Alas! I knew that the shadow belonged to me…

One usual morning,

When the birds were chirping away their morning songs,

When the sunrays kissed the yonder mountains,

When the clouds cleared away for a vast space of blue,

When the milk man was on his daily venture,

When the warm homes were filled with incense smoke,

When the kitchen and bathrooms became eventful,

When the old man was about to complete his prayers,

When the little boy geared up for school,

When the shops started opening for the day,

When the traffic increased,

When the streets breathed, once more to live a new day,

When the diurnal became lively and nocturnal rested,

I began to see the times of yore.

 And perceived scores of vivid moments,

memorable moments from the past.

The primary school,

flashed before my sight.

I saw a small boy- running and laughing,

filled with natural bliss.

Then, I saw my friends,

the smiling faces- clear and lively,

the trusted and innocent visage.

The games we played- marbles and stones.

The joys we shared,

the bond we held,

the nuisance we possessed,

all clear and vibrant

Art: Sir Karma Wangchuk, PCE.

My old brain accelerated,

flew towards my high school days.

The way I transformed,

from a boy to a man.

I felt the air in me,

The air of courage as a teenager.

I heard voices,

Those of my friends.

The noisy times we had,

The hairstyle, the jeans we wore,

And the ignorant life we shared too.

I saw- saw my teachers,

Their images were alive,

The names we called them,

The lectures they gave,

And the knowledge bestowed, the values we gained too.

The stern faces made me shiver

Evenmore…I saw myself,

So bright and energetic.

Involved in good,

And bad too.

I saw my youthful figure,

The days I was free,

Free as the wild wind.

The juvenile deeds I did,

All vivid and tempting. 

Further, I stretched,

And saw my college days.

My moments were dominant,

But of one image- my wife.

I sighted her beautiful face,

The face I loved to see.

I felt the love we shared,

The trust we had,

 The places we went,

The close whispers,

The smile on her face- it is so enticing.

The room we lived,

our first days as a couple.

All the secrets we revealed,

these memories- they made me live again.

Later, I strolled,

Strolled towards my family life.

A different life that I lived,

My lovely daughter smiled,

My dearest son laughed,

the fatherly care and love,

the way they grew,

all unforgettable and sparkling.

Then, I felt a crowd around me.

My students came with a loud thud,

Their innocent faces were lucid,

The classrooms I taught,

The morning assembly,

The cultural shows,

The sports meet too,

The exam halls,

And the answer scripts too,

The mischief they were fond of,

The morning wishes,

The blank faces when stuck with a doubt,

All memorable.

I saw the school I went,

As a teacher and developed myself,

From an  ignorant man to a sensible one.

Now…I felt a chill in my spine,

A pain on my weary legs.

I saw a painted lady- a butterfly,

Hovering over  a fresh Iris.

I saw dewdrops, dropping from the leaves above me,

The tree covered with veins of ivy,

And a cuckoo found its home on the tall oak.

Fresh grasses lay before me,

The sun was warm and bright.

I could feel a light breeze,

The soft breeze on a sagged face.

Then I saw a shadow,

Of an old man- a staff in hand,

A frail figure,

The legs bent and weak.

I went to view closer,

The shadow came closer,

Alas! I knew that the shadow belonged to me…