I open groggy eyes and see words dance
some small, some big, some easy, some difficult
and some repetitive,
they converse with me
accompany me to the bathroom, to the kitchen
stare at my sips of lukewarm water,
encircle my husband in my routine morning hug
stretch my yoga poses,
puff with me in my breathing exercises
get wet under the shower
some more new words towelled and dried
join me dressed to slurp my masala chai.
They are in every nook and corner,
on the sofa I sit, on the rug, on the duvet
they slip at times; I catch them
they spill at times on pages, I treasure them
but they do not fail me.
Some pain me, I discard them
few new ones send friend requests,
many give a fleeting glance
couple opt to stay put.
How many requests to accept,
will the old ones feel forgotten, I wonder?
Words of four languages I know, scratch me
vocabulary of some, obese some less visited, skimpy
many a time they sit next to each other
I laugh, friends now, aha.
At times, conduct assessments of my grey streaked memory
come on, they prod, say it, the same word in all four languages.
I try, give in at times, give up at times.
They soothe me, not on all occasions
at times, I crave for pin drop silence
enough, I tell them, just go
obstinate, they do not leave me.
Tired, we all cuddle up each night
drift off to sleep under the same blanket
old ones shift to house the new
all ready for another new day of togetherness.
