CHILDHOOD GAMES
Childhood games have a thousand funny names:
As a young horn rummaging through bushes on hills 
rambling across the wide countryside for quick fills 
of little, red fruit-bullets from some thorny plants
to scare monkeys during their water haunts
with a stringed V-shaped bamboo striker in hand
inviting bosom friends to form the habitual band ;
and a match-box filled with shiny black beetles
to be flown from threads tied to their necks
till their cute, little wings and our hands ached ;
catch of dragon-flies in vast village fields ,
offer of vermillion on frog’s forehead
with prayers to Indra for rain and high yields ;
chasing grasshoppers during breaks
as food for the mynah in low-hanging cages ;
long swims in river Birupa was quite big fun
back to water-rice with tomato and onion
fresh from orchards at the fertile bank
and fries of fish caught from village tank ;
sisters played ‘puchi’ on festive occasions
and we, desi-cricket almost all afternoons ;
evening baskings under moon in groups
when grandfathers read out from books ;
night was the time for less study more tales
songs from mom about Rama and Krishna’s battles
for sweet-bitter dreams soon to take over
about foliage,fruits, fish,fun,feasts and fairies
and the rhythm of joy seemed endless for ever.

Copyright : saroj k. padhi