a promise difficult to keep up

a promise difficult to keep up

 

&

 

everyday the alarm beeps at 5 a.m.

i have to keep my promise to myself-

sweep the house interiors and mop them clean-

a self-imposed discipline at 67 years -

a visit to my elder brother in his 75 years at madhurai 

transformed my loosened spirits into a worthwhile vow !

he was doing this work nonchalantly

for over 30 years or more , heartily-

"why not you ,o lazy chap,instead of fuming at others?"-

my mind questioned;hence the resolution from 1,jan.,2012.

the bones weep in pain at the sounds of the beeps;

plead for a few more minutes of wakeful sleep-

'why not once in two days ?' suggest sheepishly-

'no more excuses !' -reminder beeps punch on to my face.

with half-lazy eyes and non-cooperating legs

i switch on all the lights to slog away my lethargy;

o it takes 15 minutes to prepare the rooms for the surgery

before i could wield my broomstick for the deftful play-

then the mopping operations , amidst my loosening 'dhothi',

and punches and stabs into inaccessible recesses

making me almost weep from my failed efforts-

and the intrusions while the floors are wet

demanding one more stroke from my cursing back-

all the fans in full blast roar to dry my painful work!

o what an experience to view the smiling floor 

at the end of it all and where is now the pain?

and then to relax on a chair with cool air swirling from above-

o what a joy as if i have the world at my feet !

o my 'mani annaa' ! i gratefully remember you

every morning at 5 a.m.for motivating me into a beautiful task.

yes ,i remember my elder sister 'visaalaakshi'

who has taken the exterior cleanliness of the house

at her age of 77,bending double over an artistic 'kolam'

with no holidays whatsoever in their noble lives!

 

-----chandra kalaadhar