Sherline Writes

Many shores away in South Africa, the Pied Crested Cuckoo beings its long flight to India heralding the coming of the rains on the wings of the Monsoon Wind. And while they are on their way, preparations back home are in earnest. Come let’s have a look… The trees have flowered in every hue It’s time for the circle of life to begin a new Pods have popped spreading their treasure about Little seeds lie in wait to sprout Dragonflies have begun to swarm The weather is now far from warm The sugar and jaggery have gone damp Flames flicker erratically in oil lamps Ants emerge to salvage food Babblers prepare to extend their brood, Softly swishing butterflies hurry, Buzzing bees get to their hives in a flurry, The Sheep and Goat begin to huddle Bats fly madly round trees in a muddle All of them prepare to keep out of the rain And patiently wait till its dry again The weaver birds hurriedly builds his little hutch The tailor birds gives his nest a finishing touch The Babbler begins to serenade,...

  All of us have heard about Santa Clause, but did you know about his twin brother Clinta Clause? Well, let me tell you about this less heard of person and his team who are working tirelessly unknown to everyone. At one time both Clinta Clause and Santa Clause were both equally well known, but over time the big shops and stores hyped up Santa Clause and slowly Clinta Clause got forgotten, so much so that nobody even remembers his name. Clinta Clause and Santa Clause are twins, born of the same mother exactly a minute apart. First came Clinta Clause and then Santa. As the boys grew up both of them developed very unique characteristics. Clinta Clause loved to collect things that were no longer used, broken or forgotten, then he and Santa would turn them into something magical. Clinta and Santa loved tinkering around in their workshop. Clinta was the shy one of the two, he prefers to remain in the shadows, letting Santa go out and deliver the toys to kids around the world. I...

Count Dracula visited me at tea one day I just didn’t know quite what to say At this time of noon it was absurd Wasn’t he supposed to be asleep in some dark cupboard?  The Count was polite and flitted about my chair Then he eerily began sniffing my hair! A chill ran up and down my spine He wanted blood, he wanted mine He buzzed around me and began to hum As he poked and prodded with his thumb I started to swing from side to side As he minutely examined my hide His humming turned into a serenade of gloom I could clearly foresee my impending doom I had to act quickly before it got too late The Count was coolly deciding my fate I picked the racket on my left And swung a shot, nice and deft Caught the count by surprise right in his face Bewildered, he hurriedly fled the place I calmly resumed drinking my tea When, within a minute there was another count visiting me….sigh.

 Dear Lord please answer my Mommy I pray, She has no idea what I have in store today. I’m going to jump, and dance and throw things around, And wreak havoc with my squealing shrill sound. I’m going to stretch and run and hurt my leg, And Mommy’s going to need a neat Rum peg. For you see I will grow up in the blink of an eye, And I need to create memories I can savor over chai.

 Each morning as I open my eyes I pray, Oh Lord help me be a good mother today. Please help me not scream, and yell out in pain, Even if the little munchkin is driving me insane. Help me be patient, and calm, and quiet, As I tend to the tot, amidst a raging riot. And when the night comes, help me get some sleep, For tomorrow I have these exact same promises to keep.

at times in life you come across rivers some big ones...some not so big ones but cross them you must... whatever the consequence you cannot go back after coming this far Sometimes you find a ready-made bridge over which you just have to jump But sometimes you have to construct one so that others can follow Most of us give up and walk up and down the shore in search of one. But a few wait and build a new bridge, Even if it means giving up the future journey.  

  Draped in auspicious scarlet Kohl lined eyes did blink Rings glittering on slender fingers Bands of gold on my wrists did clink There were flowers in my hair A shy smile danced upon my lip Fragrance of jasmine filled the air Beads of nervous sweat from my brow did drip   Chaos reigned supreme in the blossom decked hall Elders and relatives made haste to answer each others frenzied call The groom had arrived and taken his place Get the bride out quickly , we must show him her face the time had come, that time of my life amidst showers of flowers I became his wife my face tranquil, my heart on fire that moment it got fulfilled…my dearest desire.  

