Written for Round 9 of "The Slam" (Item ID: 554585). |
The prompt is to "mix up" four things and use them to write a poem. These things have to be an interior object (here, motes of dust), an exterior object (here, the dry leaves of the banyan tree), a print item (here, a travel brochure) and a media item (here, a TV contest). Travelling Thoughts Sitting in my rocking chair today, I picked up the "European Adventure" brochure of SOTC Travels Pvt. Ltd.: Free this and free that, offered On top of a heinously exorbitant main fee ... I snickered at the piece of colourful lie, and putting it aside, I turned on the TV: Cool offer of a contest beamed back at me - Just tell us if it was Michael Jackson or Michael Mouse who sang the song "Beat It", and win - A free tour for two to the mighty US of A! - said the emcee on air. Once again, I laughed, At the vainglorious world around me; Outside my home, there blew a pleasant wind, bringing with it the dry leaves of the Banyan tree, While inside, the dust motes travelled round and round, No beginning and no end to their meanderings- A Brownian adventure, like bacteria in a Petri-dish ... The world, after all, is also round. Such a small place. Desires to roam it bloomed in my mind; I reached for a paper and started scribbling my name and the answer - Michael Jackson. I simply needed To be carried with the tide of this crazy world. © Dr. Taher Kagalwala, 2004 |