I'd like my life
To have a tamarind tang,
A sharp hard hitting taste.
I'd like my life
To be apple green
Minty,like the number seven.
I'd like my life
To be pencil heels,
Slim and tapering to a point.
I'd like my life
To be well cut jet
Which glitters as it catches the light.
I learn to live
With this soggy old sock.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Education System Is A Menace
Characters-4 children
The Pied Piper
Narrator
Scene1
Nar-Four children have run away from their homes and have followed the Pied Piper into the Promised Land.
C1-How much further is it from here?
PP-Not any.
C2-This is it?
C3-But theres nothing here…
PP-Why ,did you want anything different?
C2-Well..we imagined that the promised land would be more than a …room.(sarcastic)
PP-You can’t blame me ..Ive been peering into your minds everyday to see what it was that you’ll wanted..but there wasn’t anything to go upon.Absolutely nothing.
So I’ve brought you here..to..er..nothing.
C2-Fine but was it very necessary to make us walk for a month to bring us here?
C1-I’m completely worn out.I’ve left everything behind and it was no use…
PP-Now this is just strange..The only concrete instruction I get from you’ll is ‘far away’ and now it seems that you’ll don’t even want that.
And you(looks at C2).I really don’t see why you’re complaining.You said ‘no parents,no school,no history,no maths ,no rules.This ought to be paradise.
C1-But…(is near tears)
PP-Oh my god..dont cry..please…I never know what to do with children who cry..I promise..I’ll give you whateveryou ask for..as long you don’t cry..
C1-Whatever I ask for?Anything in the whole wide world?
PP-Yes!Just ask for it!
C1-Can I have some ice-cream?(hesitantly)
PP-Dear Lord!I try to be a genie and they make me a waiter.(aside)
Here..have your ice cream ..and don’t cry anymore..
C4-(Takes the ice cream and dashes it to the floor )
Don’t give us sops!You cheated us..Can’t imagine why we trusted you..
PP-You know..thats a really good question.I was astonished myself.I said-come away, and you’ll came away,We’ve been walking for a month and no one asked where we were going,no one even suggested where they wanted to go..Such heartwarming faith in me.
You’ll have been really good children….until now.
C1-We thought you would know where to take us…
PP-How will I know what you want?!
C1-Someone always does..
PP-Really?Someone always tells you what you need?What if they’re wrong?
C2-(smirking) Then we blame them!
C3-(angrily)and hate them.
PP-Is that why you’ll ran away?
C3-Yes..but I’m already regretting it.
Chorus-So am I..
PP-You mean you’d like to go back?!
Chorus-Yes!
PP-And not be far far away in this magic land?!
Chorus-No!
PP-Even if I grant you all your wishes?...
Chorus-Yes!
PP-Fine, fine.
But why must you’ll always yell in chorus?(annoyed)
C3-Dunnoe.Habit…
PP-Inexplicable you children are..
(everyone glares at him)
PP-But nice. very nice. of course. and since you’ll are sooo nice ..Surely you’ll will bear with this leetle problem..
Chorus-What problem?
PP-(tries to be stern)You Will Have To Stay Here Till The End Of The Day.I’ve already paid today’s fare. No Arguments.
C1-Okay…
(Everyone nods)
C2-But what do we do till then?
PP-I don’t know..whatever...have fun amongst yourselves.
(They stare balefully at each other for 10 seconds)
(looking helplessly at the PP)This is so boring…
PP-(Sighs, looks at audience) How did you’ll get this way?
Characters-4 children
The Pied Piper
Narrator
Scene1
Nar-Four children have run away from their homes and have followed the Pied Piper into the Promised Land.
C1-How much further is it from here?
PP-Not any.
C2-This is it?
C3-But theres nothing here…
PP-Why ,did you want anything different?
C2-Well..we imagined that the promised land would be more than a …room.(sarcastic)
PP-You can’t blame me ..Ive been peering into your minds everyday to see what it was that you’ll wanted..but there wasn’t anything to go upon.Absolutely nothing.
So I’ve brought you here..to..er..nothing.
C2-Fine but was it very necessary to make us walk for a month to bring us here?
C1-I’m completely worn out.I’ve left everything behind and it was no use…
PP-Now this is just strange..The only concrete instruction I get from you’ll is ‘far away’ and now it seems that you’ll don’t even want that.
And you(looks at C2).I really don’t see why you’re complaining.You said ‘no parents,no school,no history,no maths ,no rules.This ought to be paradise.
C1-But…(is near tears)
PP-Oh my god..dont cry..please…I never know what to do with children who cry..I promise..I’ll give you whateveryou ask for..as long you don’t cry..
C1-Whatever I ask for?Anything in the whole wide world?
PP-Yes!Just ask for it!
C1-Can I have some ice-cream?(hesitantly)
PP-Dear Lord!I try to be a genie and they make me a waiter.(aside)
Here..have your ice cream ..and don’t cry anymore..
C4-(Takes the ice cream and dashes it to the floor )
Don’t give us sops!You cheated us..Can’t imagine why we trusted you..
PP-You know..thats a really good question.I was astonished myself.I said-come away, and you’ll came away,We’ve been walking for a month and no one asked where we were going,no one even suggested where they wanted to go..Such heartwarming faith in me.
You’ll have been really good children….until now.
C1-We thought you would know where to take us…
PP-How will I know what you want?!
C1-Someone always does..
PP-Really?Someone always tells you what you need?What if they’re wrong?
C2-(smirking) Then we blame them!
C3-(angrily)and hate them.
PP-Is that why you’ll ran away?
C3-Yes..but I’m already regretting it.
Chorus-So am I..
PP-You mean you’d like to go back?!
