I want to get lost in the by lanes of a strange town
Discover tucked away places and people
People with their stories of the yore
And places which are alive with scents, secrets ‘n’ more

A dimly lit alley which surprises you with trinkets
An old frail gentleman who enthralls with past glories and doomed amulets

A shop around the corner
Alluring you into its depth
With adventures bound in yellow crinkled pages
Also tales of wisdom waiting to be read and retold

A rickety shack with its delicious tidbits
Served only with the chatter of the equally rickety owner
She’s only too happy to coax you to eat more
Narrating incidents of the cities woes

A gentle stream along the town road
Has been and will be witness to all that unfolds
The childhood of young boys spent along its banks
The crackle of young women engaged in chores
And the occasional drifter (like me) from a foreign land ‘n’ search of some lore

A strong urge to belong to such a place
From ones routine to escape
And perhaps in a serendipitous moment meet a stranger with a book and a hat
Whose eyes and soul not unlike my own
Together we would travel
And weave tales of our wander…