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My Balcony
Drops from heaven,
And the lush green grass,
a visual symphony.
Sitting aloof,
With eyes ajar,
Heart easing harmony.
Sweet wind,
Deep breaths,
Life’s alimony.
Your thoughts,
Saffron sky,
And my Balcony.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Deceiving Smile
As i stood waiting for light to turn green, looking to the crowd around me. Its a crowd yes, i hardly know anyone, few faces i might have seen here and there but my mind decides not to recollect. I stood among array of cars,scooters waiting to press on accelerator.
As I looked around me to see, to capture expressions of people around me, i could not help but noticing this young boy raggedly dressed, tattered, shabby. He wore a worn out blue shirt. The shirt's blue was shying behind the dirt and sweat filled black. His black shorts could barely conceal his privates, full of holes. His uncombed frayed hair, gave him a look of a month without a bath. He had utmost dismal, broken expressions on his face. His eyes carried his tormented childhood in them, and it was becoming much obvious under this bright sun. At the time when heat is next to unbearable, this boy should be honored, facilitated to show acute human endurance barefooted, instead he is neglected.
He moves from one vehicle to the other tapping on closed car windows, clinging on to the arms of people on two wheelers. He gets cursed, swore at, scorned but he goes about his job like an ordeal. Moving through the convoy of smoke emitting automobiles he is at his sweetest ease, twice denied he wont spare a second thought and move to next vehicle asking for money (let me call it help). Somehow i don't have a clue why but he stops at this man on a motor bike. He starts putting in little extra effort, like he could sense a break here. He starts to plead, grab man's shirt, the pain in his eyes has begun to pour into his voice. The mo-biker shows him his hand in an act such as to slap his face, but the kid was such a resolve. He dropped down to the man's feet and start cleaning his shoe with the his blue/black shirt. Now i can imagine where the bulk of dirt on his shirt came from. The man kicks and shrugs the kid off his feet but kid jumps back and to my amazement this time he kiss the man's feet. Is it the pain at its maximum, life is a big force after all.
I wonder what the man on the mo-bike felt but i could sense submission in his behavior. He took out his wallet from back pocket and pulled a ten rupee note for the kid. The man looked at me and smiled, i must have had a confused look on my face at that time. Was it a smile of dominance? Was it a smile of a satisfied ego? or Was it a smile of a tender heart reaching out to help a needy? i was so stunned to figure that out.
Kid took that ten rupee note and as he turned his face to the other side. I saw the dark pain of his eyes turned into gleam, he had a spring in his feet, in few moments his face went from a dismal scene to a desired picture of happiness. Was it a happiness of his plan falling in place? Was it happiness to outsmart a man to loosen his wallet? or Was it the happiness to know yes, i am getting something to eat this afternoon? Again i was so stunned to figure that out.
Now as write this the feeling is dreadful. I know no one won that day. It was a defeat, a loss. Humanity lost, our democracy lost, India lost and somewhere inside me a part myself lost. Such as above in bright shiny daylight and in the darkness of night we the people loose everyday.
I am sad and my heart hurts, something has changed in me. I have a hope something has changed for good.
As i stood waiting for light to turn green, looking to the crowd around me. Its a crowd yes, i hardly know anyone, few faces i might have seen here and there but my mind decides not to recollect. I stood among array of cars,scooters waiting to press on accelerator.
As I looked around me to see, to capture expressions of people around me, i could not help but noticing this young boy raggedly dressed, tattered, shabby. He wore a worn out blue shirt. The shirt's blue was shying behind the dirt and sweat filled black. His black shorts could barely conceal his privates, full of holes. His uncombed frayed hair, gave him a look of a month without a bath. He had utmost dismal, broken expressions on his face. His eyes carried his tormented childhood in them, and it was becoming much obvious under this bright sun. At the time when heat is next to unbearable, this boy should be honored, facilitated to show acute human endurance barefooted, instead he is neglected.
He moves from one vehicle to the other tapping on closed car windows, clinging on to the arms of people on two wheelers. He gets cursed, swore at, scorned but he goes about his job like an ordeal. Moving through the convoy of smoke emitting automobiles he is at his sweetest ease, twice denied he wont spare a second thought and move to next vehicle asking for money (let me call it help). Somehow i don't have a clue why but he stops at this man on a motor bike. He starts putting in little extra effort, like he could sense a break here. He starts to plead, grab man's shirt, the pain in his eyes has begun to pour into his voice. The mo-biker shows him his hand in an act such as to slap his face, but the kid was such a resolve. He dropped down to the man's feet and start cleaning his shoe with the his blue/black shirt. Now i can imagine where the bulk of dirt on his shirt came from. The man kicks and shrugs the kid off his feet but kid jumps back and to my amazement this time he kiss the man's feet. Is it the pain at its maximum, life is a big force after all.
I wonder what the man on the mo-bike felt but i could sense submission in his behavior. He took out his wallet from back pocket and pulled a ten rupee note for the kid. The man looked at me and smiled, i must have had a confused look on my face at that time. Was it a smile of dominance? Was it a smile of a satisfied ego? or Was it a smile of a tender heart reaching out to help a needy? i was so stunned to figure that out.
Kid took that ten rupee note and as he turned his face to the other side. I saw the dark pain of his eyes turned into gleam, he had a spring in his feet, in few moments his face went from a dismal scene to a desired picture of happiness. Was it a happiness of his plan falling in place? Was it happiness to outsmart a man to loosen his wallet? or Was it the happiness to know yes, i am getting something to eat this afternoon? Again i was so stunned to figure that out.
Now as write this the feeling is dreadful. I know no one won that day. It was a defeat, a loss. Humanity lost, our democracy lost, India lost and somewhere inside me a part myself lost. Such as above in bright shiny daylight and in the darkness of night we the people loose everyday.
I am sad and my heart hurts, something has changed in me. I have a hope something has changed for good.
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