Chorus-Yes!
PP-And not be far far away in this magic land?!
Chorus-No!
PP-Even if I grant you all your wishes?...
Chorus-Yes!
PP-Fine, fine.
But why must you’ll always yell in chorus?(annoyed)
C3-Dunnoe.Habit…
PP-Inexplicable you children are..
(everyone glares at him)
PP-But nice. very nice. of course. and since you’ll are sooo nice ..Surely you’ll will bear with this leetle problem..
Chorus-What problem?
PP-(tries to be stern)You Will Have To Stay Here Till The End Of The Day.I’ve already paid today’s fare. No Arguments.
C1-Okay…
(Everyone nods)
C2-But what do we do till then?
PP-I don’t know..whatever...have fun amongst yourselves.
(They stare balefully at each other for 10 seconds)
(looking helplessly at the PP)This is so boring…
PP-(Sighs, looks at audience) How did you’ll get this way?
Friday, June 6, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The Little People
I collect
casual compliments in a matchbox
And lovingly sun them sometimes.
To cross,
I go under the fence.
If I chance upon pearls of wisdom
I can take home only one.
I hate white light.
I run the world.
casual compliments in a matchbox
And lovingly sun them sometimes.
To cross,
I go under the fence.
If I chance upon pearls of wisdom
I can take home only one.
I hate white light.
I run the world.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
My favourite memory
We all bundled into a car and drove away, suddenly one day to a new house .Like criminals on the run.
Joey!Joey!lift aache…that was my brother. Wonder and disbelief mixed.
Oh!said a shiny-eyed seven year old me. Where?
The door opened with a click of the key turning. Enormous and beautifully bare. No furniture. None at all. Even our toothbrushes hadn’t arrived. My parents were very harried ,had the decision been to drastic? You see, they had been wanting to shift for a week or so but couldn’t until someone bought our old house. Somebody suddenly agreed, but on the condition, that they shift in that very day. So we got pushed into this unnatural looking furniture less one.
The two of us walked around, very seriously, giving the place a thorough inspection. Three Mickey mouse stickers on the switch board, one red plastic football and a very long pen that came up to my waist.Treasure.The rest of the evening we ran around playing mock golf with the pen and the football. And generally being a nuisance and getting in everyone’s way.
Dinner time, no dinner. Bed time, no bed. Everyone else was standing at the veranda waiting for the car with our diner to arrive. After having tired of the game,we went there as well. Deluge of noise, lights.Climbed up on the railing to look down. Ant people and ant cars, rushing around ant like.
Eki!Namo!What are you’ll doing? Someone shrieked.Obediently,reluctantly,we climbed down.
At night, I tried to sleep, but couldn’t. Pinched myself occasionally to confirm that this was real.
For a day, the adult world had merged with ours.They had done what had to be done,with no fuss, without even thinking of the consequences. And you know what? It turned out allright.It usually does.
Joey!Joey!lift aache…that was my brother. Wonder and disbelief mixed.
Oh!said a shiny-eyed seven year old me. Where?
The door opened with a click of the key turning. Enormous and beautifully bare. No furniture. None at all. Even our toothbrushes hadn’t arrived. My parents were very harried ,had the decision been to drastic? You see, they had been wanting to shift for a week or so but couldn’t until someone bought our old house. Somebody suddenly agreed, but on the condition, that they shift in that very day. So we got pushed into this unnatural looking furniture less one.
The two of us walked around, very seriously, giving the place a thorough inspection. Three Mickey mouse stickers on the switch board, one red plastic football and a very long pen that came up to my waist.Treasure.The rest of the evening we ran around playing mock golf with the pen and the football. And generally being a nuisance and getting in everyone’s way.
Dinner time, no dinner. Bed time, no bed. Everyone else was standing at the veranda waiting for the car with our diner to arrive. After having tired of the game,we went there as well. Deluge of noise, lights.Climbed up on the railing to look down. Ant people and ant cars, rushing around ant like.
Eki!Namo!What are you’ll doing? Someone shrieked.Obediently,reluctantly,we climbed down.
At night, I tried to sleep, but couldn’t. Pinched myself occasionally to confirm that this was real.
For a day, the adult world had merged with ours.They had done what had to be done,with no fuss, without even thinking of the consequences. And you know what? It turned out allright.It usually does.
Painting
My parents bought a painting off a struggling artist. He would like to take up art as a full time career but circumstances forbid. He has a family to support-wife, child, ailing parents and so he is forced to give art tuition to uninterested brats. For a regular income. His creativity, he rues is getting cramped and perhaps slowly destroyed…
The painting now hangs on our living room wall. It is an eyesore. The canvas, painted a lurid red shows a despairing woman. Her arm looks like a leg of ham and a couple of sickly yellow flowers are sprouting on her head. It symbolizes the life giving power of a woman, he had explained. A moon has also been painted on the red canvas, for aesthetic reasons I believe, there being no other.
In spite of all this, one could have been stirred by some indefinable quality in his work. One is not. He could easily have been gifted, wouldn’t have done anyone any harm. But that he most definitely isn’t.
Whoever is scripting our lives can’t be counted on for kindness.
The painting now hangs on our living room wall. It is an eyesore. The canvas, painted a lurid red shows a despairing woman. Her arm looks like a leg of ham and a couple of sickly yellow flowers are sprouting on her head. It symbolizes the life giving power of a woman, he had explained. A moon has also been painted on the red canvas, for aesthetic reasons I believe, there being no other.
In spite of all this, one could have been stirred by some indefinable quality in his work. One is not. He could easily have been gifted, wouldn’t have done anyone any harm. But that he most definitely isn’t.
Whoever is scripting our lives can’t be counted on for kindness.
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