Happy 'whatever' day!

Impressions are made irrespective of gender! Histories are made irrespective of 'him' or 'her'!

Often branded a feminist,
I wonder what is wrong in being aware of my rights.
Often asked to keep quiet,
I wonder what is wrong in speaking my mind.
Often told i don't know enough,
I wonder what is wrong in wanting to know more.
Often accused of being dominating,
I wonder what is wrong in knowing what you want.
Often labeled as not being strong,
I wonder what is wrong in tackling a moment with tears.
Often pushed aside in decisions,
I wonder what is wrong in questioning the norm.
Often blamed for being not good enough,
I wonder what is wrong in not being so normal.
Often not wanted in this world,
I wonder what in wrong in being born as me!

Often told by the world we don't belong here,
I wonder what is wrong in believing that we can change that world!

The girl child needs no day to believe it is her life, her world, her existence!
Happy 'whatever' day!

....knocks my door!

Ah!
A morning when happiness knocks my door!
The sun seems brighter,
The wind fragrant,
Smiles on every face,
Even the dusty road has a story to say,
Calmed by the water sprinklers making their way.
The little school boys running down an uneven road,
Little worries about the backs carrying the big load.
The little girl tugging her dad's shirt on the scooter,
The elderly couple walking hand in hand...

Ah!
A morning when hope knocks my door.
There is so much to accomplish,
So much not done.
The worries find the mind, the cringes the forehead..
And yet the moment keeps me calm.
In solitude i find completeness...
The noisy fan seems musical...
The empty lab tells me a vacant dream...
Colour it the way you want...
It is your life, let it gleam!

Ah!
A morning when inspiration knocks my door.
The colored papers on the desk find new meaning...
The smiling face on the calendar ...
The blotches of art on the green board...
The pencil half chewed...
The words flowing like the stream...
With a life of its own.
A message from my beloved...
A song for my heart.
Life! Here I come to knock your door!!

The Lesson In More!

The more you write,
the more you realise
how much more
there is to write.
The more you read,
the more you realise
how little you know
and how much more
there is to know!
This lesson in more
at times defies brevity,
It questions the perennial
question,"is it enough"?
Ah! but how can it be?
The more you work
The more you know
How much this work means
How little this more was before
You remember the long strolls
Neverending Tea Breaks
Was it more that led me here?
Time? there is more?
Papers! there is more!
Thoughts! there are more!!
Now, get back to work!
Compre is the Lesson in more!
Only if i knew this equation,
For one more you repay in 'more'.
I dont regret the earlier mores
Trying to like these new mores!
Habit takes time...
Compre report writing is in store...
Hmmm...
Bring on more, some more!

What did i do on The V-Day?

I love planning my minutes, my hours, my days , my years....but this Valentines' Day i did something unplanned; something i became a part of by chance, went back to a world i had missed for a year now....owing to various other priorities in life.

I entered the world knowing very well that i belonged there,
I surprised some and made some smile,
I attended a session that told me how important it is to value the 'self' and 'life'. Not that i did not know, just that we tend to forget at times that we need to take care of ourselves.
I ate a lunch that brought back memories of all the N food packs at the post meeting gupshups at No.**, Hutchins Road!
I was part of an exercise working with special adults making the most special cards on that day.
While some said the story of love, others hoped it was friendship personified..some said it with cookies and some with cricket, some colored the colors of life while some just made us believe that we should count our blessings!
I was part of a very special Valentines Day, expressing love to people i did not know but it did not matter! I was part of an experience where we made another person smile...
those cards may turn yellow, the colors may fade, the smiles may wither...
But the hope is here to stay...
I was back to the world i loved and i still do....

Hope to step into that part of the world more often now...
*This is for all of you bcos of whom i was there...No. 10 on the list!

Perfect Conversations

"Oh!! I want orange rust, not brick red"
"Naah!! that is maida rusk, not the sooji one"
"I like the 0.7 faber castle, 0.5 does not work for me"
"The fonts have to look neat and formal you know"
"Uff!! you did not draw the margin on the paper"
"The essay should be only 1500 words, not a syllable more"
"People! punctuality is highly appreciated"
"Okie! the T Shirts should be white, offwhite/ cream/ beige is not white"
"Listen! it has to be the chocolate mousse from Java City"
"Did you say Chungs? nope! that is Chung Wah."
"It is not all the same"
"Ladies! walk like one, small steps , no running on the stage"
"Gentlemen! use your voices loud and clear"
"Am telling you naa this character in the play has to wear a watch"
"This article should not have a personal perspective"
" Are we towing the line?"
"Do not scribble in the record Sir"
"Always make a draft of the report"
"Only pink pen for highlighting the important points"
"Only honest thoughts in the blog"
"Only being me"
"Do you have OCD?"
"(Smiling) You did not know, I am Anakastic"
"Perfection I thought was good!"
"Ask the little girl who had perfect places for all her perfect things and who still likes perfect dreams"
"Let me mention, Perfection is relative"
"And that is why to me , all these lines make perfect sense"
"Perfection anyone?"

...whatever it was!

When it can be said without a word
When it can be said without a tear
When it can be said without a smile
When it can be said without the despair
When it can be said without the impatience
When it can be said without an apprehension
When it can be said without a discomfort
When it can be said without the thought
When it can be said without the emotion
Know that the time is past
Know that the moment is lost
Know that the said will remain unsaid
Know that it has ceased to exist...whatever it was!

Some random thoughts find the string of hope...poetry keeps them afloat!!

Dainty little feet tracing the line through the house,
The walls become the canvas, imaginations run wild.

Teacher- teacher is the favorite game,
Fantasy students, anyone you name.

There is the special corner for the world to be stacked,
The red doll...
The red car...
The steel, plastic and aluminium kitchen ware,
The natraj pencils , ends bitten in exasperation.
Erasers with faces on them,the more scented-the better:)
Pencil boxes with the hologram gleam.
Reams of paper with little stories written.

A world where dreaming was a reality,
Concerns were teeny-weenie
Jam or butter on bread?
Milk with bournvita or complan?
Hide and seek or galli cricket?

Ma knew best
and Baba was the bestest!

Big fat tears when milk had to be drunk,
Sweet little smiles when given the chocolates' biggest chunk.
Small fears of teacher scolding,
Bitter sour feelings when favorite things losting.
Dictation was a everyday revision,
Most liked was Maths division.

Tom and Jerry was favorite cartoon,
Stars gave light but more shiny was the moon.
'Begun bhaja' was never to be missed,
'Alu bhate' was the healthiest, she would insist,
Ma made maggi like no one else did,
Baba made 'mangsho', finger licking good!

The little girl did grow up,
Holding the bundle in blue,
He was so cute and roly poly,
"Ma!! Bhai has such small everything!"
Said she without a blink.
Dropped him she did when he was just a few weeks old,
Together they were a pretty picture to unfold.

It was his first day at school,
She kept looking back at him and drooled,
She missed a step too many,
Fell down the stairs in perfect harmony,
She walked into school holding his hand,
To show him this new world which for her was a known land.

The feet are still dainty but now stepping on the lines already made,
The world is now her canvas; words are written every moment she tread.

Key to unlock the vernacular words::
* Begun Bhaja- Eggplant/Brinjal deep fried
* Alu Bhate- Mashed potato with mustard oil/butter and green chillies
* Mangsho- Chicken/Mutton curry

Some times, no title seems befitting and this is one such moment when i can't find the words...
Also, there is a time to stop some narrations, though we may have a lot more to say...