Today’s ‘The Hindu’ (21 October 2008 ) carries an interesting and thought provoking piece of news in its last page under the caption ‘Fathers aloof’. It says that the Australian fathers spend only six minutes alone with their children on week days, according to research. It is also reported that they also leave most child-raising chores to women. My initial reaction, on reading this piece of news, was why this should make news now when we have known it in India for several centuries. My mind raced...

How right it is to say that old age is second childhood! Let me confess to you that the comic strips in newspapers engage my attention a lot more than the prime news section. After all, there is nothing novel in bomb blasts and the communists trying to deride the nuclear agreement with US. Occasionally, newsmakers like Tehelka may conduct a sting operation but even that is fast losing its glamour. Apart from the comic strips, I glance through the Obituary column to see if any one who shared my bench...

My heart has ears so sensitive
They can hear the lilting music
Of a flower blooming slowly.
The eyes it has can see the rainbow
Splashed with blue and pink
The colours of love and romance
Its nose can smell the sweet scent
Of the fusion of raindrops with the fields
The honeyed sounds that emanate
From its mouth can put a dragon to sleep
Its strong arms can sculpt with ease
The missing hands of the goddess of love
That she can...

There was this magnificent ship cast in pure gold and studded with precious gems, a vessel that was built to traverse not only the mundane waters of the seven seas but also the oceans of the heavens. But alas, it had no one to take command and guide it to set sail. For a long, long time it remained rudderless. With the efflux of time and the absence of an ideal commander, the ship started aging and the glittering gold lost all its sheen till it was a dull sheet of pale yellow. The precious gems...

Hi all!
If this attempt of mine reminds you of the cat that stripes itself with a hot iron on seeing a tiger, dont laugh! I know this poem sounds like the stories that kids tell their moms!

The Love Yonder.

The car purrs along<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
The sea on the left looks mystical<o:p></o:p>
The waves try to kiss the sky in a mighty heave<o:p></o:p>...