ROMANCE OF THE FOUNTAIN PEN

Today, as i was cleaning up the clutter left behind by a month of holidays, I came across a fountain pen.Do you remember those pens lining our geometry boxes? It was as if a window opened and I could feel myself reliving those moments again.
In those days when we reached the middle school, a fountain pen with a Chelpark ink bottle was part of the rite of passage. Every child was entrusted with a pen belonging to their father or grandfather and it was a ceremonious  call to arms , if you will, to the serious vocation of being an adult.

I still remember the thrill of holding my first ever black and silver pen. It felt so smooth and weighty. Yes, surprisingly, that's what I remember it feeling. Weighty as if it wasn't just a pen but a tool to forge my destiny. I was given careful instructions on how to fill the pen with that rich almost velvety coloured ink, how to keep the bottle of ink tightly screwed. Many were the dire stories told about the accidents which could happen. A soft rag was also part of the paraphernalia of the pen. There used to be a suction dropper to fill the belly of the pen or if you were adventurous enough, you could eyeball and fill the pen directly. An exercise in hand eye coordination if ever there was one.It made you feel like Arjuna who succeeds in piercing the eye of the fish ,if you managed to fill the pen without spilling even a drop.

If you thought that the pen was just a tool to write; well, you thought wrong. It wasn't just a pen to function as a writing tool but also a fun instrument. In those dark moments of utter boredom, the pen would give you a light of entertainment. Squirt the ink onto the page. Fold the page at the centre. Smear the ink on the page with your fingers. Wait for few seconds and then open. What you see there was open to interpretation and as I think was the precursor to modern art.

There was always a method involved in making the pen write. Sometimes the pen would develop a stubborn attitude and refuse to finish that important letter or question or even a prescription. It was important to understand the mood of the pen and somehow calm the tantrum. Easy said then done. One had to take a step back. Pause. Pick up the pen and gently rub the nib of the pen, almost like stroking a cat. Then very slowly coax the pen to write while mumbling sweet nothings into its ears.
Believe it or not, it always worked.

Sometimes when the mood was just right, the pen would almost dance over the page leaving beautiful velvety , inky , glowing letters on the page. It was as if a dam had broken and words which echoed in your mind connected to the pen. Magic. That's what it was.

If you think about it, a simple fountain pen could teach you appreciation to life itself. Lets recount certain lessons by this beautiful  yet humble instrument to people's creativity.
1. To be prepared
2. Never to loose focus
3. To pause when things go wrong
4. To appreciate the beauty of the written word
5. To think before you act, write because the wrong act/ word would leave a mark on the pristine page.

Unfortunately with the  passage of time and technical advances the romance of the written word has faded. Now the fountain pen resides in the cupboard , waiting for the era to return.

Why is the crow black


Long long time ago
when the world was still new
when the trees and flowers gladly swayed
when the birds and animals gladly spoke
It was a time when the good lord
had not yet made man in his image
when the world was a paradise
and every creature big and small could talk

The lord of the world saw his creation and thought
"I should colour it for it looks too bland".
He declared that the next morning he would colour the birds
"So, come early everyone and I shall colour you pretty".
Such excitement gripped the avian
"We will be colourful". chirped the finches
"We will be colourful', chirped the swift swallows
'I will look the most elegant", strutted the peacock
But the lazy crow just opened his eyes and said
"time enough, time enough.
Let me sleep. There's time enough"

Next morning, the glade was full of twittering, chirping
clucking,tweeting, trilling, quacking ,shrieking and hooting.
Every bird big and small jostled and plucked for space
Every bird had a demand that the lord paint her beautiful.
But the lazy crow peeked from beneath his wings and yawned
"time enough, time enough.
Let me sleep. There's time enough"

"Soon, soon my feathered darlings , you will be beautiful
.Have a  little patience. let me get my tools and I will be ready for you".
HE called the rooster to strut out of the coop
"Tell me what colour suits your mood"
"Red please, your lordship. Red as the rising sun
For I greet him every morn"
"True", said the lord "I will gift you the colours of the sun"
The rooster looked proud with his fiery red and flaming orange
"I look perfect", crowed he
But the lazy crow with the sleepy shut eyes said,
"time enough, time enough.
Let me sleep. There's time enough"


A dove came fluttering shyly"May I, please, choose my colour?"
"Yes, my dear. What is your wish?"
"White.Just Like the foam of the sea.
That's the colour for me"
"White it is my precious .For white is the colour of hope too
The colour of peace in a world which is quite noisy sometimes
HE picked up his brush and painted the dove white.
"Oh!! Its beautiful. It's just the colour for me. "
"Yes . It is ", Said the lord
"When the storm clouds gather You can be seen from a distance
When the noise of the world becomes too loud,
then will your wings beat out the message of peace,
You are the symbol of hope. Go spread your wings to the sun"
But the lazy crow cracked open his eyes and said
"time enough, time enough.
Let me sleep. There's time enough"

Soon the eagle bold came and stood by the lord

"Paint me a colour of the dazzling sun

For I rise above the Terra firm.

Give my wings the speed of wind

When I strike, I strike true"

"Yes, my child." Said HE ," I made you free and true

and the golden colour is for you

Rise above the petty morass
Fly to heavens above the high mountain pass.
How proudly shook his wings, the brave
and to the heavens , a path he paved
But the lazy crow drowsily mumbled and said
"time enough, time enough.
Let me sleep. There's time enough"

Sashayed the peacock through the mob

Spread his feathers and coyly bobbed

"Please your Highness, Wouldn't you paint me bright?

I have such long feathers. Wouldn't you colour me to rival the light ?"

