snooty to boot

I dedicate this very raw poem to my 1983 batchmates of Lady Irwin Sr Sec School. Anyone of my batchmates who criticizes this, gets to write another one! Others, feel free to critique it! Rob, you came up with a perfect prompt which made my adrenalin flow at the right time. Thanks!

twenty five years-
is it not too long
to get reacquainted
how do we recognise
each from the other
presuming we became

from giggly school girls
to responsible women
with character lines
wobbling tummies
sagging eyes, a child
or two tagging behind.

from pencil thin jeans
to baggy hideous clothes
reading stupid romances
to juggling financial figures
where do we start
where do we end

do I need to be reminded
of my stupid mistakes
or silly immature dreams
or my puppy fat
always hungry look
short of money
in the torn pockets-

those fights over notes
never over guys
snooty to boot
basketball scored high
much better than those
neighbourhood school boys

sharing of tears
over adolescent fears
a single pimple
brought us to the brink
secrets shared in the midst
of doing math sums

only a miniscule of what
I want to convey
yes, I wish for a second chance
to bring back those memories
and having done that-
make new ones.

batch of '83- come, let us be together.

Another Chance----Sunday Scribblings

This week's prompt for Sunday Scribblings is Second chance. All of us desire for a second chance at one time or the other. We say, if only I had done this way…

If only, I get another chance...

This one goes for my dad. Thanks dad, wherever you are! I write the following for you in a slightly ironic note…

Second Chance

words rolling of my tongue never did impress you,
all you wished for me- laws and postulates to pursue.

nothing could compare with purest of pure sciences,
with my rebellion streak, I led you to merry dances.

With your persuasive best, you made me complete
my master’s degree in chemistry. I ended up replete

with valency, double bonds and kekule structures-
leaving out Chaucer, Milton, Bronte, Shakespeare

out of my periphery but only for little short while.
as soon I could, I got back without any further trial.

that previous degree was taken to fulfil your goal,
masters in English literature overwhelmed my soul.
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As I have said ad nauseam, after I passed out from grade 12 with very good marks, I wanted to pursue English Literature. I was good at it; I loved to read and loved to articulate. (Writing came much later unless you consider groovy essays and various synopses). Therefore, for me that was the natural progression. There was a major obstacle. I had not envisaged that at all. When I told my dad, he was very much against it. He wanted me to study Mathematics or pure sciences. No Biology stream either. Mathematics, Physics or Chemistry. As simple as that. I had the choice of choosing one from these three. Come to think of it, there was no choice at all. I did not want to study Mathematics and Physics was kind of God for me. No one can study God.

I was left with Chemistry. I protested but for no avail. Therefore, I ended up completing my bachelor’s degree. After I completed that, he told me it would take only two more years to get my PG degree. This time too I did his bidding. I finished a teaching degree also, after that. As soon I passed out, I landed up as a teacher…a Mathematics teacher…I had studied Mathematics in my bachelors degree along with Physics. Those were ancillary subjects, chemistry being the main one.

After a few years of working, I enrolled myself for a PG degree in English and completed it. Science students can opt for most humanities subjects. My dad was somewhat happy after I finished my PG degree in English too.

I had this grudge against him for a long time that he didn't let me pursue English Literature right from the beginning. After I finished my second PG, I realised that if I had done English in the first place, I wouldn’t be holding two masters degrees in, as varied subjects as Chemistry and English. Maybe I would have regretted that at some stage. Now I do not regret anything. I am grateful to my dad who is no more. I did get a second chance.

It does not seem ironical anymore that I studied Chemistry, teach Mathematics and love English literature.

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More second chances..