Opportunity to Stitch

The India poetry circle's WhatsApp group  gave a challenge to its members to write a drabble every day for a week starting January 4th 2026. A drabble is a 100 word story with a beginning, middle and end. However, being a  first attempt the word limit was fixed as anywhere between 100 to 200 words. 

Work was becoming scarcer and scarcer in their village. As a tailor Pandu felt the brunt the most. Earlier they came to him at least during the festivals. He could then earn enough during the bounty season to see through the lean months. But now people preferred readymade dresses available in the nearby towns. 

Pandu was considering relocating to a town or leaving the very occupation. Someone came running to inform Pandu that there were visitors from the city at the “Big House”. “I saw three kids whose dress required some tailoring support.”

Pandu rushed immediately only to return his face crestfallen. “The holes in pants don’t need repair. They are meant as fashion in city”, they smiled. It is called ‘ripped jeans. (123 words) 

Birthday Wishes to a Special Four Year Old

Oh now, you have become a big boy Aiden

You have turned four years old !

Also have responsibility to care 

For a one year old, toddler brother 

Yes, you have mixed feelings with addition to family 

Not getting the same attention from everyone 

A sense of insecurity, prompting you to wonder 

 "Do they love me?" 

It breaks my heart as grandpa to hear 

You ask "Do you love me amma?" (Mother)

"Do you love me achan?" (Father)

Just look around you

Your little brother adores you

Look at grandpa, grandma on  mother's side

Or at us grandparents from father's side 

For us, you will always be our first grandchild ever! 

As for your parents, you will always be the first one 

to gift them the status of "father", "mother" 

Sweet child, never be in doubt, all of us

 Including elechans/uncle and elemas/aunt on both sides 

Love you and will always love you 

More importantly the good God 

Is watching over you, and every child on planet 

Showering blessings so that  little buds 

Blossom into beautiful flowers!

Happy birthday Aiden!!  

The Dream that Stayed

The India poetry circle's WhatsApp group  gave a challenge to its members to write a drabble every day for a week starting January 4th 2026. A drabble is a 100 word story with a beginning, middle and end. However, being a  first attempt the word limit was fixed as anywhere between 100 to 200 words.

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 He was nine years old then studying in class five. Those days boys and girls sat in separate rows not expected to interact. Their eyes met sometimes when students came to the corner assigned for keeping lunch boxes and water bottles. Then abruptly she disappeared, her father was transferred to another city.

The face of the girl lingered in his mind, came sometimes in dreams, sometimes in daydreams. What came of her? . How did her life pan out?

Years later, he accompanied grandson for a singing audition. Beside them sat a person accompanying her granddaughter. The face seemed familiar. On interaction, he got his answers. Same lovely face,  grey haired yet alluring as ever! (115 words)

And Then They Were None

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Rakesh was planning to walk back home for the much needed exercise. But, by the time he reached the Durga Devi street he was feeling tired and wanted a break. Then, he saw a small restaurant from where he thought some snacks and coffee would rejuvenate him. As he was sipping his coffee, Rakesh noticed a number of  celebratory flower pot crackers going up and flowing down lighting up the house situated on the opposite side of  the street. 

" Hey Diwali is long over and it's almost Christmas time. Why then, such celebrations in that house?" 

" Oh, that's for Deepa, to celebrate her success, her achievement. If you wish you can speak to that person at the corner table, Nandagopal, a neighbour and distant relative as well" replied the proprietor of the cafe. 

After introductions, the two middle aged men  started conversing. Nandagopal began narrating the background story and Rajesh was totally engrossed. His tiredness and the urgency to return home was all forgotten. As more customers came in and were searching for tables, Nandagopal offered" If it is okay by you, let's go to my house next door and complete our conversation.". 

Thus they moved to Nandagopal's residence where the entire narration and revelation was completed. At one time when Deepa was aged 21 years, she was madly in love with Rohit. Then something happened and in 2021,  in the middle of reign of the dreaded Covid epidemic, they broke up.  The repercussions were very heavy on Deepa, who was always sunny, bright and a happy go lucky girl.

 Deepa abruptly went into a shell; experienced sadness, numbness and despair refusing to meet close friends and relatives. She exhibited mood swings, irritability and emotional outbursts. As if all this was not enough, she began to experience nightmares in the form of bad dreams at night, mostly pertaining to trust issues. She often woke up in a cold sweat. During the years that followed, worried parents took her to psychiatric specialists. The treatment with a combination of drugs and psychotherapy left her drained and in despair. This was the time when the girl gave up all hope and resigned to her fate of being under treatment for life. The dreams continued to come; even as some went away for some time, they seemed to reappear later on. In fact five type of dreams persisted and troubled her at different points of time.  

Around this time, continued Nandagopal " I came across a technique to deal with such issues. I broached it with her parents and then went up to see Deepa". 

"No uncle! No more experiments! I am fed up!" she screamed.  

"I told her parents to mull over what I said about 'Past life regression therapy' with a cool mind and let me know. I had in the meanwhile identified a reputed practitioner in the city with very good references" 

" Well what happened finally?" Rakesh asked with enthusiastic curiosity. 

