Gathering Illusory Spoils…

Indira Mishra

I sit at my study desk,
All agog, to cram upto my throat
Until I choke and see black,
For a forthcoming test…

I manage to lose myself
In this weird wilderness of words,
Goaded by these sheaves of paper
Sprawled importantly before me,
Trying desperately, to ‘enlighten’ myself.
For, they claim they can open my eyes
To the mechanizations of this world.
And I indulge their delusions…

Unwittingly, I glance outside my window
My gaze, arrested by a patch of blue sky,
Seemingly distant, utterly unattainable,
Like a creature in a dream…

Through the din of the noontime traffic,
I’m able to decipher a lone, faint call.
Melodious and melancholy in its remoteness.
Yet mesmerizing –I think it’s a koel’s song.
Like an old friend I’ve long forgotten,
While I’ve been running without rest
In a fast-paced, remorseless world,
Gathering illusory spoils…

Yesterday’s Sands…

Indira Mishra

Take a walk alone
On a breezy evening.
Head not for the nearest store,
But simply go on ahead,
Wherever your feet take you.
Can you hear a voice?
Talking to you like a friend,
Deep in the recesses
Of your overburdened heart?
Listen to that voice
And clamp shut your hears
To the intruding world outside.
And if you see little children
Lost in their own little games,
Forget your blues
And look on…
Admire life’s simple treasures
And let your heart fill with joy.
So, leave your foot-prints behind.
The wind shall blow them awayLike yesterday’s sands…