Do you have a similar memory from the days of your childhood? Could be anyone...someone who sold candy floss in tiny packets, or candy, or mint or tiny black sweet and sour balls made of tamarind and other unknown things, or may be a tea shop you visited often, or a seller of sweets you couldn't do without...someone? Something?
Did you come back from school, throw your bag somewhere and rush out to play with your group of friends (as opposed to going for endless tuitions or whiling away time playing computer games)? Do you miss those days?
(By the way, the ice cream seller did not sing...that's a poetic licence I have allowed myself to take.)
I do not know if this poem has much of what seasoned poets would call poetic brilliance. The language is simple to the extent of being plain and there is no intricate or complicated wordplay.
It will also be of no use to you in increasing your vocabulary. Still, it is close to my heart. Very close. Don't know why.
Perhaps somethings are best expressed when they are expressed in the simplest possible manner.
Did you come back from school, throw your bag somewhere and rush out to play with your group of friends (as opposed to going for endless tuitions or whiling away time playing computer games)? Do you miss those days?
(By the way, the ice cream seller did not sing...that's a poetic licence I have allowed myself to take.)
I do not know if this poem has much of what seasoned poets would call poetic brilliance. The language is simple to the extent of being plain and there is no intricate or complicated wordplay.
It will also be of no use to you in increasing your vocabulary. Still, it is close to my heart. Very close. Don't know why.
Perhaps somethings are best expressed when they are expressed in the simplest possible manner.
THE ICE CREAM SELLER'S SONG
I
Jingle! Jingle! The bells ring out
And all of us, we run
The Ice Cream Seller! Here he comes!
Oh dear, what fun!
Quickly the box opens up
We crowd to see his wares
Our mothers shout "You greedy kids!"
We let them shout, who cares?
For every noon when the sun is up
And we are down in dumps
With jingling bells and ready smile
The Ice Cream Seller comes
Little hands inside little pockets go
One pice and two and three
"I'll have butterscotch", "Vanilla here!"
"May I have one for free?"
Orange bars and Mango lollies
And lots and lots of cream
Frozen ice to melt in your mouth
Its like your sweetest dream.
My lovely days of childhood
The touch of my Mother's hand
The group of friends, the Ice Cream man
It was a fairy land!
II
As we grew, the times changed
I saw my friends less
School and books and marks and grades
And subjects, all a mess
When in the noon, with books closed
I'd pretend to snatch a nap
My eyes gazed at the lane below
From the narrow window crack
No rushed footfalls, no endless chats
Just the Sun and the sultry noon
We had more important things to do
We were growing up too soon.
III
Two decades went by (time never stops)
Our childhood group now scattered
Some dreams of mine had come true
But, all child-like fancies shattered
My big old house, the faces known
The thoughts of a carefree mind
Adulthood, money and success, made
Me leave them all behind
I got in touch with old friends
We spoke of long ago
What became of the ice cream man
We never came to know
But we knew we had grown up
On his tasty treats and songs
For those simple treats that made our day
The child in my heart still longs
Years have passed and we all are now
Important, rich and strong
But as long we live, we shan't forget
The Ice Cream seller's song!
Pallavi
(Composed in 2005...or 2004,
don't really remember), Pune
I know, I know! This poem is pretty crude. The build up, the language, the flow of thoughts. I am open to admitting that. My apologies for this childish, simple verse. But that ain't the point!
The point is, what have we achieved and what have we left behind in order to achieve that? Was the barter truly, honestly worth it? How have you really changed the world for better after you bade your own world, your own people, farewell? Why can't we have it all? Family, childhood friends, people we know, people who make us feel comfortable and our career - all in one place?
But I guess,when the time comes, birds must fly away from the nest.
That is the point.
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P.S - Thank you for taking time out from your busy schedule and reading my blog.
If you are enjoying reading these articles, may I request you to please follow this blog by signing into Blogger with your Google ID and share the link to any article that you like the most here - on Facebook, Twitter, Google plus and any other social media you may be using...so your friends can visit too? :)
I am a new author and I would be grateful for any kind of encouragement from my readers. It is a tough world out there for new authors!
Thanks once again! Hope you love reading my articles as much as I loved writing them!
Pallavi
I am a new author and I would be grateful for any kind of encouragement from my readers. It is a tough world out there for new authors!
Thanks once again! Hope you love reading my articles as much as I loved writing them!
Pallavi
