SAVE THE EARTH
Humans have gone insane and wild,
Such insanity which care not even their child,
The bequest of forefathers they fulfilled not
to deliver an intact nature to the coming lot.
Earth is menaced and ill-treated,
Roses have withered, beautiful glaciers retreated,
Temperature has shot up, earth has got heated,
The trust of Almighty have the mortals cheated!
Copious trees are felled daily,
Which once adorned, now naked lies the valley.
Where has the cool breeze gone?
The tree under whose shade poets sat forlorn?
Where’s the bough upon whose twigs perched the Blue Jay?
The green meadow mob of deer play all day?
The meandering brook that relieved Sambar from heat?
The sedges inside which tiger healed its injured feet?
Hark! The Nightingale chirp melancholic song
‘’ Mercy on us”, for all passers-by drifting along
An innocent request to be disseminated near and far
With sweet and soft tweets, we fail to decipher.
Nature has warned us of our misdemeanour,
With calamities all over, deaths galore
Would be stupid to waste a minute more
To stand and stare wrathful nature roar!
So Swear by the tears in the depth of tigers’ eye,
By the concern of white cranes that flies by,
taking an oath to revive the long lost mirth,
and join hands to save our mother, EARTH!
Karma Thukten
18th of February, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
THE NET LOVE
DISTANT LOVE
Do you love me? Genuinely?’ appeared the query before the screen as I sat chatting on the medium of Person.com with a lass of 19, from Philippines. We were online circa three hours ago and we sat there writing about ourselves, she told me that she was a lass of 19, with white facial complexion and 5ft.3” height. She wrote to me that by virtue of immense high charges and tuition fee, she could not pursue her studies and currently she was working in office earning money so that she could continue her studies subsequently. This was how the chat session went amidst us upon recollecting. The first question I posed was
‘What is your sweet name?’
‘Ryza Salazar and yours?’
‘They call me karma, by the way what is your sex?’
‘Girl. Why?
‘Because I am a boy’ I reciprocated.
‘Boy? What are you intimating to say?’
‘I just wanted to cite Coulombs law that the opposite charges attract while like charges repel’.
‘Ha-ha. So sweet of you’ she responded.
‘Do you believe in blind love because I am having that feel when I am chatting with you?’
‘It is hard to love whom we haven’t seen, what do you say?’ she enquired.
Thinking for a while I responded,’umm… I think it is possibly not mandatory to behold a person, whom we adore, just their charming words could instigate your mind to fall in love, and perhaps it’s what all blind love means, isn’t it?’.
After 20 seconds of wait she wrote to me that she too felt that she fell in love with me, albeit she has not seen me.
This made to think that even a foreign girl could be as compatible as any other girls in Bhutan but, an abrupt melancholy ushered in my psyche that great distance lay between us and in spite of the inclination of the mind to meet her, it simply sounded impossible.
I was quite enthusiastic and found my mind making a vague image of the lady I idolized while on line. So I thought, in pursuit of further knowledge why not I enquire her some more questions and so I found my fingers going smoothly over the keyboard
‘Hey, do you know Bhutan, my country?’
‘Where is it? Please elucidate my dear sweet heart’
Astonished by the question a thought ran through my psyche that we are much behind to that extent that the people are even not apprised of the location of Bhutan. So I began to write
‘Sandwiched between two giant countries, china and India lies a small but serene country where people are compatible and dwell as brothers and sisters, that is Bhutan.
Everything is free in Bhutan and that is why I say with immense pride that to be born in Bhutan you need profuse luck’
‘I see, but here in Philippines, everything is costly. I wish I were in your country, sweet heart, will you take me to your country?’ she enquired
‘Of course, what’s your religion?’
‘Am catholic, what about you?’
‘I am a Buddhist ‘
‘I hope that our religion won’t oppose our relationship during wedding’
‘I think there won’t be any contradictions and confusions. Rather than personalizing religion, I believe in pure deeds, that is my religion’ I typed ‘And I think for these reasons religion won’t stand as a barrier in unifying our souls together, my old flame, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for the day we would be separated by zero distance’
‘I deem myself too fortunate in having you as my heartthrob and if God is the one who brought us together, am quite sure that He will as well unify us’ she wrote.
