Discover Prompts, Day 17: Distance

My first experience happened when I was seven. My father told us we’ll leave New Delhi, I was the curious one, I didn’t waste time asking, ‘why Abba we’d have to leave and where are we going?’

To Rawalpindi was his reply, he was transferred from Delhi to Rawalpindi. We arrived by train. It was a long journey, I was tired and hoped we’d arrive at the strange place in a jiffy. My dream did not come true, I had to endure the journey, where there were several stops. Eventually we reached our destination.

My Dad was concerned about our school. He was told the best school in the city was Presentation Convent. My older sister was given the responsibility of looking after my admission.

After registration one of my teachers took me to the classroom where I was introduced to the teacher who was my homeroom teacher.

There was one thing I enjoyed in this school was Music. The teacher taught us a lot of songs, one of my favourite was the song, “In Derry Vale.”

Many years have passed, I still remember this song. I knew the lyrics, I did not pay attention to the meaning, I enjoyed singing it quietly in a corner of my house.

After all these years I paid attention to the lyrics and realized why the tune of the song was so sad.

I will write a part of the song to let the reader understand why this song is my favourite here it is :

In Derry Vale Beside the Singing River,

So Oft I strayed Ah many years ago

And culled at morn the golden daffodillies

That came with Spring To set the world Aglow,

Oh Derry vale my thoughts are ever turning

To your broad stream and fairy circles lea

For your green isles my exiled heart is yearning

So far away across the sea.

I feel for those nuns who left their home in Ireland, to come to teach in a place so far away from their homeland.

I know now how it feels to be in a place which is so far away from my original homeland. There are so many things I miss which I cannot experience because of the distance.

No one forced me to leave my home, I made the decision myself. The song reminds me, I too think of how far away I am from the green fields, and the innocent people who live there!

Dp Daily Prompt: If You Leave

I moved from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Montreal Canada. I moved again from Montreal Canada to Gander Canada. Finally I moved from Gander to St.John’s, Canada.

We did consider moving to the mainland it did not work out so we had to give up the idea.

There were a lot of factors against moving,selling our house was one, buying a place where we intended to move,the distance from our new home to the hospital,in case of an emergency was important for us to consider.

In the end the distance was a major deterrent, therefore we settled against moving. We are happy where we are,everything is close to our home.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/daily-prompt-if-you-leave/

Khaila Bhola (Absent-minded Play) Poem by Tagore Translation By Ranu

“Yes, there he sat, on the back of the winged horse!” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you think my mind is  occupied in play?

It is not true at all Mom,listen.

when I woke up early  the clouds were gone,

Sun , peeking through the trees.

Pooja music was coming from a distance,

three birds fighting on the roof.

toys scattered in front   what will I play,

I was thinking.

Spent the whole day undecided___

Sat holding the railing deep in thought.

I have  days of absent-mindedness Mom__

times when I have a queer feeling.

I see  the terrace

a little girl putting  a purple sari in the sun.

Quietly I watch, is it the wilderness__

I guess yonder is the king’s palace.

If I had  a winged-horse,

I would go immediately.

flying along the river bank

I would correct my way under a tree.

At times I see you with Dad’s letter

what do you think so quietly.

You look someone from an unknown land,

as if you are my mother from far away.

coming close I touch you__ it seems it’s my lost mother,

under the oak tree mother of flute .

I forget my play, I think

where is your home on which shore of the ocean!

I wish to go back to that strange island

you and me sailing on the sailboat!