River And The Gravel

The river asked one day,
To gravels beneath,
How do you stay calm as I crush you everyday,
Over riding your land, making you go astray?
Gravel replied,
With the hint of a smile,
To go berserk was my wish,
Over seasons,
As you rushed,
Scared I was to bear humongous load,
When the rushing waters flowed,"
Today as you come,
Lumping down,
I know it's time,
To lower down my crown,
Troubled I am not like yesteryears,
Clouds might have burst tonight for me,
Summers too would knock for my majesty.

Memories

I stood there.
Feeling grains of sand and their moistness, watching the red crab hasten it's way leaving a trail of it's footprints. As the salty waters dashed across my legs, wetting the borders of the blue colored dress, I remembered those evenings I had spent with them, my cousins way back decades ago.

Evenings which tied our palms together letting us hold each other to feel the vastness of the sea, running on the sand, jumping with the waves and chasing these red crabs that still ran.

Today, I was alone and so was the vastness, spreading tranquility, bringing back memories of times that have flown, along with the winds.



                                                

Image Courtesy : FSF

Linking up the post with Five Sentence Fiction

Sunken Eyes....

They spoke it all . In silence . That’s what he loved about them . Their ability to express the innermost emotions that lies deep within . Away from this vigilant world . Dark , dusky or pale they simply evinced unparalleled feelings . Innocence of a child or grudge of an enemy . Shyness behind a newly wed’s veil or boastfulness of a rich . Confusion of a new recruit or clarity of a leader . Just one glance and it spills over as if waiting to get unleashed .
He wanted to give them a form . On a canvass . Being not just an artist but a paint brush too . To be able to palpate the gentleness with his tender fingers . To pen down immortal poetry in remembrance .
But he was confused . About one thing . It questioned him every night . Before he went off to sleep and after he woke up. He was unable to find the answer to this question that encircled him all around . His state of perplexity had no end .This state of confusion continued for long and the path to solution seemed bleak .
But as they say the solution to all our worries lies within . And he encountered it in a very unexpected manner . On a normal day , on his way to work .
The day was gloomy with clouds covering up the sun . Displaying their dominance and marking the arrival of monsoon . The trees sang in unison with the lovely flowers that had popped up their fresh faces early that morning . Drops of water descended down to ward off the lingering tensions of people down there . He too loved their arrival . The much awaited arrival . But not during the morning hours especially on his way to work . As things may seem as beautiful as they are but the reality is quite different . Water logged roads stand as the biggest terror for a common man on a daily basis .
Still he had to go . To reach his destination on time . And that’s when he found her . Near the lane. Under the flyover where innumerable cars zoomed across at life threatening speeds . He traveled everyday in the same route around the same time . But today it was remarkably different . He felt a different vibe inside . That spoke to him quietly . Assuring him of finding her again . The lost treasure that behold memories of a lost childhood .
She sat there . Weak , rugged , poverty stricken with a wrinkled face that spoke of foregone decades in her life . Hair undone . Fragile hands and thin limbs . A sunken eyes that begged for attention and pleaded for a penny . Parking his car at a distance , he ran towards her and hugged her tight . Surprising her as well as the onlookers . For a second their eyes met and drops of emotions trickled down . He could see it again in them . Those eyes . That spoke of innumerable emotions . In silence .
“Dai Ma Lets go" he uttered in haste . Literally pulling her hand and compelling her to move on .He was sure she won’t deny . Who does not want a secured life in a cozy home away from this mess . Life is unimaginable on the streets . He never knew how she ended up here . But had a faint idea of her circumstances after she left their home . Though he was not able to find a way to search for her but had indomitable spirit to be able to do it someday .
And today was the day . That had arrived after years , after decades . A satiated grin adorned his lips as he considered himself lucky enough to have found her . After all overcoming this challenge was not a small achievement . But he had no idea that a bigger challenge was awaiting him . After few minutes when he coerced her to move on again , she resisted , to his dismay .
She questioned “ You will take me , that’s fine . But what about the rest who have been my pillars of strength . The ones who spend their days and nights with me on this pavement . The ones who share their leftover food with me when they get it in charity . The ones who pull their torn blankets over me when I suffer in freezing cold . The ones who are my family now . They may not be my own but they are with me . Standing by my side on sunny days or rainy nights. Can you also do something for them ? If yes then take me along , I would not resist . If not then let me be on my own . If I survived all these days , then I will survive few more.”
He had no answers . As he was not prepared . Far he was from the real world that spoke out load in a high pitched volume . But who has time to listen to that . We already are overloaded with high pitched party numbers .
The gloomy day expressed itself on his bright face now . The answer to his question had unlocked a pandora's box in front of him . Though he returned back empty handed but was determined to fill them someday .
After a year and a half , the local newspapers published a column in some remote corner that spoke of a young man having opened an old age shelter home . It did display a photograph that showed him welcoming newcomers with folded hands . And behind him stood “ Annapurna Nivas” the new shelter home for forgotten wrinkled souls that now beamed with hope from hazy sunken eyes .