  It all happened on a starry Sunday, Long ago in the month of May, I t was so hot n sweaty n soaking, When Krishna said the three words, I thought he was joking. It hit me like an arrow out of the blue, My best friend had just said ‘I love you’, I had looked for a sweetheart under box and broom, The last place I expected to find him, was right across the room, What should I do now? My heart began to flip, This classmate of mine is asking me to be a part of his trip! Cupid had struck us I could not deny, Our future got engraved in that blink of an eye, The case was hopeless; it was useless to plead, Dear Cupid had in a farce sown the seed. And so here we are on the verge of the morrow, Promising each other through good times and sorrow, To be by each other's side till death do us apart, Two sides of a coin, two beats, one heart. *This poem was penned at the time we sent out our wedding invitations to let the curious ones know how it all came about :)

  in the wee hours of dawn, all in a room wait and watch, we, witnesses of a spectacular elopement. shivering, trembling, looking for warm comfort, nervously glancing at our watches....is it time? the stage is set. in a few minutes, the groom will arrive. the bride's face, hidden partly behind a veil of fog, she awaits her groom eagerly. everyone in the room feel the tension, we keep stealing glances at the bride now and then. outside the temperature has dropped, a cool wind blows....when suddenly, on the horizon a tiny spot shows. a frenzy gets the crowd,"he's here, he's here", they say but wait its not the groom, it's his best man. just like a tiny spark in a distance, it's the planet Venus at hand. everyone looks on in awe and amazement, as the star of the show, the groom, makes his entry. the drama on the horizon begins to unfold, people standing outside look on in the cold. the air is electrified, as flash light...

  wakening up today to a promising morn i welcomed the new year with a hearty yawn 'may it bring luck to us all' i prayed, 'from dusk to dawn' a pot of gold too...i would not mind...i greedily went on not satisfied i even asked for a house with a lawn. now God u see it seemed was in a humorous mood listening to my prays he began to brood 'another 365 days I've given her' n she says it's no good, 'this human mind i still have not',  he sighed 'understood, they want a whole of things which i would give if i could, but will the wish list stop there? i don't think it would.' then to go to church i ran out the door, n slipped n fell right on the floor, my twisted ankle....it began to swell, 'the gold, house n lawn God, u can send to hell', just get my twisted ankle well! And god he smiled as sweet as could be 'now my child' he mused 'is slowly learning you see'

  i carry my soul on a platter, as i wade my way through life, each moment is a song or a slaughter, such the feel of a double-edged knife.   happiness is just for a moment, sorrow seems never to end, jealousy, generosity, pride and remorse, such is life's wondrous blend.

  Cuckoos are a calling for rain drops that will be soon a falling to quench the thirst and soften the hardened crust   the frogs too are a croaking blessing of the rain gods evoking that the droplets may fall till the dried up ponds have had their fill lotuses hither and thither bloom casting away the arid gloom   a lone rain cloud in the sky i spy the peacock lets out a delighted cry helter-skelter hurry and a brush as they dust off their tails in a rush green and blue hues they bloom shimmering... swaying the richly tainted plume tails are opened wide n proud footsteps drumming the earth aloud round n round they pick their feet n hop welcoming to earth each and every drop faster and faster the pace crescents tapping feet in frenzy compliments a slight spray and then a steady shower peacocks dancing wildly as if intoxicated by the hour   all at once the performance ceases marking the soft mud with abandoned cr...

  Outside my window, a tree i see, God has rendered so beautifully. on the tree, i see leaves and flowers, and above it at night, sparkle a thousand stars.   outside my window, on the tree, the birds, they chirp...melodiously! the squirrel, he jumps from branch to branch, while the caterpillar sits meditating in a trance.   outside my window, the tree has borne fruit, heavily...the branches droop. the pods have let their secret out today, scarlet gems smile slyly away, it's as if... the tree is decked with rubies red embedded on an emerald bed. and i am pleased i have the honor to view dazzling against the sky so blue such a precious sight... just outside my window.

