After becoming a queen----Sunday Scribblings

Sunday Scribblings

My first act as Queen of the World will be...

Most of the times I feel sleep deprived. After reading this prompt, my first thought was- make one hour sleep mandatory even in day time, after every three hours. That will help all of us rejuvenated.

Another of my pet peeves is misspelling of names. Those who are the culprits should be severely punished. They should be made to write the names they misspell 5000 times a day for 10 days.

I would recommend a chocolate factory in every town. Entry for kids to be free twice a day with free bars and once a day for adults with a nominal charge for a bar. I finished re-reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and hence the brain wave.

All of us should celebrate balloon days each week of the year along with kite flying in summers. Stopping by the woods to admire the nature, to be made compulsory.

I must not forget books. There should a library in every district. Kids and adults have to be encouraged to read. What a blissful thought!

Being a queen is not easy. I am unable to think further. With the burden of the crown, you see…

I know these are scatter-brained thoughts but suppose it happened….

rolled into a corner---[Fiction] Friday

[Fiction] Friday Challenge for October, 19 2007:

What happens when a character, while cleaning out a house before moving out, finds a roll of film?


fanciful furniture packed with much care
clothes all scattered pile up on the stairs
on slightest of whim, their tempers flair.

things lie haphazard, she stacks the books
not attending to him, feeling dirty looks
on her back. full boxes pushed into nooks,

she goes back, checking drawers finding
a roll. seeing it he gets up fast, snatching
from her hand. he doesn’t answer, asking

goes vain. with absolute air of detachment
he refuses her pleas. her jerking movements
cause him as much hurt. in that apartment

they are now adversaries. all forgotten they
watch each other. her eyes will him to stay
at once place. he understands, doesn’t sway,

knowing he cannot allow her to see film roll
photo of their dead child would tear at her soul.

alpha and omega----3WW /Totally Optional prompts

Field
Hide
Second

Totally Optionally Prompts has the following poem as its prompt, a translated work from a Chinese one.

On Hearing a Lute-Player

Your seven strings are like the voice
Of a cold wind in the pines,
Singing old beloved songs
Which no one cares for any more.

I have incorporated both in the following. It is but a rough draft and may appear disjointed at first glance.

alpha and omega

connected wires field in the storm
howling winds almost rip at ears drums
day hides into startling night of doom

enhancing the unknown apprehension
lightning strikes with such suddenness
taking me by surprise. complacent gone

I listen to the old love songs being sung
by gusts of wind to the swaying pines.
envious of those, assailed by melancholy

I kick out at the table stubbing my toes.
howling like the wind, I hobble around
giving a loud voice to choicest of curses.

my eyes fall on a doll long forgotten
discarded now. turbulent weather is
perfect to revisit childhood memories.

ragged doll, a silent bystander to all
alpha and omega of my early years
offers comfort for a second, only so..

waxed eloquence----Writers Island

This time the prompt is to write about Message In a Bottle.

blue tinted veined tapered bottle
floating aimlessly up and down
finds direction when waves crash

i watch it with anticipation willing
it to reach towards me. swirling
it plays hide and seek like a child.

tired it comes and rests on sand-
turning over, sated with journey
origination of which is unknown.

i let it be, but only for a short while;
bending down on my knees, picking
it up with care, i examine squinting

to look into its interior, visibility of
which is almost zero. waxed cork
comes off easily enough. rolling

to ground, parchment falls at my feet.
eagerly i pick it up, opening it with
care, my eyes scan it taking in little

details. perplexed for a split second
comprehension dawns. blankness of
that missive brings forth with force-

messages with no words stay forever
hanging in air confined to a minute
space spread universally, soundlessly.

no words can replace profoundness
of calm least of all message in a bottle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click for more messages in a bottle...

weeds of war---Cafe Writing & Monday Poetry Train

listen to the world gone shallow
spirit is hunted as well haunted

dreams that soared are now sour
weeds take over reason tenuously

clamouring to get a hold, thriving
in the aftermath. thorns of combat

pierce all but the one who started it
closing his eyes, he refuses to budge.

“war goes on, it has from time immemorial”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wrote this short piece for Cafe Writing October Project Option five where one has to choose at least 3 words from the following and include those in an essay, story or poetry:

dream, weed, spirit, listen, crisp, shallow, tenuous, mischievous

Posting this for Monday Poetry Train too...

Career, anyone?----Sunday Scribblings

Sunday Scribblings wants us to recall about our first jobs, worst jobs, dream jobs..

Soon after I completed my studies, I have been into teaching. I finished my post graduation in chemistry and got a teaching degree, which resulted in a teaching post.

My first job was in a school nearby which mainly consisted of students from Iran. Way back in 1990, just before the onset of gulf war, many Iranians had arrived in Delhi and were trying to assimilate into the Indian set up. That particular school had majority of Iranian students as compared to Indians. I do not recall having any problem with that other than the fact that those 15-year-olds were much taller than me and tried to flirt with me. In a way, it was a good experience for me. Trying to teach Chemistry and Mathematics to students who were not much interested in studying.

After a few months of teaching in that school, I got posted into a school run by the Government. That was a huge shock. In such a setup, students come from the so-called lower strata and are mostly first-generation learners. Infrastructure is nothing much to speak of. The classrooms are falling apart, no electricity, no water and sometimes, there are very few toilets. There is a dearth of blackboards too, what to talk of chalks. I have been teaching in government schools for 16 years now but the scenario has not changed much. These factors are huge challenges for any teacher and of course students too. The negative factors do not discourage the students. They are very enthusiastic to learn. That is one major incentive. For all our efforts we get their love and affection unreservedly. I would call that reward enough. I like to interact with my girls, helping them as much as I can. A few belong to such families where they are abused by their own fathers. We deal with that too...

I do like what I am doing. Teaching under-privileged girls is satisfying enough if we are able to make even a little difference in their lives. It is always a pleasure to meet any of them who after leaving school, do well in life. However, I sometimes wish to be a librarian of all things! That’s because I love reading, I love the smell of books. Once I considered that but my love for teaching out weighed that!

Back to square one!

Check out more on jobs here!!

What sentimental endings?----[Fiction] Friday

Here’s this week’s challenge:
[Fiction] Friday Challenge for October 12 2007:

Use this quote as the spark for anything you want.

“I’m not one for sentimental endings. Not this time.”

What I am going to write here is not fiction. This post is on my love for book, for reading. How does it fit in Friday fiction? It does not but the quote does albeit indirectly.

Every first week of Jan, April, July and October are taken as Buy A Friend A Book. In this week, one is supposed to buy books for friends for no reason. I do buy books for my friends and family. I too buy books for myself. That is not same as getting books as gifts though.

For the past two weeks, I am having a lucky streak winning six books from various draws on the net world, from all over the world. I cannot explain the thrill of winning books….a few of which are unheard of. The anticipation of holding the book like the first touch of a lover without knowing anything about it is not easy to explain. One has to go through the process. Maybe I am going overboard saying it!

Can anyone be sentimental about books? Well, I am. I am not ashamed of saying it either.

Now for the list of books I won:

1) American Gods by Neil Gaiman from Dewey
2) The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult from Steve and Shaz
3) Nineteen Minutes Jodi Picoult from Steve and Shaz
4) Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult from Literary Feline
5) Town House by Tish Cohen from Jane
6) Downsizing Your Home with Style by Lauri Ward from Collins Nonfiction

I have only received American Gods till date. Others will follow soon enough. Despite my not giving in to stupid sentimental feelings, don’t you think the above books are reason enough for me to dance? The books which are from people I have not met, are a great spark for such feelings.

Yippee!!!