Starting today, the Seniors Today Weekend Edition will publish Poetry and Short Stories sent in by our readers.
We start with three poems by Jayshree Misra Tripathi from New Delhi.
These, as she tells us, are from Uncertain Times, her “slim collection of sentiments published as an ebook by Pepperscript, in August 2020, when the pandemic was ‘raw’.
Towards midnight
Thoughts
raging, scrambling for the upper berth,
Memories
churning, surrounding the eye of the storm,
My palms are folded-
Namaskar.
No, I am not praying.
Stillness.
I see
fingers weathered by age,
nail polish, chipped at the edges,
I close my eyes,
greet unknown shadows
that change shape,
as I turn out the light.
Calm, must stay Calm,
Before the Storm.
The past cannot be undone,
the present, so wasted,
the future, yet to be Born.
***
Disquiet in Isolation.
Are you scared,
of being alone too long
with thoughts that spill over
from the past,
memories drowned,
you do not wish to dredge?
Are you scared,
of being alone too long
with whispers from empty corners,
visions that float unbidden,
like dust rising with the breeze,
you cannot yet evade?
Are you scared,
of being alone too long
tomorrow, with premonitions,
uncertain of the infrequent shadows
walking beside you, if any,
for they may all be unknown?
Breathe deeply,
Inhale, exhale-
Angst is just another word.
***
#LockdownBlues
Loneliness
has been redefined.
Urban city dwellers
in confined space, hark!
Love will find a way-
If not, isolation will.
No sense of tranquillity
at these interruptions,
fearful of our mindfulness,
we rally forth
armed with good intentions,
hide the hollowness
in the pit of the stomach,
revere quiet solitude
to reflect, to listen, to relearn.
Solitude an invisible shield
Seniors Today Weekend Edition invites short stories and poetry from readers. These must be in English, and should be original – as in written by the sender. Only those who are seniors – above the age of 60 – are eligible to send in their short stories and poetry to inbox@seniorstoday.in. Please write ‘Creative Corner’ in the subject line. We will respond to each and every mail that we receive, but please allow at least two weeks for us to respond. Your mails must have your full name and day-time telephone number where we can reach you, if necessary.
