Personality Change Wendell Franks stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom looking uncertainly at the image projected back at him. He flicked an imaginary spot from his jacket and to his surprise the spot remained stubbornly present in his mirror image. He bent his head as far as he could to try and…
Child Exploitation
Standing by a traffic stop Scratching at his lice filled hair, Glancing at the traffic cop Ragged clothes and shoulders bare. Baksheesh was his constant cry Tapping on each window pane, Not much cash, but have to try Avoid the bashing and the pain. From his owner’s greedy hand Gets some shelter, little food, Pressed…
Equilibrium
Pouring warmth upon the new born day Sun calls to order earthly kin. Sends sunbeam subjects then to say Let the day’s activity begin! Flowers open up their sleepy eyes, Animals their stirring noises make, Birds begin to chirp in glad surprise Relatives now out upon the lake. Dog alerts at sound of…
कौआ (Kaua) – Chapter 4
A New Life – Conclusion Ranjubai slept fitfully through the afternoon occasionally crying out in pain as she turned on her thin cotton mattress. Her body was on fire. It was later that evening Dass returned lurching unsteadily through streets and singing loudly the latest Hindi song from the Bollywood movie currently being shown at…
कौआ (kaua) = Chapter 3
Life on the Streets “What’s your name?” The girl repeated this in several dialects until it registered with Kaua. Kaua looked at the girl and his lack of language skills distressed him. How was he to prosper in this city unless he could communicate more. “My name is Kaua!” The girl looked at him incredulously,…
कौआ (kaua) – Chapter 2
Chapter 2 – Survival After a while Kaua arose and looked around. He was hungry, tired and his muscles ached from holding on desperately all night. As he progressed back toward the station entrance and the usual cluster of barrows selling a variety of trinkets and foods his eyes focused on a stall where a…
कौआ (kaua) – Chapter 1
Chapter One – The Escape Kaua was his name, well that was not his birth name, but he’d been called Kaua since childhood and had trouble remembering what his real name was. Kaua had vague memories of his parents in his ancestral village. His father had been a village toddy maker and brewed his noxious…
The Winds of Strife
An eerie glow in yonder sky The village stopped to stare, They’d seen it all in days gone by For it was hardly rare. The news reports on high alert For typhoons ran this way, The last one’s damage really hurt It’s memory to stay. The people had nowhere to go Their options very few,…
Bruce’s Life Adjustment
Bruce was in high spirits as he walked into the medical centre. He was a very methodical person, sometimes to the irritation of his spouse Gwen. He was careful to meet his regular scheduled medical check-up appointments. One can’t be too careful he intoned to those who had an interest in listening. Because that was…
Nature in Retreat
Tranquil meadows timbered hills, Wildlife in abundance there. Lonely bush paths, spirit thrills Unspoiled beauty, not a care. Thinking of this tranquil place Make a pledge to settle there, Force country laws to give them space Clear the bushland leave it bare Wildlife leave is mass despair, Roads replace the paths they…
The Eagle
Screaming through the air it came An eagle seeking for its prey, Playing out its ancient game Hoping this would be the day. For eaglets waiting high above Where mountains seem to touch the sky were hoping that a mother’s love Would find success in earth bone dry. And creatures looking in…
The Morning Tamasha
Chandra paused from her work and listened with the practiced care of a mother who had children of her own. Baby Hilda was stirring and making muffled whimpering sounds from her cradle in the main bedroom. Memsahib had entrusted the little one to Chandra while she made a quick trip to the Darji on Main…