Then I corresponded instantly,’ my dear! Though the musicians die, their music never die, though the poets perish their poems linger and akin to that, though I may give way to ghost, my love for you will never weather and wilt, it will loiter around till time infinitum’
Like in a dream we met and I don’t know what sort of magical spell did she let befall upon me that now I began to feel a unique sensation in my heart, it took me long to comprehend what was within my heart and only after a prolonged thought did I unravel the fact that I was fallen in so called love with the lady I have never beheld and one who reside miles away. Even in the class I talked of her and my mind with its wing of thoughts took me to her.
The very next day she had sent her photo in my mail address, she was alluring, to be frank. I also sent mine as soon as I received hers’.
Love makes our life worth living and I shall never be able to forget her as she was the one to make me realize that fact. In the book of my life, she has become the most elegant page to cherish and I won’t be able to forget her even if I wish to. I always wait for her, no matter as how the public would view my story but I shall wait for that day when we would be together and I know that day isn’t too far.
No wall can be so strong so as to abandon two hearts from unifying, no distance could be so lengthy so as to alienate two loving hearts and this is the thought which never lets me lose hope. I am sure the world is not so vast that I can’t spot her out.
We still exchange mails and talk about love. I am confident that my dreams will prove true, what do you think???
19/06/2007
Do you love me? Genuinely?’ appeared the query before the screen as I sat chatting on the medium of Person.com with a lass of 19, from Philippines. We were online circa three hours ago and we sat there writing about ourselves, she told me that she was a lass of 19, with white facial complexion and 5ft.3” height. She wrote to me that by virtue of immense high charges and tuition fee, she could not pursue her studies and currently she was working in office earning money so that she could continue her studies subsequently. This was how the chat session went amidst us upon recollecting. The first question I posed was
‘What is your sweet name?’
‘Ryza Salazar and yours?’
‘They call me karma, by the way what is your sex?’
‘Girl. Why?
‘Because I am a boy’ I reciprocated.
‘Boy? What are you intimating to say?’
‘I just wanted to cite Coulombs law that the opposite charges attract while like charges repel’.
‘Ha-ha. So sweet of you’ she responded.
‘Do you believe in blind love because I am having that feel when I am chatting with you?’
‘It is hard to love whom we haven’t seen, what do you say?’ she enquired.
Thinking for a while I responded,’umm… I think it is possibly not mandatory to behold a person, whom we adore, just their charming words could instigate your mind to fall in love, and perhaps it’s what all blind love means, isn’t it?’.
After 20 seconds of wait she wrote to me that she too felt that she fell in love with me, albeit she has not seen me.
This made to think that even a foreign girl could be as compatible as any other girls in Bhutan but, an abrupt melancholy ushered in my psyche that great distance lay between us and in spite of the inclination of the mind to meet her, it simply sounded impossible.
I was quite enthusiastic and found my mind making a vague image of the lady I idolized while on line. So I thought, in pursuit of further knowledge why not I enquire her some more questions and so I found my fingers going smoothly over the keyboard
‘Hey, do you know Bhutan, my country?’
‘Where is it? Please elucidate my dear sweet heart’
Astonished by the question a thought ran through my psyche that we are much behind to that extent that the people are even not apprised of the location of Bhutan. So I began to write
‘Sandwiched between two giant countries, china and India lies a small but serene country where people are compatible and dwell as brothers and sisters, that is Bhutan.
Everything is free in Bhutan and that is why I say with immense pride that to be born in Bhutan you need profuse luck’
‘I see, but here in Philippines, everything is costly. I wish I were in your country, sweet heart, will you take me to your country?’ she enquired
‘Of course, what’s your religion?’
‘Am catholic, what about you?’
‘I am a Buddhist ‘
‘I hope that our religion won’t oppose our relationship during wedding’
‘I think there won’t be any contradictions and confusions. Rather than personalizing religion, I believe in pure deeds, that is my religion’ I typed ‘And I think for these reasons religion won’t stand as a barrier in unifying our souls together, my old flame, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for the day we would be separated by zero distance’
‘I deem myself too fortunate in having you as my heartthrob and if God is the one who brought us together, am quite sure that He will as well unify us’ she wrote.
