Still Life -Goa


It stopped raining

Chlorofil and stem

Watched with bated breath

As an orphaned leaf

Browned and weary

Broke rank and

With a resigned sigh

Shrugged off its last

Porvorim drop; catching

the final pink

of the setting sun

Which slipped

below the horizon

Orphan slalomed downwards

Past petal and stamen

Trembling in disbelief

Gracefully swaying

Towards my sandalled feet

Next to a smouldering butt

Across a scurrying fire ant

And into deep tyre tracks

To leave neither

Matter or Memory

Yet as rubber and slush

Turned the orphaned leaf over

It wondered if the sun

Had found it's final resting place


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1460 Days of Quiet Contemplation: Alka’s Journey

It’s been 1460 days since life as we knew it came to a screeching halt on Nov 21. Four years of stillness, and yet, immense strength. Four years since my wife Alka – my best friend– suffered a brain stroke that turned our vibrant, spirited lives upside down.   You wouldn’t think it could happen to someone like her. One minute she was discussing the next day's activities while at the dinner table and the next, she's crumbled.  She was the picture of health and happiness. A woman full of life, brimming with energy, always ready to help, laugh, pray, or pull someone out of their gloom. She wasn’t just my wife; she was my anchor, the glue that held us all together. A God-fearing soul who believed in the power of kindness and prayer, Alka lit up every room she walked into.   And then came that night.   It was midnight – the hour when the world is at its quietest and fears seem the loudest. She complained of a sudden dizziness, her words slurring just a litt...
Read more

2024: The Year That Didn’t Happen

If 2024 were a movie, it would be titled   "The Great Anticipation" , a Pune-based drama where the credits roll before the story begins. We began the year with grand plans and lofty ambitions. Spoiler alert: none of them happened. First, the Royal Carribean cruise. Oh, the cruise! An 8-night Mediterranean escape that turned into an 8-month-long lament over $92 loss on refund per ticket. Somewhere, Poseidon is laughing at us while sipping a mocktail and eating hummus. The Mediterranean called, but we ghosted. Next up, the Nandan Prospera stair climb. A two-story ascent, unassisted, was to be Alka's Everest. Alas, Everest remained unscaled, and the stairs remained... stairs. They looked daunting every day, like the Sphinx daring us to answer its riddle. The culinary dream of chicken curry and rice cooked entirely by Alka? The chicken stayed in the freezer, the rice stayed in the jar, and we stayed hungry for that unrealised milestone. I swear the chicken chuckled each time ...
Read more

What’s With the Delay, God? We Could Really Use Some Help!

 I’m a Catholic, but I’m not religious. Or maybe I am—just in a way that would make both a priest and a pandit shake their heads in confusion. I kneel and pray to Jesus with the same sincerity as when I press my palms together and bow before Ganapati. I’ve stood in churches with tears in my eyes and sat through pujas with the same devotion. If there’s a God listening, I’m making sure He, She, or They get my message. Around my neck, I wear a golden cross on a chain and a brown scapular. A symbol of faith, tradition, and, in my case, a little bit of superstition. If layering faiths worked for my ancestors—who probably had a rosary in one pocket and a coconut for an offering in the other—then why should I be any different? But faith is a funny thing. It’s easy to believe in miracles when you’re praying for a job, a house, or a good monsoon. But what about when you’re praying for something bigger? What about when you’re kneeling on the cold floor at 3 a.m., whispering, “God, are you ...
Read more