Wednesday, 8 June 2011

THE KABAB MAN

    

        Every day of the week I see
                                                                     Him sitting there.
                                                                     With bricks kept one
                                                                     Upon  the other,
                                                                     Like a charcoal mine;
                                                                     With a skewer
                                                                     On which lies all kinds of shape and size,
                                                                     Some round,
                                                                     Some long,
                                                                     Some sleek,
                                                                     Some stout,
                                                                     Some like tongues.
                                                                     He keeps the fire burning,
                                                                     Till the end of time.
                                                                     Besides the convent wall
                                                                    The same I used to see,
                                                                    Forty years back.
                                                                   Besides my convent wall
                                                                   The man with his skewer,
                                                                   And a long beard
                                                                   And a grill made of bricks.
                                                                   Nostalgia to the core
                                                                   My mind bore.
                                                                   A scene which I saw
                                                                  When I was a little girl.
                                                                   I see it when my little girl
                                                                  Goes to school.
                                                                  The same kind of a picture
                                                                  The same kind of a man
                                                                  With his long beard
                                                                   Sits besides the skewer and grill
                                                                   Made of brick.
                                                                   Besides the convent wall.
                                                                   Alas! It is the nostalgic past
                                                                   If we could undo it.
                                                                   And go back into times,
                                                                   It brings us fond memories.
                                                                                                                ©  -Anjana Pai.

1 comment:

  1. Very nice Anjana. You have captured the feeling of nostalgia and our longing to go back in time in a very simple yet beautiful manner.

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