"Of course," quote HE" I would love to see your feathers bright

Don't You worry, darling. I will colour them just right".

Then the lord picked his brush and dipping it in colour so gay

HE made the peacock dance and sway

"When the rains beat their drums from the skies above,

You shall show your glorious feathers dancing in the grove"

But the lazy crow hardly heard the talk but lisped

"time enough, time enough.
Let me sleep. There's time enough"

The day was now waning fast
and the lazy crow got up with a gasp
"Am I late?", wondered he
"Where is everyone? Have they left me here?"
He crawled out of the tree and looked everywhere
Not a bird could he see.
"Oh my!! I am very late."
Saying so , he shook his wings and flew post haste
The glade was full of birds colourful
Who looked at the lazy crow now doleful.
"Am I very late or is there any colour left?"
He looked so sad and felt so bad.
Why oh why , was I so lazy??
Now I am the only one who looks  so hazy".

The good lord with a stern face said
"You knew the order of the day.
Yet you chose to sleep and stay.
Now all have been painted and done
and my paints are all gone.
I am afraid I cannot help you
for this wonderful chance you blew."
HE gathered up his tools and brushes
and the lazy crow wept in gushes
"Forgive me ,please. I am sorry
Please paint me  any colour without a worry"

How could the lord turn away from the sad crow
He put down his brushes and wiped his brow
Looking here and there , he spied a tub of colour black
"This is the only colour that I don't lack.
Would you like this on your back
cause there is no more in my pack."
All the birds stood silently by
 As the crow nodded his head with a sigh.
The lord gently picked up the crow forlorn
and coloured him all black from head to toe
and with HIS grace caused the colour to glow
"There, You look beautiful. So black and so shiny
You will be a piece of night in the gleaming morning

Now the crow looked over his feathers gleaming black
He bowed his head and said" thank you lord for this colour so right
I will gladly carry it as a mirror to light and say I so humbly
I am glad that i was forgiven for my mistakes horrible"
So every bird was glad and chirped up a storm
and returned to their nests in a swarm.

Unresolved

When was it that I became no more than a shadow
Was it then when the fire at the pit burned bright and strange
Was it then when under the veil questions trembled
Was it then when unknown people pushed forward and claimed me as theirs

Was it then when I was expected to do ; not think , not say
Was it then when the person i thought was mine turned away
Was it then when questions were not to be thought of
Was it then when I realised I am homeless

For the home I knew for the last many years is not mine anymore
And the home I dreamed of creating has no room for me

Was it then when the doors shut tight against my beating fists
Was it then when I was told it is all your fault
Was it then when the person who claimed me turns and says
You are nothing.

Yes it was then and now and ever more when the girl I knew is gone
Ask her what her dreams were and she gives a stupid look

Yes it was then that she realises she has offered not just the ghee
But burned herself slowly and steadily so nothing remains.....just ashes

Yes it is now I say that phoenix rise from ashes
Take it and smear it on the forehead of your conscious self
Take it and mix it with your yet to be formed soul
Like manure or fertilisers
Let new flowers bloom forth
Let a new garden of dreams emerge.

I am a woman,hear me roar
give me wings, watch me soar
Too long have I sat brooding
Too long has the night been roosting
Let me take up my hammer
Draw the steel from my heart
Shape my destiny as an arrow
Break the boughs, make  a bow
Temper the steel with my resolve
Brace the arrow and evolve
Shoot straight and true
No time to sit and rue
Long has been the winter
Now for the ice to splinter
I might be weak
But my dreams are strong
Make no mistake
Nor chains bind
I will break all
I am a woman , hear me roar

WOMEN'S DAY


A day like any other except for all the news tags in the morning screaming "Happy Women's Day".
What does it mean? How is today different from other days?International women's day was designated to mark the acceptance of women as part of the universal adult suffrage movement but has it just become a hash tag??

The scenario around the world largely remains unchanged for so many women even after 1917. Yes, women's day was celebrated to acknowledge contribution of the women in the world as we see it today, however the narrative has hardly changed. We see women abused physically , emotionally and financially even now. 

In times of peace and economic development, women are expected to take home salaries which are considerably less than that of their men colleagues and woe betide any women who raises this issue.
Maternity leave which is sanctioned by the govt. and the constitution is given in a very blase manner as if to underline the fact that you are someone who needs this leave cause you are weak. Well...try pushing out a human from within you and then tell me how it feels. 

Anyway, the idea is not to be hostile to anyone but present certain unsavoury observations on the occasion of Women's Day. Even after so many years of freedom we still have to free half the population from the shackles of male domination. Take a simple example, like "Your father / husband/ brother is tired after the office. Give him a glass of water/ tea etc". A woman is expected to take care of the male of the species. Why???? The woman has also come in bringing the bacon home. How is her bacon inferior or why shouldn't she be allowed to rest herself?

I don't say that a woman should not care for her loved ones but shouldn't she care for herself first. If a man doesn't take care of the family or the lady of the house, why is  he not strung up. You say that a woman has to be seen and not heard. How is that right?? We are muzzling the voice of half the population and we term it civilised.Makes no sense.

The true essence of a women's day would be when we understand not the macro level of empowerment but go deep down into the micro level of enslavement. Tiny little missiles launched every day , quite innocently, have punctured a women's worth in her own eyes. A truly celebratory women's day would be when we as  women not only understand each other but raise each other up. When we hold each others hands and let it be known that we are unwilling to demean ourselves each day, every day.

A woman does not only look pretty but is a pretty strong personality herself so don't get me wrong , when I say, a women's day is not just a day for vacant lip service but a day when women decide not to be demeaned.