April 10, 2014

Ja Ja - Jasmine!!

I waited all day long
on humid summer evenings
To run to the fields
with kids from the rice mill
To pluck some
and some and some more
of the tiny white bulbs

Curling up our frocks and skirts
into balls tiny
till our waists

I did sneak
slowly from the group
to grab one Sampangi
for grandma to keep
under her neatly starched
pile of Sarees

I was startled with
sirens of danger
"Don't get there..
snakes will come"

We hear the farmers yell,
"Who's there?"
We ran...ran amid narrow lanes
and old brick houses
ran till we fell on our knees
panting....

We dumped them on
the cold black floor
of grandma's verandah
and counted
who plucked the most

Grandma made a string
longer and heavier
than my ponytail
The glee on my face
was never amiss
I lay on the wired cot
breathing the jasmine filled air
counting the stars on
glistened nights

After twenty seven years,
when I look at my pot of jasmine plant
seven seas away
I want to run...
run to those fields,
wiping my brow,
plucking jasmine galore
on humid summer evenings!!


Image Courtesy: Here


P.S: As I had been sick and not in a position to think; I was scratching my head on what to write with J; I call my son and say, hey!! I need to write with J...gimme ideas...he blurts out: J for Jasmine and runs away to play. Bingo!! Here's the post. 
Just realised this is my 100th post.

24 comments:

  1. This took me back to my childhood where mom and I would pluck jasmine flowers from our climber. Good old days..

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    1. We all had lovely memories plucking them looks like...even we had a climber later when I grew up and I would wait each day for the flowers :)

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  2. This is beautiful. You make it come alive and I can almost smell the Jasmine now. Super stuff!

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    1. Thank you so much...I just wrote the scene recollecting what we did exactly :)

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  3. Jasmine is such a beautiful flower and it smells so good too.

    M. J. Joachim

    A to Z Challenge Co-Host
    Writing Tips
    Effectively Human
    Lots of Crochet Stitches




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    1. It is indeed. One of the most beautiful and aromatic flowers that nature has created.

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  4. We have a jasmine climber at home and its just so wonderful to have it at home....i pluck the buds so tenderly as if i am holding a baby....i thought the other day ...how i wish i write something about jasmine ...and here u go...and ur ja-ja jasmine took me to my childhood days at my ammamma's place.....

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    1. Aaa mallepoola pichi naku inka poledu akka... :) kothagudem lo kooda undedi...I know what you meant..you should write and let me know..would love to read, :) As soon as we moved to Dallas, I got a plant in a pot and enjoyed the flowers last season thoroughly...am waiting for it to bloom again..

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  5. Very, very, very nice :) Can almost smell them. :)

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  6. Jasmine flowers have such a soothing fragrance. Who will not like it. Very nice post.

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  7. Lovely imagery and post. Can almost smell that jasmine. ♥

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  8. J for Jasmine is indeed a post filled with fragrance prudhvi latha. Jasmine is and will alwyas be my fav flower and just like u I remember my childhood too.

    http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.in/2014/04/j-for-jkrowling.html

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  9. For some reason this reminds me of plucking flowers for daily pooja at home...Beautiful

    Latest A2Z Challenge Post-Random Thoughts Naba

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  10. Very lovely!!!! I plucked Jasmine flowers last night only!!! :) :)

    ~S(t)ri
    Participant|AtoZ Challenge 2014
    Smile, it makes (y)our day!

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  11. Awww I miss my home now... We too had Jasmine plant in my home. Beautiful write.

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  12. Good one.Nothing to beat jasmine for its fragrance

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  13. Lovely write. I hope you did something special for your son in appreciation

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  14. Lovely post all nostalgia, fragrance and childhood interwoven :)

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  15. I could smell the jasmine in this post (one of my favorite flowers)!

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  16. What a lovely memory! I can practically smell that jasmine. Good of your son to give you a prompt.

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  17. Nicely woven.. :) Thank your son for the prompt ;)

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  18. This is such a wonderful poem!!! I will treasure it always--so utterly Indian in its setting and yes, the fragrance... thanks for sharing!

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    1. Aww.....those are sweetest words straight from your heart..I will cherish them forever too. Btw, it is a real poem...not born out of my imagination :)

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