Early Morning

This morning I woke up to looming blueness of the Mumbai night sky that was slowly paving way to a clear, rain-soaked day with blurring boundaries. The first hour of the dawn appeared like a cicada against the evolving sky- filled with a whiff of fresh desire. A sharp spell of overnight rain slowed to slight drizzle around the orange glow of the streetlamp. I could hear the patter of cold rain on the corrugated sun-shade of my window; the swish of an empty, polythene bag on the wide, wet road; the cawing of a drenched crow on the telephone wire as it tumbled out of it and streaked against the grey sky.

The soaked cat laid swelling on the pavement beside the drain. Water ran freely through man holes on the tarred road, the symphony of navigating water through a dozen channels merged with a sound of a stray dog urinating onto the corners.

Behind the surreal cobweb, the buildings looked abandoned, something melancholic about their streaked windows. The limping beggar squinted against the grime and dangled his muddy bare feet from the cemented staircase across the museum. An old man waded through water and leaned against the lamp-post with a cup of tea, all eager to settle the dust of his life when the rain trickled in.

The hissing and hooting of tiny, wild creatures seemed like a giant whisper. The tall gulmohar trees lining the street looked as bright and effervescent as newly-wed brides. The entire area turned a soothing green. The wildness of the entire wide, deep Mumbai universe spread out wild feelings- memories unbounded by wild memories like dark, cavernous clouds. It swooped down suddenly into my mind space. And just as easily broke the existing chasm between time, space dimension to let a deluge of memories flow through.

Meghna Maiti

 ENDS