Walking through a
stuffy subway,
my feet felt leaden
the air was stifling
and suddenly I felt
overpowered
not by the putrid stench
and the clogging heat,
but by
the strains of
a heart-lilting
yesteryear tune!

I stood entranced
unbidden tears in my eyes
revelling in the
almost forgotten
rapturous sounds
sans a faulty note,
strummed by a
dishevelled guitarist
down on his luck!

Soon, we were a merry,
motley, jostling crowd –
our pedestrian miseries
forgotten,
savouring the pure strains
and asking for more
and
his bowl soon
filled up with shiny coins …
A small price to pay
for raising the lid
on cherished memories!