Everything Else Is Rubble

Image
The administrative office in front of the main building. In this age of endless information, I sometimes pause and realize something strange. I am drowning in information, but starving for memories. Every day, my mind absorbs hundreds of headlines, messages, videos, opinions, and notifications. Most of them vanish without a trace. Yet when I stop for a moment, memories from forty years ago return with astonishing clarity. Today, for some reason, my thoughts wandered back to my school and its teachers. I remember my kindergarten teacher, Ms. Carol at Little Angels. She was Anglo-Indian, impeccably dressed, and absolutely determined that every letter I wrote should sit neatly within the four lines of my notebook. Not touching the ceiling. Not falling through the floor. Perfectly contained. I don't remember what I had for lunch three days ago. But I remember those four lines. My first-grade teacher, Ms. Alice at BP Indian Public School, was...

When..

When the twilight hour leaves you weary,
And you're left with little time to hurry;
Life with its issues unfolds; is it dreary?
The dour highlights of yesterday unfurls!!

When close ones laughed at 'ur slangs,
Now no more to feel your pangs;
When friends to share 'ur pain; no longer the same,
And no more remember 'ur name!!

When the day before, you understood,
What it takes from life and then withstood;
But the tough nature of life that it is,
You realise that it was all amiss!!

When you had immense pleasure to win,
And celebrated with wine and gin;
When the streak of wins continued; and then a loss,
And in a go, you're no longer the boss!!

When you were always there in the hunt,
To please everyone with 'ur stunt;
When then had to fulfill everyone's grunts and whims,
And no longer could bear the brunt; your grims!!

When you thought you had too long to live,
And ofcourse, you had everything to give;
When you stand today with nerves of steel,
Is this all you have? And how does it feel!!

When you could talk with people at lengths,
And delight them with 'ur wits; drive 'em to fits;
When no longer you talk; you listen,
And the bliss of solitude glistens!!

When life was an easy ride; you were brash,
There was never a fall; never a crash!!
When the ease of life had to halt; the sheer pace,
The mature face had to falter in the race
When it still continues; the learning,
It just dawns; you no more have the yearning!!

Comments