                                          

Companion

The docile wind brushed across the white curtains propelling it with a gentle force , disturbing it’s so called peaceful sleep .

Neither appeased nor pacified the intruder searched for new companions amongst decorative designer furniture that displayed grumpy faces expressing their unwillingness to befriend an insignificant  passerby.

Saddened with the response , our  lonesome solitary wind decided to conclude his endeavor of finding new companions and to return back to his reclusive life amidst the high lands and clouds .

Just then his eyes fell on her , a plump brown colored book that seemed to have been forgotten with the advent of modern  age and spent a lonely life starving for a friend .

Like the blocks of a puzzle they coalesced together , as in happiness and joy  the brown pages fluttered . 

                                  

  

 Pic : Google Images

 

The Come Back....

                   
This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

                                                

The night was dark and the wind cold . Looking out of the window a million thoughts flashed through her mind .

How things change . And people too . Agreements turn over into disagreements . Slowly giving way for indifferences to crop up .

It all seems beautiful till we come up to an age . To recognize to realize to interpret to understand . Unannounced a time comes when we start acknowledging those fine lines between actions and words .

When closer ones travel farther away and farther ones come close.

The woolen clothes in her body weren’t giving her warmth . 

When a heart turns cold , things can’t warm it up .

Numerous times he repeated the same thing . This is how it is and this is how it’s meant to be .

But she never agreed . Being the fighter , the rebel she couldn’t just sit quite . Accepting things as it was . She knew if it wasn’t working out then it’s our responsibility to make it work . 

Unfortunately who understands that . Putting the blame on luck or fate everyone escapes . Through a safe narrow path . Leaving us alone in hot noon or heavy rain .

And that’s when we get it . That’s the moment which speaks to us . Keeps us awake till late in the night .

When everyone goes to sleep a dreamer wakes up .

Same happened with her . Her aspirations didn’t let her keep down . It forced her , it coerced her , it compelled her to take that one step towards life . Her dream life 

She knew he must be angry . How mad he must be at her . Maybe he can’t even withstand her for a single minute . But she will try . At least once . To pacify him . To let him go off all those piled up qualms .

The sun had already risen radiating sunlight around .  She opened her eyes finding herself in a new day .

And the train was nearing it’s  destination  . One of his favorite songs played in from somewhere among the passengers , may be from someone’s mobile phone . “ Tumko dekha toh , yeh khayal aya “ aah …she started missing him like anything now . The rest thirty minutes seemed more than the past years of separation .

How desperate she was . To hug him , to feel his warmth . To tell him that she cared for him much more than anybody else .

Reaching near the door steps she quietly kept her luggage down . Taking small silent careful steps she ventured inside .

Finding him seated on the rocking chair , she was assured nothing has changed . With closed eyes he was listening to old melodious Hindi film songs .

Lightly she put down the CDs she had brought for him on the table . Taking extra care not to disturb him she went behind his back . Putting her hands around his neck she said in a very low voice “ I am sorry “ .

His eyes opened in an instance . Taken aback by the sudden utterance he turned around . He couldn’t believe his eyes . Yes , she was standing in front of his eyes right there . Just right there.

Words trickled down speaking through their eyes expressing uncountable emotions evincing unspoken utterance .

After all a daughter is every father’s gem and father her best man . 