Then I corresponded instantly,’ my dear! Though the musicians die, their music never die, though the poets perish their poems linger and akin to that, though I may give way to ghost, my love for you will never weather and wilt, it will loiter around till time infinitum’
Like in a dream we met and I don’t know what sort of magical spell did she let befall upon me that now I began to feel a unique sensation in my heart, it took me long to comprehend what was within my heart and only after a prolonged thought did I unravel the fact that I was fallen in so called love with the lady I have never beheld and one who reside miles away. Even in the class I talked of her and my mind with its wing of thoughts took me to her.
The very next day she had sent her photo in my mail address, she was alluring, to be frank. I also sent mine as soon as I received hers’.
Love makes our life worth living and I shall never be able to forget her as she was the one to make me realize that fact. In the book of my life, she has become the most elegant page to cherish and I won’t be able to forget her even if I wish to. I always wait for her, no matter as how the public would view my story but I shall wait for that day when we would be together and I know that day isn’t too far.
No wall can be so strong so as to abandon two hearts from unifying, no distance could be so lengthy so as to alienate two loving hearts and this is the thought which never lets me lose hope. I am sure the world is not so vast that I can’t spot her out.
We still exchange mails and talk about love. I am confident that my dreams will prove true, what do you think???
19/06/2007
THE DOG
The dog
I peered through the dark and my sight alighted on a skinny dog that was busy excavating lumps of earth beneath the debris that came out from the pine leaves beside the soccer field laid once as floor, during convocation held at Sherubtse College.
I paused for a moment, pondering at the dog’s act of building its home, solitarily in the murk of the moment. A thought ran through my psyche that the dog was prudent, while his friends were busy lost in the daily mischievous deeds, that dog was unto a meaningful task, building shelter just aside the college soccer field.
Since then, I found the dog always in its home or at its vicinity.
When students were on the ground playing soccer, the dog simply popped its head out of its burrow and watched the game enthusiastically.
I admired the dog and as I passed its domicile, I always dropped pieces of biscuits for the dog. I felt that some dogs could be much better in their disposition than are some of us, whose mind is stuffed with malice and evil thoughts. The dog always sought shelter in the burrow and whenever nasty boys kicked him, he ran whining and got in to its burrow licking and nursing its hurt parts, whether in agony, mirth or excitement, the dog associated itself with the hole he deemed beyond his playmates.
My interests towards the dog grew to that extent that I began to feel the dog as mine like any other kith and kin of mine. At leisure I used to visit the dog, sometimes I could see him coming to the hole with lumps of food grasped in its mouth, or at times playing with alter egos of its own kind. When the weather marred and gave way to rains, the dog simply kept itself snug and cozy in his room.
It so happened one day, at the act of procuring food from the drain of the college mess, one of the cooks infuriated by the sight, struck the dog with a vegetable knife, the bleeding dog promptly rushed to its safety towards his home, the tint of blood that oozed through the wounded body accentuated the path the dog treaded. The dog ran mourning as if complaining what wrong it had done to the cook, he was just taking food dumped by men and not snatching the shares of others’ right from the plates.
I berated the cook for his malicious act and followed the dog for rescue. I found the dog outside its hole, the blood rushed out of his body in spurts, I stood helpless aside, with eyes filled with tears upon the sight. I tied a thin cloth over its injured spot and could somehow curb the spontaneous flow of blood, the dog seemed to gaze at me with gratitude. We, people interfere in the lives of the animal and devastate the serine state the animals enjoy, we personalize them and display our superiority over the innocent beings, while laws are framed against human injustice, and they are ignored.
God sent us here to live in harmony with all the animals, but much to His surprise we tend to dominate them. That night I came to see if the dog was okay, I retuned being complacent having seen the safety of the dog I adored.
Next morning as I went to pay my humble visit to the wounded friend of mine, I lost my conscience for a moment and started crying to find the dog given way to ghost, he was dead in that same home where he sought shelter, where his every glee was affiliated, see the dog died without complaining, none mourned for the dog save for me. I finally buried the dog in its own home once built by that assiduous dog and prayed few lines for him. Since then, save for the memories of the dog, nothing remained.
