#Everyday Inspiration, Day Nine: Writing and Not Writing

Day Nine: Writing and Not Writing

There are a few things I do during the day to balance my life. Part of the time I spend praying as it’s one of the most important thing which gives me solace and also helps continue my day to day activities.

Sometimes my curious mind wants to peek into the world of news. In order to do that, I find myself stuck in the disgusting fake news, and promise to make the world a better place. Sometimes it gets so nauseating, I look for some kind of balm to give my mind peace.

One such thing is listening to music. It’s the best remedy to relieve my mind. I feel for all those citizens who are trying to tolerate the voice that ring in their ears all hours of the day and night.

Moving on I take a few minutes to keep me fit, I walk, do a few yoga steps to avoid being a couch potato.

Cooking is another thing which occupies my day. Sadly the meat, vegetables, even dairy doesn’t taste the same. Mankind has changed everything to make money while endangering our health.

Then there’s the fear of Qovid-19, what we can and cannot do which has taken over our daily lives. Most of us obey the warning of the epidemiologists. But there are others who’ve made their own rules and are happy to believe it’s nothing but a flu’ that’ll disappear in no time.

I fear to think how these simpletons have a restful night knowing thousands are dying, while they follow their fake politician.

Finally I agree with Alexander Pope’s words____ “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

…………………………………. O……………………………..

Writing: Intro to Poetry,Day Nine: Landscape

Poetry, Day Nine: Landscape

Poetic Device: Apostrophe

Dear Tagore,

You  left this earth long ago,

Your songs and poems we treasure more,

It always feels you are back as someone else,

In one of the verses of your song,

It says, ‘who says I am not there,

on a fine morning, I will take part in every

game, I will have a new name, then who will say,

I am, not there that morning.’

I wish you really showed up one

morning, so I can tell you,

how much I love singing your songs.

Wherever you are enjoy yourself,

you’ve left enough poems and songs

for generations to come!

Thank you!

…….…………………………………………. 🙂

 

 

 

 

Everyday Inspiration, Day Nine: Writing and Not Writing

Day Nine: Writing and Not Writing

I could not figure out who I can pair up with to interview. I took the easy way out, I wanted to go in a different direction. 

A true story of one of my college days. It was a hot sunny day I and three of my residence mates, planned to go to watch a movie. We were given permission by our teacher Sr. Joseph Mary. There was one condition, we must have a chaperone with us. Haseena one of the girls said her aunt will go with us.  

We dressed up, waited near the gate for the aunt, it was getting late and we were restless, soon the aunt sent a note saying, she was unable to go, something important has come up.

This was something we did not expect,  the girl whose aunt let us down, said: let’s go anyway, the teacher won’t know if we kept quiet about this, we looked at each other and agreed, it’s not a problem.

Since we were not quite sure about the fourth girl, we asked her if it was okay with her. She also agreed. 

We got out and were walking along the road in search of a baby taxi(this is what they’re called), when suddenly a gentleman popped out of nowhere and offered to give us a ride, he was a stranger we never saw. 

Immediately I said, ‘No thank you.’

We continued walking until we stopped a taxi to take us to the movie hall. Everything went well, we watched the movie, were back in residence without any trouble.

Minutes later fourth girl came back and said, ‘Sister Joseph Mary wants to see you one at a time.’

At once we three said , ‘Why?’

The girl  cried and said, ‘Sister Joseph Mary asked me how was the movie? I felt guilty, started shaking, the teacher told me to calm down and tell her what happened. I told her we went without the chaperone.’

We faced the teacher one at a time, it was my turn, ‘Chaman, why didn’t you tell ?’ Asked the teacher.

I didn’t have a ready-made answer, I said, ‘I was afraid you’d get angry.’

We assembled  in the auditorium with rest of the residents, Sister Joseph Mary scolded us in front of the other girls, we felt bad but afraid to ask Haseena why  she did such a thing!

…….…………………………….. 😦

 

Writing : Intro to Poetry, Day Nine: Landscape

Poetry, Day Nine:Landscape

Poetic Device: Apostrophe

#Introtopoetry

Landscape — Shalimar Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Shalimar gardens

You are awesome indeed.

Emperor Shah Jahan built it for Royal Pleasure,

Now   you are  Pakistan’s treasure!

……………………………

Channels of water in your gardens are fed by canals,

Your Gardens are divided into terraces,

Upper one is the Bestower of Pleasure,

The middle is Bestower of Goodness,

The lower is Bestower of Life,

I hope these names do not cause a strife!

…………………………..

I saw you when I was a student,

I couldn’t take a shot of you,

I didn’t have a camera.

This is why I have an image of you from wikipedia!

………………………………… 😦

 

 

Everyday Inspiration, Day Ten : Let the Scene Write Itself

Day Ten: Let the Scene Write Itself

   “On Location,”

It’s Monday morning, I get ready to walk over to the distant mailbox to pick up my mail. It took me a while to get there, I noticed people going to work, a girl walking with her  book- bag  on her back, she seemed unhappy, perhaps forgot to do her homework or something else. Who cares I tell myself I must concentrate on walking and picking up my mail.

