My Song

Past slow streams and paddy plains,
A gentle breeze, the drizzling rain;
A blue-bird tries catch-up in vain,
To a soulful beat, my rocking train

…

Back ten years, my numb mind panes;
Glimpses, memories retained:
Had no money, had no pains,
No plans beyond the morrow made;

When music was the sole refrain,
And dreams my waiting soul had gained,
To love, I was not yet ordained,
Just longings that were best contained,

The sleepy city, a narrow lane,
My good 'ol car, a bunch of friends,
Driving with the rolled down panes,
Humming a tune the radio made,

In the back seat, the guitar he played,
My fingers drummed on the wheel splayed,
On a high note, our voices strained…
I still hear the tune play in my head!

…

A thousand miles about to end,
Round the last corner, the rail-road bends,
Draws up to the station, almost spent,
In my notebook, these words I pen:

If ask I could, something of life,
That’d be to make music in the sunshine,
'Cause when night falls and slumber stays,
I hope, somewhere, my song still plays.

(originally penned in 2015. Image: a pic I’d taken at railway station, Chengannur, Kerala)