Karma Thukten
01/06/2007
I peered through the dark and my sight alighted on a skinny dog that was busy excavating lumps of earth beneath the debris that came out from the pine leaves beside the soccer field laid once as floor, during convocation held at Sherubtse College.
I paused for a moment, pondering at the dog’s act of building its home, solitarily in the murk of the moment. A thought ran through my psyche that the dog was prudent, while his friends were busy lost in the daily mischievous deeds, that dog was unto a meaningful task, building shelter just aside the college soccer field.
Since then, I found the dog always in its home or at its vicinity.
When students were on the ground playing soccer, the dog simply popped its head out of its burrow and watched the game enthusiastically.
I admired the dog and as I passed its domicile, I always dropped pieces of biscuits for the dog. I felt that some dogs could be much better in their disposition than are some of us, whose mind is stuffed with malice and evil thoughts. The dog always sought shelter in the burrow and whenever nasty boys kicked him, he ran whining and got in to its burrow licking and nursing its hurt parts, whether in agony, mirth or excitement, the dog associated itself with the hole he deemed beyond his playmates.
My interests towards the dog grew to that extent that I began to feel the dog as mine like any other kith and kin of mine. At leisure I used to visit the dog, sometimes I could see him coming to the hole with lumps of food grasped in its mouth, or at times playing with alter egos of its own kind. When the weather marred and gave way to rains, the dog simply kept itself snug and cozy in his room.
It so happened one day, at the act of procuring food from the drain of the college mess, one of the cooks infuriated by the sight, struck the dog with a vegetable knife, the bleeding dog promptly rushed to its safety towards his home, the tint of blood that oozed through the wounded body accentuated the path the dog treaded. The dog ran mourning as if complaining what wrong it had done to the cook, he was just taking food dumped by men and not snatching the shares of others’ right from the plates.
I berated the cook for his malicious act and followed the dog for rescue. I found the dog outside its hole, the blood rushed out of his body in spurts, I stood helpless aside, with eyes filled with tears upon the sight. I tied a thin cloth over its injured spot and could somehow curb the spontaneous flow of blood, the dog seemed to gaze at me with gratitude. We, people interfere in the lives of the animal and devastate the serine state the animals enjoy, we personalize them and display our superiority over the innocent beings, while laws are framed against human injustice, and they are ignored.
God sent us here to live in harmony with all the animals, but much to His surprise we tend to dominate them. That night I came to see if the dog was okay, I retuned being complacent having seen the safety of the dog I adored.
Next morning as I went to pay my humble visit to the wounded friend of mine, I lost my conscience for a moment and started crying to find the dog given way to ghost, he was dead in that same home where he sought shelter, where his every glee was affiliated, see the dog died without complaining, none mourned for the dog save for me. I finally buried the dog in its own home once built by that assiduous dog and prayed few lines for him. Since then, save for the memories of the dog, nothing remained.
Karma Thukten
01/06/2007
SECRET IN HEART
Secret in heart
Sometimes I feel am concealing a word within,
Which finds no way out to flow,
Confined in the walls of my heart has it been laid
being left unheard, unseen and unsaid!
The word turned toxic upon the passage of days
corroding fleshy walls of my fragile heart.
I cursed my diffidence, despite being male,
a simple word of love to my beloved I couldn’t tell!
Heart, akin to thumb drives is limited with memories,
With copious words flung in heart in disarray,
Only imperative ones in the heart remains,
Obsolete forgotten, remembered are only those the heart retains.
Etched in my heart is the lady I adore,
Indelible and impalpable in my heart she dwells
Oblivious that in my heart she is,
Whom I desperately love but couldn’t reveal this!
From a nook do I observe her,
satiating the thirst of seeing her.
How could I ever confide the words I have got
to the rustic lass I adore a lot?
It isn’t humane to let a heart suffer
more even when the reason is self.
Is it the wealth, fame or a person’s wit
that can win the hearts of women to be with?
The weather changed not my love for her,
She guided and taught me to love while in heart,
I bore the agony for years or perhaps more
as for her was my love galore.