I open the box, the mail I expected were smiling, yes Ranu here we are, time to catch the bus to pay the bills. 

I look at my watch, the route number Two is coming in five minutes. I thank God, I’m so pleased I did not miss it. Waiting along with me are three women each doing their own thing, one is smoking, oh dear I say, second-hand  smoking is more dangerous than actually smoking. I have no choice I cannot move, it’s no use telling the woman to stop.

I see route number Two coming, I get on scan my card, turn around to get a seat, suddenly I thought there was no seat, they were full . I wait, next minute I saw a small vacant space, beside it I see a teeny tiny little girl sitting quietly. I sat down and said, Hello, her head started to lower, I’m puzzled I look at the lady sitting on the other side, she smiled, this is my daughter, she’s very shy with strangers, she won’t lift her head until it’s time to get off.

A voice in me reminds , hey you taught kids for eons, come on speak to her. I say, ‘Hi,’ It’s time for me to get off. She lifts her little head, extends her hand, I hold it and shake it, but she held on wouldn’t let go. I said I have to go, suddenly she releases my hand and raises her palm, Oh I say hi five, mom says yes, the older sister nods, we smile I get up and get off the bus.

On my way to the bank I kept thinking about the little girl and felt pleased that I spent all those years teaching little kids, they are truly amazing!

……………………………………. 🙂 

 

writing 101,Day, 9 : Camouflage by Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Assignment: For today’s poem, take inspiration from ‘Camouflage’__ you may apply it in any way you like, whether you write about visual or social dissimulation, or focus in the way we hide our myriad emotions,actions, and reactions. What would be your ultimate smokescreen, concealment, or mask?

 

Image from Wikipedia

The peacock flounder,is a flowery fish

They are outwardly colored

with spots that are bluish!

………………………………

Their ability to change color

in mere seconds

helps them to hunt

and hide from predators!

…………………………

These flowery flounders

can move in any direction

One eye can look forward

and the other  can look  backward!

…………………………….

Camouflage is the name of the game

Comparatively humans put us to shame

Our human predator’s face is so fake

We are unable to recognize them

Even if our life is at stake!

………………………

Many innocent lives are lost

We don’t seem to have the instinct

like that of the flowery flounder

Who is always ready to react

whatever may be  the cost!

…………………………………………….:)

 

 

 

 

Writing 101, Day Nine: Writing and not writing

Today’s assignment: What do you do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing, it depends on the time of day,if  I’m finished writing, early morning, I pick up either the Bhagwad Gita  or Thich Nhat Hanh,’The Miracle of mindfulness.’ It depends on my mood as well. If I’m happy, I listen to songs on YouTube, mostly Hindi or Urdu or my favorite Bengali songs.

Besides writing I am also registered for an online course, where there are lessons given to us, one every week. I study them, pick a question and answer it.

We the participants are expected to read each other’s comment and give our replies. When I first joined the course, I was bothered by someone,  who did not want me to be in the course, because I am  a  Bengali. I did not say or do anything to make her feel that way. My being a Bengali was the only reason.

At first I toyed with  the idea of leaving the course and joining the Memorial University, which is across the street from my house.Then the thought, I have as much right to be in the course as  her, made me change my mind.

I’m continuing the course and still enjoying it, the day I feel it’s a burden, I’d leave and concentrate on writing,reading and cooking too.

At the moment, I’m pleased to stay in the course. Our facilitator is a fine gentleman, I’m actually indebted to him for allowing me to register in the course. It’s a course on Allama Iqbal, the poet and philosopher.I did not have any previous knowledge of him, I have learned everything I know by doing this course.

I also spend time cooking, which I love to do. One time I baked a lot, I do not do it anymore, it keeps me from eating cookies and cakes, which really is not good for me, considering the fact,there is too much sugar in them. I have learned sugar is not the best thing to consume if I want to stay healthy.

These are some ways I spend my time. I love writing, when I have nothing to write I translate songs into English.

……………………….. 🙂

 

Writing 201: Poetry

Day 9: Cold, Concrete Poem,Anaphora/Epistrophe
Today’s form : Concrete Poetry
Today’s device: Anaphora/Epistrophe
When
the days
are shorter
my mind begins
to wonder, are we
expecting to see large
snowflakes today?My mind
says:not just yet,be ready
with your shovels and ice pick
after snow it might rain and make
the surface slippery and icy,it really
becomes so bad only your skates will help.
I know
December
is the
month
when the snow will show up.
It will cover the car, the walkway
the outside porch and driveway and the tree
O God, help me I will say
O God, You are the one who
can save me,from the cold ice and snow
From today I will begin to Pray,
So the snow is not heavy, I will Pray,
Do you think it will help if I Pray?
So that the winter does not last long!
………………………… 🙂