Musings

Airport Lounge

I am here today in an airport lounge

Missed the flight that I was to board

Oh! what a disaster!

'Not the first time you've done that'

I can hear a few souls murmur

Yet... what a disaster!

I thought I had enough time on my hands

It turned out to be a rush and dash to the end

When I got here I thought I had made it on time

And just managed to relax and breathe easy.

Oh! no. It wasn't to be.

The self check-in kiosk came up with an error

'Ah! What's wrong with this machine? Bugger!.

I am having a bad run with machines', I said

And walked lazily to to the service counter!

Oh! What a disaster!

She told me the aircraft was fully boarded

And I hadn't checked in on time

I had to pay a 50 dollar fine.

If I wanted to board the next one.

Oh! What a waste!

I had called myself 'smart' just this afternoon

For finding a 'cracker' of a deal for the trip

Who else but I could have worked this out

Only to pay 50 bucks to even it all now.

I know! It is a shame.

I sit on the floor and wait for my flight

Found a corner with power plug that was spare

I am charging my laptop and my spirit

As I tell you my tale of despair

Oh! I am tired.

My sense of time has alway been a worry

I wish I could send out one big apology

To the people I have kept waiting at airports

Not once, not twice, they are too many to count.

I am sure they must have been very annoyed

They must have also been a little bit worried

And wondered about the reason for my delay,

Hoping that I manage to get there on time.

Oh! I am really sorry!

This is really me and I've got to change

I will make an earnest attempt at least

If I have half the wit I imagine I have

This is something I must be able to crack

I know there are those that have given up on me

Just give me one last chance - I plead

Will me on and say 'Go Ab!'

I will try to make this a turning point.

************

Oh! You think you have heard that one before?!

You know what. It is different this time.

I've figured it all out by now.

I was here on time. Wasn't actually late.

I could have done that 24 hrs before fromt he hotel!

Oh! come on... cut that nonses. eh?

My Pride

Of the things that I am proud of

The one that clearly makes the top

Is what I speak at home and is called

My mother tongue!

Born in a country with a history so rich,

In a time that wasn’t anything like its best

The pride in our culture was the only thing

That kept everyone ticking.

The language I speak is close to my heart

Maybe because it was the first that I was taught

Even before I could stumble and walk

I had learnt to call out for ‘amma’.

Some of my first lessons in ‘Tamil’

From my very early days at school

Were simple verses by poets

Who are revered as immortal saints.

Written on humble palm leaves

That were ravaged by nature over time,

Are ageless the gems of litreature

That brim with wit and wisdom,

English's the language of the world today

And learning it is not alien in any way

To accept the new and assimilate the best

Is how Tamil withstood all of time's tests.

Words evolved from the languages of the north

And used widely in literature and folklore

It added to Tamil's strength and versatility

And did not dilute it's classical purity.

Isolating ourselves and alienating the rest

And blindly assuming superiority of self

We know from the wisdom of ancient texts

Is not the way to attain true greatness

True to natures way we live

Welcoming everyone into our fold

We are the bastions of a culture

That's abuzz like a beehive!

Like the worker bees in a hive

We collect the juice from many a flower.

Our hive turns the nectar into honey

Nectar that we call Tamil with pride