THE SEASON OF LEARNING

     Springtime lasted longer this year, well into March, gradually introducing to cool mornings, pleasant afternoons and breezy evenings. I sipped in the refreshing morning, inhaling the aroma of lovely fragrant blooms wondering what was in store this summer.

     Felt the sweat of fear in my palms, soon the exams would scorch me off. Pray, the breeze would cool my cup of tea and dry the sweat of fear. Summoned up courage to greet the Sun so to burn the demon-fear. Soon would it end, past harvest time; to exhale and rejuvenate under the fine westerly rain to cleanse the angst. Envisaging thus, to be the intended normality, armed with successful mock drills in my mind. Braced up to face the heatwave mano-a-mano (face to face).

     Humans tend to ridicule nature and toy with science, consequently boomeranged, instilling a newborn fear, a new abnormality, a new season, “The season of learning”.

     The temperature soared outside, it was blissful to be inside, imprisoned in the comforts of home. the heart felt fogged with uncertainty so was laziness a welcome experience:

It felt snug to slouch here

It felt yogic to stand there,

It felt warm to rollover-

Gaping down the ant’s legs

Staring up the faraway wings,

Drifted along with imaginary things-

Felt no guilt harping Nero’s fiddle

Whilst the wildfire spread,

Cuckoos flew around my head 

Ushering brainstorms in my head.

People were migrating in groups 

People were standing in queues,

People went without jobs 

People went on, innovating jobs-

I clapped my hands 

Lit some lamps 

Cared along PM cares.

Never did dare the days to be swamped,

With music and movies

Books and puzzles.

Grocery store adventures to 

Gastronomic misadventures.

Rooms filled with Zooms.

So did my cool meet doom.

Although we earned family time 

Only to be robbed by screen time,

Learning new vocations sans the vacations.

Birds and animals got their space,

Whilst compassion, reduced my pace 

Piously taming the avarice in our hearts.

The summer had passed 

So was the monsoon, wet and hopeless,

The autumn fall turned forlorn 

Far winter looks bleaker-

Was anything going to be the usual!

     Realising that time was at my liberty, thus offering the freedom to experience tranquility so to self explore and retrospect, lighting the way to acclimatise the new prevalence, a new assurance, it’s “The season of learning”.

• Uma Maheswari