Highest High

What do you fear? Overcome It.

Says everyone, untill it's time to do it.

I laughed it off and said I fear heights,

He too giggled and googled 'tandem skydive'.

Really? Are you joking? - I said.

I don't wish to be dead on my first European Holiday!

YOLO he said-You live only once,

If you jump, I jump I said for we vowed -till death do us part.

We booked our tickets of adventure, decided to sky dive.

More than the jump itself, it was the decision to tell your parents, lest they should skin us alive!

Skydiving in Prague is once in a lifetime's opportunity ,

We convinced our folks of the highest of standards and lowest accident probability.

There we were sitting in a cab we wished hadn't arrived ,

It was to pick up us for the sky dive site!

Once we reached, we were strapped up and instructions were passed on,

No simulation, No practice, just our instructor to hang on.

As we took flight and it went up higher,

Our heart beats soared,

I wondered what would happen if the harness tore!!

Lo and behold! It was my turn!

My instructor was behind me, pushing me out the door!

For a moment or two ,I felt I'd back out.

No chance, YOLO, Mom dad,God save me, here I go!

Then the jump happened I went in first,

I felt like cotton ball or a bubble ready to burst.

My head moved with the wind,

So did my arms.

What a tiny spec is a human life, in that moment,so lost.

I could feel the pit in my stomach, diving into void,

Praying to almighty to keep my husband's jump as safe as was mine.

With the free fall ending with the parachute whooshing open!

What a relief from the endless fall , finally my eyes were open!

My eyes lit up seeing the beauty of the city of Prague 

I looked up and saw my husband's parachute 20feet above 

As we neared touchdown, relief! I sighed.

Upon touchdown, Oh what a high! 

A high inexplicable, Adrenaline rush one of a kind.

Sky diving in Prague remains the highest high of my life!

Dusty Daisies

Steam and Gargle is what you need,

Said my Dad over phone as we did speak..

Yes Baba, I will,

Said I ,with all healthy motivation instilled..

Lemon Water with honey 'warm' everyday,

Said my Mom, Oh Honey!

As I sneezed and wheezed at the drop of a hat,

As clouds cowered and covered dark at that.

One day it was a hundred sneezes at once,

The other there were none.

How could it magically vanish

And  yet not be forever gone!

Let me spare the meds for once

Figure it all out!

The needle's prick and blood that drew

Was a puzzle of information anew...

A few days of waiting and  it was there,

My silent report of my loud sneezes lay bare!

Dust and Daisies apparently?

Guffawed my beloved-That's your allergy!!

Now I took it on my stride,

Fresh as a daisy is not my type,

Covid or omicron or none, 

masking up to keep my Dusty Daisies allergies at bay! 

Covirgin

 And the title for Miss Covirgin International for the year 2040 goes to.....Miss India-Mugdha Mangalam!! 

Its an amazing feat, this coveted title which the contestants from 195 countries have competed relentlessly for! Beauty with brains is passe`, Beauty with brains with the boost of immunity is the 'new norm-al'! Generation Alpha contestants are proving their mettle by surviving the Pandemic and acing it with immunity stronger that the seven variants that the world has seen in the past two decades! Miss Mugdha aged 20, is a student of medicine, a model and a solo traveller(with her hazmat mask and go to-oxygen Supplement jar)ofcourse and has proven to be stronger than the newest kid on the block -Omega virus! She has travelled to 18 countries without contracting the virus and by staying an epitome of fitness and beauty!

"So Miss Mugdha, what is your vision as the winning beauty of this coveted crown?"

Well, I'm overjoyed and proud today as I wear this crown and represent my country in the world. I hope to spread the message of love, peace,good health and longevity! I shall take on my solo trip to the Omega affected countries to volunteer for the poor affected by the virus and battling against it with meagre means.

"That's a noble cause, Miss Covirgin International! Here's wishing you all the best for your journey ahead, Congratulations!!"

*6 months later*

Mugdha is gasping for breath even with her oxygen mask.The new mutant virus has targetted the Covirgins and taken over 1/3rd of the world population. Alas! It was probably best not to be a Covirgin in the times of Corona, for the antibodies could have saved them from the deadly mutant Omega -2!

As her eyes sunk in deeper and her lips turned blue, she pointed her frail finger to the cupboard next to her bed. Her last wish is what she spells out in a feeble voice.. I want to wear the crown one last time and soak in the moment that seems a long time ago when I 'was' Miss Covirgin International!

They placed the crown on her disheveled hair and she took a deep breath as of heaving a sigh of relief ,only to gasp further for breath and pass away peacefully, five days before her 21st Birthday.

 They then took away the crown for sanitization before returning it to the International Committee for Miss Covirgin International Pageant 2041.

Miss Mudha shall remain in our hearts as a champion against the virus and shall be known as the  covirgin queen of the decade in the years to come...

Street

 

Under the sun, forever undone, I lay for you.

Hawkers and cars, cats and dogs, made way for you.

 

The old lady peering through the window, you see, I saw her as a dainty lass.

I saw the street kid of the yore, drive in today, his Mercedes E-Class.

 

The rains and storms, I withstood, I stood for you bare.

The potholes I nurtured for the birds that flocked, until a scorching day to spare.

 

The fancy store that has it all, I saw it in shambles galore,

At the crack of dawn , I stayed quiet when the clock struck four.

 

They screamed their slogans fervently, and torched the place down,

I lay powerless, motionless, incapable of a single frown.

 

It all is the same and yet so different today,

“What’s in a name” they said back in the day.

 

A street with a name so strong, it vitiates peace,

A street which knew no boundaries of cast and creed.

 

Under the sun, forever undone, I lay for you.

Hawkers and cars, cats and dogs, made way for you.