a sapling and a birthday !

Must I relate this uneventful event?!

A little far from the foot of that rocky hill, red earth looked dusty, dry and parched. On that dreary, desolate land, sparsely dotted with thistles and thorny bushes, stood a lonely hapless sapling. How did it come to live there nobody could answer. Rarely sweeping winds on that field were usually hot and humid, not making it anymore friendly and comfortable.

The summer was sweltering, unbearable, hot and merciless on everything that was there on that reddened tract.

That single sapling of paddy might have found life there by the grace of a paddy grain that might have got unintentionally spilled by some faceless shepherd.

Yet….there it stood - dry, pale, thin and weak without nutrients or sufficient water. It was probably….losing its life in that scathing summer weather.

That seedling looked younger and tender. In a cultivated group, it would take long for harvesting. But in that uncultivated tract, it was unlikely to expect any sort of dignified life. it did not a have any vital value. No cultivation can be imagined.

Half past three in that evening suddenly gathered a pal of cloud-dark and heavy. Sky suddenly turned benevolent and cool. Greyish, dark, water-bearing cloud rolled and accumulated into one big bunch.

It looked as though, that seedling was about to receive some heavenly blessing. Only waiting for a torrential rain to start, that may give life to an already dying plant. It was a ray of hope. It was a promise of life for that sapling.

Slowly….

It did not start raining but… a gust of wind rose. Too gentle, yet forceful enough to drive away that rain cloud. That dark-grey cloud, which was hanging just above, started wandering….and slowly drifting away from that part of the sky.

That fateful wind blew away the graceful cloud, out of any chance of shedding any drop of rain. Drifting…..wandering…rolling….into the horizon in the north, it disappeared forever.

Dry, withering, struggling and voiceless,  

last hope for life, lost with that passing cloud,
            vanquished and resigned,
            preparing to get life snuffed out,

there stood that longing paddy sapling..., and

            there stood.....

            an ominous silence prevails over that field even to this day.

wish you a very happy birthday janaki.
10th of every october could have been a day for graceful and solemn celebration. chances are lost forever. happy birthday janaki. happy birthday and....happy birthday.