
Nor there
But I am
Always here
Or there
Why do I have
Such a wavering mind
And a wandering life?
Why can’t I
Stay put
In one place?
Why do I
Have to wander
All the time?
Because,
Travel has taught me
More than books…
And,
I am a gypsy—
Not a tree!
© Vincent Van Ross
Water Has No Ego
Water is formless,
Colorless
And odorless–
It fits all sizes
Water assumes the form
Of the container it is poured into
Or, it could turn into a waterfall
Or a whirlpool
Water has no color of its own
It is as transparent as transparent can be
Water adapts itself to any color mix
And turns into the color it is mixed with
Water is odorless
It has no smell of its own
It could turn fragrant when mixed with perfume
And, it could stink in the company of foul smell
Water cannot be measured for its size
Its size is the same as the size of its container
Or it could be as small as a drop
Or as expansive as the ocean
Water comes with more adaptability
Than anything else in this world
It dissolves its identity in all humility
Because, water has no ego…
© Vincent Van Ross
Window
A closed window
Is
No window at all!
Open it—
Let the rays
Of the morning Sun
Enter your home…
And, brighten
Your day
Let fresh air
Flow in…
Let it refresh
Your breath
And drive away
The suffocation
And, the stuffiness
Inside
Peep out
Of the window
Once in a while
And take in a view
Of the outside world
Make it
Your window
To the world…
Open the window often
Or, at least
Once in a while…
Because a window
That never opens
Becomes a wall!
© Vincent Van Ross