She was in my heart and will stay for eternity
though I shall never get my much awaited response.
Love need not be reversible; her hatred won’t make me blue
because I know my love for her is god damn true!
21/06/2007
Sometimes I feel am concealing a word within,
Which finds no way out to flow,
Confined in the walls of my heart has it been laid
being left unheard, unseen and unsaid!
The word turned toxic upon the passage of days
corroding fleshy walls of my fragile heart.
I cursed my diffidence, despite being male,
a simple word of love to my beloved I couldn’t tell!
Heart, akin to thumb drives is limited with memories,
With copious words flung in heart in disarray,
Only imperative ones in the heart remains,
Obsolete forgotten, remembered are only those the heart retains.
Etched in my heart is the lady I adore,
Indelible and impalpable in my heart she dwells
Oblivious that in my heart she is,
Whom I desperately love but couldn’t reveal this!
From a nook do I observe her,
satiating the thirst of seeing her.
How could I ever confide the words I have got
to the rustic lass I adore a lot?
It isn’t humane to let a heart suffer
more even when the reason is self.
Is it the wealth, fame or a person’s wit
that can win the hearts of women to be with?
The weather changed not my love for her,
She guided and taught me to love while in heart,
I bore the agony for years or perhaps more
as for her was my love galore.
She was in my heart and will stay for eternity
though I shall never get my much awaited response.
Love need not be reversible; her hatred won’t make me blue
because I know my love for her is god damn true!
21/06/2007
TENSIONS
TENSIONS
With tensions directed from every direction
It’s tedious to be a traffic man,
To be entangled in the web of encumbering thoughts,
Yet, we strain to eschew as much as we can!
It doesn’t wait for approving day to appear,
Ushers in, depriving the comforts of men,
accosting the working brain of impudent or kind,
Devastating and altering the homeostatic state of mind.
People hang and slay themselves when confused
by virtue of the tensions they know, albeit.
No cure and no excuses does it entertain,
Ailments, avoidable, but from tensions you can’t quit!
As the most alluring roses bear thorns
to curb the actions of those who touch it,
so are the people here. There is but none
who, devoid of tensions on this earth are born!
People there, are rewarded and recognized
who concedes the perturbing distress
and rises confidently, with head high to shoulder
the hurdles that obliterates their way to happiness.
Tensions, for optimists are a lesson
Not to keep their tasks pending or undone!
But, for the pessimists, a source of burden,
who deem their tasks impossible, when they can.
Tensions aren’t born but created
By virtue of your immense lethargy,
Nothing is insignificant when it comes to doing
Do it! If you want to be happy!
To have the feel of extreme ecstasy
You can’t quit tensions, you can prevent it
By being rather practical, do what you need to do,
Just don’t let futile tensions hover around you!
06/06/2007
With tensions directed from every direction
It’s tedious to be a traffic man,
To be entangled in the web of encumbering thoughts,
Yet, we strain to eschew as much as we can!
It doesn’t wait for approving day to appear,
Ushers in, depriving the comforts of men,
accosting the working brain of impudent or kind,
Devastating and altering the homeostatic state of mind.
People hang and slay themselves when confused
by virtue of the tensions they know, albeit.
No cure and no excuses does it entertain,
Ailments, avoidable, but from tensions you can’t quit!
As the most alluring roses bear thorns
to curb the actions of those who touch it,
so are the people here. There is but none
who, devoid of tensions on this earth are born!
People there, are rewarded and recognized
who concedes the perturbing distress
and rises confidently, with head high to shoulder
the hurdles that obliterates their way to happiness.
Tensions, for optimists are a lesson
Not to keep their tasks pending or undone!
But, for the pessimists, a source of burden,
who deem their tasks impossible, when they can.
Tensions aren’t born but created
By virtue of your immense lethargy,
Nothing is insignificant when it comes to doing
Do it! If you want to be happy!
To have the feel of extreme ecstasy
You can’t quit tensions, you can prevent it
By being rather practical, do what you need to do,
Just don’t let futile tensions hover around you!
