I dreamt and craved
For a new pair of shoes
Or visit to the zoo.
I worked hard to please
With the best of manners
My chores done perfectly
My homework on time
And my sweetest of smiles.
Waiting for days
In patient excitement
Till at last one day
My wants were fulfilled.
The joy and thrill
Of the wish come true
With hugs and kisses
Thankful and grateful
In a new of pair shoes!
Gone are those days
Filled with the magic of wanting
Out on streets fancy
Window-shopping for fun
Dreaming and preening
Looking longingly hard
At the quiet mannequin
In a dress so gorgeous
You wish it were yours.
Today that dress
Is stripped off her shoulder
And packed in a jiffy
No dreaming no waiting
No smiles no kisses
Just a dip of a hand
Into my purse of plenty
For that piece of plastic
That has killed all the fun.
New disease has hits us all
The disease of affluenza
Of squander and depression.
With money in surplus
In every mans pocket
Dreams dry up
As money buys all,
All that is desired
In a split of a second.
(8th September 2006, Nellore)
© Nalini Hebbar/openmind/2009 - all rights reserved
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8 COMMENTS:
Wow! This is so deep.. What an insightful poem!
Reading some of your poems, I've observed that you use fairly simply language. And that's a great plus point. Usually poets, to add in value to their work, tend to use sophisticated language which is understood by just a handful people.
Great going with your simple language. The words look simple, but the meaning within them is too deep to be understood in a single read...
Keep on writing, Mrs. Nalini!
the fun of reading a poem gets diluted if you have to keep running to the dictionary...I do write highly structural poems but those can be enjoyed by just a few.
I am happy you are dwelling on the words to try understand the underlying meaning...human strengths and weakness are my forte.
:) just the greed and the need to acquire that has given birth to the ubiquitous non degradable(?)plastic!
Affluenza...I think you should copyright this word :)
Yes this disease has affected us all and we are not even aware of it....the mad frenzy to buy stuff which we sometimes don't even need.
I remember the thrill of getting a new dress for diwali as a child. I used to wait for the occasion...it was the wait that was important for me to love the dress. Now with excess cash...the thrill of purchase is lost :(
@ LPine...when I wrote this piece in 2006, it was a new word...oh no! not coined by me, dear...I read it somewhere, I don't remember where...but now it is all over the internet
wow Nalini..you said it all so simply..
I don't know whether you have ever read Ugich Konitari's blog or not..she writes amazing poetry like you..
http://kavitalihi.blogspot.com/
REal good one...Just a request write a sequel to it...coz banks are only fair weather friend
Loved this one- so true!
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