It was the time
of the cassettes and the videos
For the curious
eyes’ entertainment;
And listening to
the programmes of the radios
For the eager
ears’ amusement!
Once, in my
childhood, some of my village youths hired a Video Set
So as to provide
pleasure to the country folks, and some money to get.
They sold each
ticket for a ‘Show’ only a ‘Rupee’ then,
Soon thronged the
Video Hall the elated kids, adults and grown up men!
I ran to my widowed
Mother with an expectant wish and an anxious look
Said to her, “Bou,
Can you pay me a Rupee to buy for a ‘Show’ a ticket?”
“They are running
a movie called Andha Kanoon,
To enjoy myself
with others may I have a boon?”
My penniless Mom
replied, “No dear, now we cannot afford!
Please, don’t
mind, you shall view it when you grow old!
I have to manage
a week’s grocery with it,
Else, cannot move
an inch our family’s feet!”
I returned
silently with a heart withered and heavy,
Still, I controlled
myself, and compromised with my wretched Fate!
Told myself, “Only
if our circumstances could afford a Video
Ticket,
I would able to
view happily the “Andha Kanoon Movie….!
N.B: The Hindi
movie “Andha Kanoon”, which literally means “The Blind Justice” , was released
in 1983, when I was only 10 years old.
Glossary: Bou - Maa/Mother in my mother tongue
©Shankar D Mishra
26.11.2017
Blog:
sdmpoetry.blogspot.com
My blog contains
187 poems till date.
E-mail: shankarmishra314@gmail.com
WhatsApp no. 08270604524
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