06/06/2007
Thursday, February 11, 2010
BSc. Life Sciences class, Sherubtse College (2006-2008)
BSc. Life Sciences class, Sherubtse College (2006-2008)
As I retreat late night on my bed,
My eyes pondering about the empty space,
Reminiscences usher in my mind
of those bygone college days.
Small class of circa thirty five,
Laughter and giggles of my fellow dear
Is what haunts and faintly jingles
deep, still in my ear.
Sleepy heads juggling amid life and death,
Back benchers engrossed in deeds of distaste,
Few appear meticulous and studious
in their quest of doing the best.
Throughout the year laying in serenity
Striving only at the end for the exams to pass,
Abrupt silence in lieu of the query posed
Were all that used to happen in my class.
Now as I stand in this forest academy,
Abiding by stringent norms befitting an officer
Away from all those blissful life, I pray,
Once again my college days to recur!!!!
10-02-2010
Karma Thukten
As I retreat late night on my bed,
My eyes pondering about the empty space,
Reminiscences usher in my mind
of those bygone college days.
Small class of circa thirty five,
Laughter and giggles of my fellow dear
Is what haunts and faintly jingles
deep, still in my ear.
Sleepy heads juggling amid life and death,
Back benchers engrossed in deeds of distaste,
Few appear meticulous and studious
in their quest of doing the best.
Throughout the year laying in serenity
Striving only at the end for the exams to pass,
Abrupt silence in lieu of the query posed
Were all that used to happen in my class.
Now as I stand in this forest academy,
Abiding by stringent norms befitting an officer
Away from all those blissful life, I pray,
Once again my college days to recur!!!!
10-02-2010
Karma Thukten
Monday, February 8, 2010
THE SOLITARY SLEEPER
THE SOLITARY SLEEPER
The rough unpaved road converged on a small hamlet that lay half concealed in dense forest. I tramped the entire length of road, rejoicing in the way nature looked in the early spring. Everybody knows my craving and how crazy I am when it comes to rambling in our countryside. My mind was soaked in ecstasy with melodic birdsong in my ear; the verdancy of flora adorned the area and a little brook that sparkled added to the poignancy of my experience.
As I ambled along, drinking in the fields and the fruit they bore, my eyes lit upon a solitary lass, who stood amidst the barley field, toiling on her own. The wind whistled, playing a pleasant tune in my ear, and I paused to snatch a better look at her.
I grew curious about this singular lady, her village, her status. All manner of queries tickled my fancy. Agog was I, keen to unearth everything there was to know about her.
Closing in to a distance of a score or so metres, I could make out the smart apparel she wore. A hat designed to block the intense heat of the scorching sun stood out but the rest of her attire escaped my notice. Many thoughts ran through my mind as I drank in the vision of this bucolic beauty. My mind began to fashion an imaginary palace where I found myself in the lady’s embrace. Alluring, she’d enthralled me at first glance and I lay there, supine by her side.
She sang for me and a flock of birds circumambulated us, joining in. A strong gust of wind restored me to my wits. I shook my head to drive out empty thoughts. The lady remained there, still in the field. Had I my camera, I would have taken her snap, then kissed it. I marvelled at how a village girl could look so drop-dead gorgeous. Perhaps, she was the girl who slipped into my dreams and haunted me. The time for thoughts was over, I decided, now for the advance: get closer, get in some wooing.
Talk to her about love; when the words are withheld, they grow toxic and eat at one innards. It’s better to give in or else give up. Making up my mind thus, I zeroed in, eyes fixed on my destination.
Nobody would suspect how overwhelmed I was. A silly smile was on my face as I pictured myself conversing with the lady. I had a lot to share: about my expedition and, especially, about my suffocating feelings for her, secluded lady in the barley field.
My thoughts took me to the extent that I was talking to our children of the future, telling tales of how I met their mother, and the kids would applaud our love story.
I kept that stupid smile on my face as I fantasized on my way closer to this woman of my dreams. Getting real, I thought that, even if our life together was not akin to the fairy tale I conjured up which conclude “happily ever after,” we would still be blessed with enough joy to last a lifetime.
We are mortals and going to the grave may be our ultimate destination but ought not to be our ultimate aim. We must make our stay noteworthy. Fearing death, shall we cease loving?
