Talking of Love

‘Driest June in hundred years’, the papers, had said. Yes, there was no rain, but no dearth of sweat in the entire month. Even at 6 am, hyperventilating humans could be seen huffing and puffing, their beads of sweat cascading down to tickle the parched earth out of its unbecoming languor and drowsy numbness. The entire month of June, the scavengers, with their sacks flung over their shoulders had been busy, elbowing away the perspiration from their brows. The suffocating humidity had crept into the very beings of the canines and felines, turning them into unmoving stones. Well, almost.

The July sky had been taken over by dark, clouds, big, small, massive and absolutely tiny. One humongous cloud with a Pinocchio nose had me riveted, but a surgeon, masquerading as a cloud, did a little rhinoplasty on the nose, and it now had a well chiseled nose, which also soon fell. Alas! Newer clouds reigned now; of different shapes. Different hues, different characteristics.

Depressing news items had made my heart heavy. Fifteen killed in a housing society in Pune as a wall collapsed on make-shift shelters – this news item kept hammering away at my head. The welcoming smile of that girl tied to her mother’s back, whom I had seen just a few days back, as the mother worked away on the construction site, as the scorching sun poured its wrath on her, kept flashing before my eyes. What was her future? How far would that innocent smile continue to remain part of her countenance?

I could see the sun’s round, fiery face contorting into a peevish frown as I badmouthed the unrelenting heat. (Or may be, it was once again, my fertile imagination to blame?) My heart was almost on bursting point.

Morning Meanderings by Dr Santosh Bakaya

And sometimes when the night is slow
The wretched and the meek
We gather up our hearts and go
A thousand kisses deep.

Almost like a much-needed miracle, Leonard Cohen hummed in my ears, as I saw the labourer couple picking up their child, and kissing her on both cheeks. Unabashedly. Ceaselessly. Almost smothering her with kisses.

Vague longings stirred in my overwhelmed heart. If only instead of strings of meaningless platitudes, reams of so-called wisdom and senseless rhetoric, we could just talk of love. Pure and simple. How easily would things fall in place. Yes, I am known to be a naïve emotional fool, but so what! Talking of love never harmed anyone.

Hidden in one of the Ashoka trees, a feisty koel trilled away and some sparrows added their tiny notes to the koel’s song. I suddenly noticed that the sun had given up its frowns and the morning unfurling was a melodious song, untouched by the chaotic cacophony of a world, enamoured of war, hatred, jealousy, lynching and ego tussles. The peacocks were squawking away and the frogs and tadpoles were matching their frantic steps with the breezily dancing clouds, bloated with promise.

I looked back to find the girl-child still chortling gleefully between the arms of her parents – caught between loving kisses. The very thought of love had changed the entire complexion of the morning. Everything seemed to be fine with the world, I dashed home, the endearing image permanently etched in my mind.

(Pictures: Pixabay)

Watch this space for more Morning Meanderings every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 🙂

Click to read all Morning Meanderings here.

About the Author

Santosh Bakaya ( 175 Posts)

Dr Santosh Bakaya is the author of three mystery novels for young adults, and a book of essays titled Flights From My Terrace, which was recently published as an e-book on Smashwords. Her poetic biography of Mahatma Gandhi, Ballad Of Bapu has been published by Vitasta Publishers, Delhi, India in May 2015 and has been receiving rave reviews from everywhere. Although a Political theorist, with a doctorate in political theory, it is literature which has been her first love. She was awarded the Reuel international award for language and literature 2014 for her long poem Oh Hark!, which forms part of the Significant Anthology. Many of her poems have figured in the highly commended category in Destiny Poets, a UK based website and many are part of international anthologies. Right now, she is giving the final touches to her satirical novel, tentatively titled Sanakpur Shenanigans.
All Posts of Santosh Bakaya