Outside a wintry mornings first breath hangs in an interminable silence.
She awakens;.her eyes wavering unfocussed on the ceiling…
The whispers of a frugal sleep still hanging about.
Here she was once again… old wrinkled skin, flickering vision!
Another possible 86400 seconds to live,
Another twenty-four hours of waning memories and increasing self-doubts.
Yawning away the shadows of the night she struggles to raise her self!
Failing to do so all at once!
A despondent weariness flooding her veins she remains where she is…
Bereft of the desire or the purpose.
A sharp nip pierces her defenseless skin
As the dying embers of a previous day remind her of existence!
Habit beckons with its gnarled finger as she drags her worn out feet
To complete her daily ablutions.
Time creeps alongside on heavy boots as she trudges wearily into the kitchen.
A pot here, a pan there and her little meal is done!
Armed with her cuppa, she trudges to her quiet haven!
Right there on the old used rocking chair near the window by the road!
An ordinary place, but her kind of heaven.
She tugs at the chords pulling apart the unfriendly curtains,
Excitement seasoning her breathless anticipation,
She takes her seat and watches the drama unfold!
The hustle, bustle and tussle of humanity- oh! so age old.
The busy executive who stops to talk on his mobile!
The school children trying to cross the road but take awhile!
What’s this- she stops her rocking, a scene she had not seen for some time!
A pair of young lovers sharing some unforgettable kisses!
Unmindful of the looks, they carried on, enveloped in the their intimacies and caresses…
A gleam comes into her eyes as they moisten with memories!
She sighs and rests back and looks around her
Thoughts gushing through like a torrent of the furies.
Yesterday she was the busy worker who lived upto challenges!
Yesterday the voices of children danced around these empty walls
Like the thousand sparkles of a dancing river!
And was it only yesterday that she had lain in the arms of her confidant and lover…
Was it but yesterday that her life was filled with music and dance and the promise of romance!
Resuming her rocking, she ponders on her present
Of the things that could have been but didn’t!
Today, age had crept up her and vanquished her yearnings!
Beaten down her defenses and ambitions.
Today the children had flown from her nest, as had the love of her life…
Today she was confined in solitude
Her disabilities her lover and her associations filled with strife!
Suddenly dancing sunbeams streak across her face catching her unawares
She squints a bit then sees the light!
A voluble salesman, a directionless stranger, an enquiring neighbour,
There were many faces to see, many tongues to catch
She would be there, with the tips for the neighbor,
The chat with the salesman and most certainly for the stranger…
She would regale all with her experience,
Weaving exotic tales with a large dose of imagination and a sprinkling of candor…
As the brilliant sun rose across the busy world
She waits expectantly by her favorite place by the window!
Waiting for humanity to come calling, waiting for voices to rave, rant and drone
After all she has the best seat in the world
And even though she is lonely she is certainly not alone!