startling banals

16 March 2006

Child in a park

I used to go to meet a friend who was studying in Pune University. One day I was lying down on a bench in "Alice Garden" (Who is Alice Richman?)in the university campus. Her grave reads - "BORN MELROSE SOUTH AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 13 1856 AND DIED AT THIS SPOT OF CHOLERA AT THIS VERY SPOT JANUARY 1886". It was around 3 in the afternoon and i came across a quaint littlle girl. After coming back to Bombay, just for fun I wrote a small poem on her. It was 2002. Can't believe it was such a long time back. "Time" Pink Floyd.

i read lying on a park bench
a play - the emperor jones by eugene o'neil
in the afternoon shade of the great rain tree,
my head resting on a travelling bag.
a young child in rather old dirty clothes
playing all alone
on a slide and sand box
her tiny chappals and big water bottle
kept on the bench near my head.
she comes up from behind once in a while
for a sip or two
tired in the long afternoon
but happy all alone
i ask, "girl,what's your name?"
"Icecream".

3 Comments:

nice sweet little poem, simple...
Blogger anon, at 17.3.06  
remembered those days... I used to keep you waiting so long.. but that was your creative inspiration.right?
Blogger Manaswini, at 8.10.07  
creative inspiration out of boredom :)
Blogger anish, at 8.10.07  

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