A Fistful Of Stars: Ups And Downs
The bouncing enthusiam of a college kid leads Hariharan Balakrishnan to contemplate mortality.
A valise slung on her languid arm
She flung the books on the empty chair
"Hi", she said with an airy air
To the dachshund's wagging tail
Bouncing up the winding stairs
Five hours of books and bright sunshine
Home she came for the rest of the day
Home to talk and laugh and play
Youthful mirth and quick temper
With not a care in the world
Into this role she now has slid
Yesterday's toddler, this college kid!
I smiled and yet I could not laugh
My mind went back to my college days
Is it her time of growing up
Or is it a time of my going down?
Have I climbed to the top of the mount?
Have I reached the pinnacle?
Pinnacle or precipice- where am I?
Was my journey hard or long?
Be it whatever, now how do I climb
My way down to the base of time?
Would it be a breeze or a gusty gale
That takes me forth on my further way?
As I look down, see the greens
Green and ochre, soft brown earth
I hope to climb down- gently down
And lie on the lap of Mother Earth
**
H. Balakrishnan
283 Shaheed Nagar
Bhubaneswar 751007
INDIA
Tel.: +919338246725