                                                       

Today being a holiday for A-Z Challenge , linking up this post with Ultimate Blog Challenge
Enjoy your much awaited Sunday Friends :)

Do Come Back....

As the sky gets painted in blue

And travels across the rainbow’s hues

Falls down rain drops making up puddles

Splashing some on my new doodle

The sun shines bright on summer noon

Pushing back our lovely shy moon

Blows cold breeze in frosty days

Oh…Mom pulls me out when in bed I laze

I still want to float in my dreamland

On Mount Everest  where I stand

Being the brave and fearless girl

Walking over steep roads walking over hills

Fighting every fear enjoying every thrill

But have to get ready just can’t deny

Wobbling up noodles wobbling egg fry

I saw her eyes it was still wet

Crying all night waking up late

Don’t know what to say

To make her smile

Washing away her pain

Scaring it till miles

Finishing my stuff when I walk to bus stop

A small little thought quietly pops up

I miss those days together with dad

Jumping along the house or dancing like mad

Hip hop hip hop we both went about

But not escaping mama’s angry shouts

Hiding under the sofa we giggle up for fun

In drowsy evenings or Sunday’s morn

Reading books of Noddy

Reading books of fairy tales

I used to laugh  like crazy

And never ever wail

Eating extra ice cream from both mom and dad’s share

Visiting carnivals visiting city’s fairs 

 

I wished the clock never ticked by

Under their shadow I never had to cry

What I didn’t think was

Things will break apart

Coz  it was all so lovely

From the beginning from the start

Why things changed and for whom

I know I don’t have the answers

I don’t have a clue

They say I am kid

They say I am too small

To listen up to grownups talks

And their quarrels .

Well I know I may not be big enough

But at least I understand when to stop

When to say sorry to my loved ones

How to please my best friend in just one instance

As big one’s they don’t even know  that

Not to finish up

Math’s sums too fast

If calculations go wrong in one single step

The whole answer simply goes in waste

To not scribble on art works book

It dirties up the clean beautiful look

To not to fight with your class mate

And to say goodbye when you leave near the gate

If a small kid like me knows all these

Can’t they make up

Sharing chocolate ice cream in our freeze

Life would get sweet

And lovely again

In sunny afternoons

Or in heavy rains

Throw up all anger

And please do come back

To our home sweet home

Oh dear loving Dad .

                                                 

                                             

 A poetry written for Write.... Edit... Publish Challenge ....

 

What comes to mind for the March WEP challenge - Through the eyes of a child? Rewriting a passage from a child's POV? A montage of images through the eyes of a child? A poignant or exhilarating poem? A non-fiction piece told from a child's POV? The possibilities are limitless!

To add your own or to read more click on this link Write...Edit...Publish

Granny....

                                                    

Cuddled  in your arms

Under  moonlit night

Feeling the warmth beneath

Holding onto you tight

I crept into your bed

For countless stories in store

Of fairies princes and ghosts

Tempting me for more

Honesty prevails alone

And goodness over sins

What really did inspire

Was Arjuna’s wins

I never wanted to come back

To boring afternoons

Where every day after school

 Lonely I marooned

Craving for your love

Starving for your care

Remembering tales of courage

And tales of dare

I miss you all along

In spring or winter fall

My dear sweet granny

The greatest love of all

                                            

This post is for Write Tribe's 100 Words On Saturday 2014 # 8 Prompt " The greatest love of all " and Indispire Prompt " A story told by granny that inspired us "

Paired Forever...

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

                                                         

                                                    

It was the day of her daughter’s annual function and she had been repeatedly warned to not miss it amid any circumstance .

The name of the best artist of the year was announced .

A satiated smile adorned her lips not only displaying the happiness of a proud parent but also that of an passionate artist torn apart from her canvass giving in to the restrains of an Indian woman’s life .

“Mama”.... her daughter’s voice flowed in , there she stood beaming with radiance on her gentle face .

In utter silence she promised herself to let those tiny hands cling on to the paintbrush and colors as if  paired forever unlike her own which lay in ruins abandoned in some corner of her old home .

                                                     

This post is a Five Sentence Fiction with the Theme " Ruins" For BlogAdda's WOW with prompt "Paired Forever"