Sunday 31 May 2020

May 2020: Bidding it goodbye with photos of Gulmohar and #Poetry


Dear Readers,

I hope you've been well.

May, of the year 2020, like many things we took for granted all our lives, was unusual. Perhaps, 'new normal' is a better phrase to describe May this year.

Doha, as you know, gets very, very hot as May approaches. So, for a vagabond soul like mine, it's imperative that I step outside the confines of what I call home for a walk before the sun gets too hot. Walks are my oxygen. And in order to survive, I don't mind waking up at twenty past four in the morning just so that I can start my day on my terms.

Going for long walks (alone) always centres me, stills me and very often these walks plant ideas for new writing: poems and stories, musings and memories. 

Clicking photos is another hobby that keeps me grounded in the present moment. 

Morning walks are my kind of mindfulness: 
every step 
every breath 
every fallen leaf or petal 
every discarded scrap of metal
reminds me 
of the precious gift of this very moment
when I can go on my morning walk
and pay attention 
to
every chirp
every bird
every fallen feather 
in this humid weather
a car that zooms past
and calls to prayer that blast
through the newborn sky
remind me
of the precious gift of this very moment
when I can go on my morning walk
and pay attention
to
the splendour of slowly erupting lava of the Gulmohar tree
who stands by the roadside
Flamboyant, Resplendent and Free
Come with me
I've gathered a few fallen petals
some colours, 
some photos
and words
that got woven into some form of poetry.

May will be gone tomorrow
This much I know.
I'll set my alarm for twenty past four
so I may walk out of my front door 
to welcome June
who'll be wondering
why all the roads and walking tracks 
are so clean
of human feet and shadows
I'll keep him company for a bit
so I may welcome June
while masking my mouth and nose
and 
absolutely, no shaking of hands, of course.
I'll just nod
and carry on
Dear June, 
welcome to Twenty, Twenty
**********







All the photos shared were taken this week:

For all those who can understand Hindi, a poetry recital to bid May goodbye....


Wishing you all good health, happy hearts and blue skies.
xx

17 comments:

  1. Dear Yamini, I'm posting your comment from yesterday here as that post got shared by mistake!! I was working on Youtube and I think I selected blogger as well as facebook to share.
    This is the real deal---the complete post:)

    Yamini wrote: Hari OM
    My Hindi is rusty, but I caught the gist, and agree, this has been such a May as will live long in memory; indeed will be marked down in history. 2020 has felt so long already... if only we could indeed resign from it! YAM xx

    Thank you for visiting and for listening. xx

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    1. Hari OM
      Wonderful - and I am delighted to find that I was following more than I thought! YAM xx

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    2. Hugs to you dear Yamini:) xx

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  2. Hi Arti - Another month of staying indoors! Can't believe this weird 2020 is already nearly halfway over. Uncertainty continues into the 2nd half. That will be all about balancing risk of falling ill with trying to be a normal human being!
    Stay safe!

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    Replies
    1. So true Pradeep. It's been a most unusual sort of year!
      Wishing you the same: Stay safe and healthy.

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  3. I LOVE that tree!
    Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
    As to June, I hope it's more memorable than April or May, which are nothing but a foggy blur in my mind...

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    Replies
    1. Aww! Cheers Jz. Gulmohar (or Flame of the Forest) is one of my favourites too, but then there aren't any trees that I can think of that I don't absolutely love. But, yes, this one demands undivided attention, especially in May.
      Sending you love from Doha. Hope June turns out to be less foggy and more cheerful:)

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  4. Slowly erupting lava of the Gulmohar tree. Walks get my words and ideas flowing as well. The pleasure of a solitary walk is usually not mine. 2 kids and some friends around the apartment are my company(not complaining but I do). Maybe I need an earlier wakeup time. Beautiful poem.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Namratha.
      We have this in common too---walks induced ideas:)
      Have a beautiful day.xx

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  5. That comment was so full of punctuation mistakes and my ramblings! My apologies.

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    Replies
    1. All I saw was love---no mistakes at all. Hope you managed to go for a walk today:)

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  6. They are all beautiful clicks!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. Hope you are able to enjoy some of the magic of nature wherever you are.

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  7. This makes me share my experience of my very first walk from the lockdown started... I stepped out of the house only after 3 months... And just like your poem it was overwhelming to notice every single leaf... Every single speck of nature of mother Earth. And it seemed like such a luxury... That same path I had taken a 100 other times earlier blissfully ignorant in my thoughts that this is also a blessing and a luxury to savour! Beautiful poem with beautiful snaps :)!I must write a post soon too with my snaps...your post is inspiring me to :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you dear Ira. Love the fact that you noticed every miracle on your first walk out. Yes, please write and share your pics. This circle of creativity--of inspiring each other--of encouraging and growing together is the best interpretation of love.
      Have a wonderful day and keep creating. xx

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  8. Beautiful photos that are only eclipsed by the beautiful lines that you have penned! :) Take care. Stay safe.

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