No, never!
We are here to proliferate love and that is what keeps the world going round. The most meaningful aspect of life lies in loving. The lady I beheld before me was the one who confirmed my world view.
I walked towards her with my speeches prepared and, as I reached a distance of about a half a dozen meters, I became avid to see her face, so I began to pick up the tempo of my steps.
I reached near her but OH MY GOD! The lady was nowhere to be see. In her stead stood a well-simulated scarecrow looking exactly like a lovely lady. My dreams were shattered but I couldn’t help laughing. Surely, my buddies would have a belly-laugh when I told them about it!
Yet I did not discontinue my journey. Hope springs eternal. I kept walking in anticipation that I may meet my soul-mate, and really this time.
5th October, 2007
Karma Thukten
Life Science Sherubtse College
Kanglung Trashigang
The rough unpaved road converged on a small hamlet that lay half concealed in dense forest. I tramped the entire length of road, rejoicing in the way nature looked in the early spring. Everybody knows my craving and how crazy I am when it comes to rambling in our countryside. My mind was soaked in ecstasy with melodic birdsong in my ear; the verdancy of flora adorned the area and a little brook that sparkled added to the poignancy of my experience.
As I ambled along, drinking in the fields and the fruit they bore, my eyes lit upon a solitary lass, who stood amidst the barley field, toiling on her own. The wind whistled, playing a pleasant tune in my ear, and I paused to snatch a better look at her.
I grew curious about this singular lady, her village, her status. All manner of queries tickled my fancy. Agog was I, keen to unearth everything there was to know about her.
Closing in to a distance of a score or so metres, I could make out the smart apparel she wore. A hat designed to block the intense heat of the scorching sun stood out but the rest of her attire escaped my notice. Many thoughts ran through my mind as I drank in the vision of this bucolic beauty. My mind began to fashion an imaginary palace where I found myself in the lady’s embrace. Alluring, she’d enthralled me at first glance and I lay there, supine by her side.
She sang for me and a flock of birds circumambulated us, joining in. A strong gust of wind restored me to my wits. I shook my head to drive out empty thoughts. The lady remained there, still in the field. Had I my camera, I would have taken her snap, then kissed it. I marvelled at how a village girl could look so drop-dead gorgeous. Perhaps, she was the girl who slipped into my dreams and haunted me. The time for thoughts was over, I decided, now for the advance: get closer, get in some wooing.
Talk to her about love; when the words are withheld, they grow toxic and eat at one innards. It’s better to give in or else give up. Making up my mind thus, I zeroed in, eyes fixed on my destination.
Nobody would suspect how overwhelmed I was. A silly smile was on my face as I pictured myself conversing with the lady. I had a lot to share: about my expedition and, especially, about my suffocating feelings for her, secluded lady in the barley field.
My thoughts took me to the extent that I was talking to our children of the future, telling tales of how I met their mother, and the kids would applaud our love story.
I kept that stupid smile on my face as I fantasized on my way closer to this woman of my dreams. Getting real, I thought that, even if our life together was not akin to the fairy tale I conjured up which conclude “happily ever after,” we would still be blessed with enough joy to last a lifetime.
We are mortals and going to the grave may be our ultimate destination but ought not to be our ultimate aim. We must make our stay noteworthy. Fearing death, shall we cease loving?
No, never!
We are here to proliferate love and that is what keeps the world going round. The most meaningful aspect of life lies in loving. The lady I beheld before me was the one who confirmed my world view.
I walked towards her with my speeches prepared and, as I reached a distance of about a half a dozen meters, I became avid to see her face, so I began to pick up the tempo of my steps.
I reached near her but OH MY GOD! The lady was nowhere to be see. In her stead stood a well-simulated scarecrow looking exactly like a lovely lady. My dreams were shattered but I couldn’t help laughing. Surely, my buddies would have a belly-laugh when I told them about it!
Yet I did not discontinue my journey. Hope springs eternal. I kept walking in anticipation that I may meet my soul-mate, and really this time.
5th October, 2007
Karma Thukten
Life Science Sherubtse College
Kanglung Trashigang
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