  the wick and the flame decided one day, to flee from the candle...quite....run away, this esoteric affair had been going on for long, nobody guessed......nothing could go wrong.   the wick was imprisoned in a wax-cell, the flame in a match box was being held. to be free they had to unite, for this a light one had to ignite.   everyday the wick and flame waited till it'was dark, that's when the old man came and provided the spark. then slowly an amazing performance began........   flame with her warm love did set free, her beloved from his waxen captivity, from dusk until dawn they did dance in delight, the crazy entrancing dance of light. treasuring each moment.... secretly planning their flight.   wick held his sweetheart in a loving embrace "we have to have freedom", he said, stroking her radiant face. "we will make our escape when the breeze blows tonight, hold on to me darling, it's going to be alright....

  I was sitting there, doing things i couldn’t ignore, when i first saw them, on that dusty floor. whose could they be? i began to wonder, not one of the boys for sure, t'was much too small and slender, i looked at them more closely, studied and stored the pattern that i could see, 3 ovals in a row and a few horizontal lines, who was that maiden? would she i find?   then a few weeks passed and i quite forgot, until one fine evening... i stood in shock, there they were again in front of me, sitting in a patch of wet mud as clear as could be 3 ovals in a row and a few horizontal lines. she had been here..... the one i resolved to find, she had passed by here.... when? how long ago? what did she look like i was curious to know   seeing not much could be done about it immediately, i got off the garden bench and began to walk aimlessly coming to a patch of wet mud i walked right through, making prints as each of...

  anonymous red tomatoes in a copper tinted pan Stir-fried to a warm orange hue steam illustrating the glass lid forming droplets of translucent pearls   anonymous red tomatoes in a copper tinted pan what fate lies in store ahead?

  Tides rose….tides fell The world tiptoed by Moon waxed …..moon waned Season’s cycle Move on……move on… Saplings bore fruit Hedgehogs multiplied Shoe size increased from 4 to 7 Is something amiss? Sand accumulates grain by grain in an inverted hourglass Clouds metamorphosed Landscapes changed Day….night….day…..night…. Stars born……..stars died Pangs of growing up

  Life’s a tragedy, ever so strange, You glide over potholes of happiness, And get drenched when jealousy rains. There are storms of anger, And flashes of guilt, Drums full of fond memories, Sulking moments with time do wilt.   Has it ever occurred to you? Or is it just me, Good times come in carefully measured parcels, While bad times are handed out graciously …quite free   Then of course, there are rays of hopeful sunshine, On those gloom filled cloudy days, Occasionally even a rainbow, That makes u stop n say… Well life’s not so bad after all.

  At the break of dawn At the peep of day The sly little squirrel is Busy at play Up and down the fallen tree Frolicking back and forth Wild and free Following the agile body Swishes the bushy tail Putting to shame The pace of the wise old snail Butterflies and dragonflies, Beetles and the bee Smile at the coy little squirrel Who is at times quite silly Scamper scamper scamper An abrupt stop. Time to muse a bit A brisk look around and a hop A race with the toad A chase with the bunny What will I find today? A nut or some honey Swaying with the flowers Tumbling wit glee A scratch on the back A pat on the belly The nimble little squirrel He plays all day And when night falls Slumbers soundly away. - Sherline Pimenta

 I wish I was a  gorilla and had lots and lots of hair I would jump on to the branches and swing without a care I wish I was a  gorilla I'd eat my food sitting upside down Cause when you are a gorilla Nobody will dare at you frown I wish I was a gorilla I would not wear any clothes Cause all gorillas go naked from their heads to their toes I wish I was a gorilla As black as black could be I would hide in the shadows and play tricks on my Mommy I wish I was a gorilla who ate ice cream all day long I would scare all the grown-ups to surrender their freezers with my song I wish I was a gorilla I'd beat my chest and growl I would open my mouth, bare my teeth and  let our a very loud HOWL I wish I was a gorilla I could just gaze at you and stare Cause gorillas like to imagine what you would look like, if you were a bear But oh I'm not a gorilla So I must put on my dress I've been playing pretend all day Yaaawn.....It's time I get some rest - Sherline Pimenta