Reflections

My mother placed me in an educational institution when I was five, and I remained in one ever since! However, much learning is available away from organised set-ups. Sharing experiences is a wonderful human activity.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Mysteriously Beautiful......


MYSTERIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL.

A multitude stars that graze along the Milky Way,
Cannot say thanks as many as I may.
For now that the novelty is bare,
Far more the craze becomes so fair.

Ten thousand thanks should be declared,
A welcomed future is there to be cared.
Never before so much zest and pomp,
Did the two found solace and great romp.

The little Venus hilly country spot,
Hiding away the meeting lot.
That hides away between the apex shot,
In an eager and slippery slope.

But when all seemed peaceful and calm,
On the plain a thunder bolt did come.
No wonder the tempest upset the coloured scene,
That seemed so far so joyful and serene.

No reason, no why or what,
As a babe knows not in her tiny cot.
But beggars is said they cannot be the choosers,
Is boldly written for age-old losers.


For even when the tiny bird sought shelter,
She was gladly taken in for an intimate dweller.
Unsatiable thirst and passion,
Both manifest in excellent dual fashion.

The young alert and ready for more,
The partner never to fail as ever before.
Though not as far as one would wish to feel,
But no regrets ever nourished, expressed, denied or weal.

Handsome Venus in all its glory,
Is closely matched by a warm and fleshy story.
The fable narrates the button nose,
That fits in a picture of beauty rose.

And when the sharp attractive eyes,
Look purposely so close to unfold the tangled ties.
A warm mouth houses a quiet but fiery tingling tongue,
That knows to limit the bounds of whatever had sung.

Unfurled, jet black long shiny hair,
Depicts an inviting picture so close to share.



Saturday, April 14, 2018

Rotis: this is my story !


My story.......!

I was born second in a family constellation of thirteen, just three years before the declaration of World War number Two.

Though a very prolific brood, both the first born and a string of five others passed away either at birth or a little later. They were hardly given enough time to witness the first lights of day. The incidence of infant mortality among the giant European turtles, as well as with humans, was indeed very high. I was very close to joining the early departures because at the worst time of WW2 I was down with typhoid, but was lucky enough to survive both the war and the typhoid.

Living in water might have been an asset. Actually even humans start their lifespan in water, but get rid of it at the end of the gestation period, but with us, both land and water are for keeps. They offer a more welcome and versatile environment. Truly only a few make it to the water after hatching on sand. I was one of the few. But life was very difficult during the infancy and turtlehood years. Because of the war, food was terribly scarce and famine was the normal order of the day.

Other facilities were just as scarce. There was never enough to eat. Back on land it was understood that the food reserves for the populations, as well to our other species the tortoise, were at their lowest ebb. When a convoy managed to sail clear of hostile fire, celebrations were held to mark the event. But for us, things were different. When in the neighbourhood of sunken ships, both naval and merchant, both those of the allies as well as those of the foes, the jettisoned contents of the vessels offered an abundance of food. The Mediterranean, where our colony was established, offered an inviting setting for these occurrences.

During the early days I attended the famous European Pond College for the Gifted. Being a bookworm, this may not be an adequate description, but I was surely a very clever turtle. My name was actually Toisy, from the Troyzee family, but everybody called me by my nickname Rotis, probably because when I adopted a rotary swimming style I was still in my infancy. I never missed any lectures and have taken my studies very seriously . That is why I topped the lists of merit on most occasions, and took a career in education, which I practised for the next fifty years and over.

The normal lifespan of our species is well over a hundred years, which, however, is very short compared to that of Methuselah.

I was very lucky to make the correct choice of career in education, because I can safely say that I was a ranker starting from the very lowest post and ending up at a very important one at the end of it. Heading the same institution to which I belonged during youth was a success story. The number of members of staff was pretty large. But hardly I remember that I ever clashed with any member of staff. Perhaps, I was very lucky not to have met the toughest operators in the set-up. Attending to the needs of the young ones, besides being a social service of the higher order, is also very rewarding. Truly at times it was also a disappointing affair, and the thrill of success and the agony of defeat were sometimes too impressive to forget. Never shall I forget the new entrants to College at a tender age. I used to spend hours on end waiting for the new and prospective attendees, and it was a pleasure for me to meet them for the first time when they clumsily headed for the water.

The job of mother turtle ended with the tears shed at settling the brood on a sandy beach well camouflaged under the hot sand. It was my job to see them through all levels of their education from nursery to College to University. Little is known about the vast expanse of huge air bubbles anchored on the sea-bed which form oxygenated domes, where a variety of activities takes place on a day to day basis. If nothing else, they offer the stage for us to perform our amphibian vocation. For example, one it is possible to find courts for tennis, badminton and squash, a unique golf course with beautifully cultivated fairways, all with expertly cut weeds and algae, and cycling corridors for the enthusiast to keep him away from reckless driving by drunks or hallucinated drivers.

Needless to say, there are only a few differences between the equipment used by us and that used by others. But the end result is more or less the same: enjoyment and relaxation, except, of course, when the fatigue is carried out under competitive stress.

Being a very public spirited turtle I decided to go into the trade union set-up for the local teaching profession. It was quite a neck to neck voting race but I was lucky to win a seat on the executive council, whose main objective was to improve the way of living for all teaching turtles. It was only a commitment that lasted a few years, during which I learnt quite a lot about relationships both vis-à-vis the union’s membership, as well as relationships with ruling political parties administering State affairs. Another phase, similar to the one just described, was my participation in local government, which locally only started in 1993.This was my direct attempt at participating in party politics. But it is pertinent to note that forms of local government were in place much before that date. For details about this part of my story, visit another corner of this website by following this link and navigate to the item Local Government in the menu at the portal.

Unfortunately, the adopted regime, which followed most other undersea colonies and which was not necessarily the best for our environment, was based on allegiance to party politics. Since I was brought up with hard-working principles, and with eagerness to join the vast majorities of working classes, besides paternal influence, my choice was quite a follow-up. I took up a seat and have been on the Council for a good number of years, three years of which was Mayor for the locality of Turtleland . As to family background I followed what most other beings do, that is getting a wife. For nearly fifty years Mother Turtle Junior and myself, had the fortune of having two strapping male offspring, now, each with a family unit of their own. The pleasure of meeting grand-turtles is undoubtedly a very pleasant experience, and one that is a permanent satisfaction. The concluding part of my story will have to be taken in hand in the future, because as we say within the Large Turtle Kingdom inhabiting the Blue Mediterranean: “The tail end is colourful but is late to arrive!”

(end of part one.....)