" Deepa agreed and commenced the PLR therapy four weeks back. Of the five recurring, troubling dreams, three went away. In the second session, one more went away. In the third and final session, she was transported to a relevant life 500 years back and then the last troubling dream also went away"

"And then there were none!" Exclaimed Rakesh excitedly

" Yes, now Deepa has overcome not only the dreams, She is not agitated but cool about the places she had visited during the romantic period. Seeing the Facebook profile of Rohit or his present relationship status does not affect her in any way anymore. It is as if we got back our old bubbly, vivacious girl"

" So happy for your Deepa!" said Rakesh. "My son Prithvi also went through similar circumstances. Perhaps this therapy will help him too!" he concluded and took leave of Nandagopal, profusely thanking him for the hospitality.  

Trust, Faith, Confidence in None Other

At a time when you are fed up of false promises 

be it from leaders, friends or close relatives

fed up of increasing lies, dishonesty in business

decline in moral values, over hype 

dominance of marketing in anything & everything

you are bound to be confused, disappointed, disillusioned

no longer sure whom to trust, distrust...

Increasing cases of young spouses killing the other 

even during honeymoon period

in connivance with paramours 

killing a spouse before own child on suspicions of infidelity 

Mistrust, it appears have become the norm of the day 

No wonder then, higher incidences of suicide as well

 

In better times, you could rely on a parent, a bosom pal 

for venting and  guidance in times of a crisis 

Today, where are such reliable persons who are willing 

to take their eyes off from mobile phone, for sufficient time 

to give you or for that matter their dear one, a patient hearing? 

In the absence of anyone you can totally rely on

have trust, faith or confidence  in 

the only one  available to turn to

look up to, as the last resort 

is none other than the almighty! 

NB: This poem was composed for and recited at the Seniors Today online poet meet on 14th November 2025

Change

The young engineer paid little attention

simply nodded, smiling politely

even as his manager discoursed, eloquent

about changes in nature, intensity

of relationship with spouse


"You only have to re-read the letters

we exchanged over the years

to notice, appreciate, the shift in priorities"


The words in the initial years were passionate

more of "My dear", "Darling", "Sweetheart"

of how much she missed you, longing for reunion


slowly, the main narrative became of the children

of what son did, daughter did and how as mother, she handled


Focus of content became more practical- Have you booked gas?

purchased the new text books for the new classes?

with time, the length of letters diminished

became even more matter of fact- We are fine here

hope the same with you!


As the boss in his forties rambled on

the youngster felt distracted, all these were

of no immediate significance

after all he was a free bird, a bachelor!


In his mind, he thought "This man is so unromantic

As and when I find my love, there would be no shifts

the intensity would remain forever-

with love expressed in every moment! “


Now years later, a seasoned family man himself

he couldn't help admitting, sighing to himself

"That man was right after all!"


Ah, change cannot be wished away

It's as inevitable, as the rising and setting sun

as natural as the changing seasons- spring to summer

then monsoon, autumn, winter

back to spring again!


If there is anything at all that's constant

permanent in this world, it's change

acknowledging, accepting, embracing it

to be able to adapt, overcome challenges and win

is the key to a satisfying life! 

NB: This poem was composed for and recited at the online poetry meet of Seniors Today Poetry group on 31st August 2025  

Conserving the 'Mighty Little' Beings

 

For one usually attending evening meetings 

on corporate HR topics this was new, so farther away

 yet interesting, gripping, informative, enlightening! 

The speaker, Dr Chandish Ballal, passionate entomologist

former Director, NBAIR* enlightened us, among many things

that all insects are not pests, that the majority

the beneficial insects are most essential 

for ecological balance and well being of humans as well! 

As against the only 0.5% pests, the beneficial insects 

provide many services without charging a penny 

these include being providers- food for fish, wild life 

good protein source, honey from honey bees

big source of revenue in Mexico, silk worms give silk 

contribute to dyes, cosmetics, medical & industrial products

its larvae serves as balm for wounds.. 

Its regulatory role include keeping in check

harmful pests, weeds, naturally sans harmful chemicals

assisting in decomposing dung of livestock

 so essential for controlling population of flies 

The supporting role of  the "Mighty little beings' also crucial 

2/3rd of land eco system depends on them for its pollination 

the bees, beetles, butterflies, moths and the like 

the beneficial beings release essential nutrients** back into the soil 

the frass (feces) of some, excellent soil fertility enhancers 

they create nutrient rich patches benefiting plant growth 

Then the speaker also spoke about cultural significance 

of insects in art and symbolism, in language, literature

Haven't we heard  expressions like "Busy as a bee"

the ant-grasshopper story in Aesop's fables

insect inspired music compositions***, movies?

This dear readers, is only a layman's account 

of what he could catch about these "Unsung heroes"

who continue to be ' undervalued until lost' 

for a detailed account, you will have to hear it

from the horse's mouth when she chooses to speak next 

be it in Bangalore or on an online platform!

* National bureau of agricultural insect resources : Dr Ballal also outlined during talk the (1) conservation/protecting, (2) classical ( managing invasive pest) and (3) augmentation (releasing additional natural enemies of pests) services of NBAIR

** like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

*** Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee"


NB: I am thankful to Dr Ballal and the Bangalore Room for the invitation that culminated into a rewarding evening.