Whose wine is it, anyway?

The spooky, eerie feeling grips me, As I watch Grandpa swinging from a tree. His body is lifeless, limp and pale, His hands are fragile and frail. “Grandpa”, I shriek, “I thought you were dead, For your funeral mass the first reading I read”. “Shut up kid”, he says with a frown, “Do you know how bad it is there down?” “Down?” I gasp,”So you made it to hell?” “Believe me girl heaven ain’t that swell.” “Is it hot down there? Do you loathe the heat?” “Down there kid, I hate the food I eat”. “Food?”, I exclaim ,”do you still need that?” “Of course we do you blithering brat”. “But aren’t ghosts the gliding type all slim and light?” “Yes kid, but we need the energy to scare Earthly folks at night”. I gently ask, “What is it you miss most from up here?” “Is it the TV set, liqueur bottle or fishing gear?” “Honestly kid, I miss the food your Grandma would make, Those sinful crumpets and cookies she’d bake, those meat pies and curries w...

The latest trend to have swept across Mumbai city is the dog fad. People are going on a dog buying spree. Some own a single dog. Others buy two and some have three. Mumbai is a city which is starved of space. There is no room for an extra bed in the matchbox style houses that we live in and yet people go ahead and buy dogs. In Mumbai there are hardly any dog parks and dog owners choose to walk their dogs on the narrow streets of Mumbai. Most dog owners don't clean up after their dogs So the roads are piled with dog poop. Walking on the streets of Mumbai was always an arduous task due to the harrowing traffic, but the dog menace has only added to the pedestrian's woes. Dogs need their space. A 850 square foot home is not sufficient for a dog. My building itself has nine dogs. The staircase stinks of dog. The corridor is littered with fur and there is poop on the stairs occasionally. While the dog owners refuse to claim responsibility, they go the extra mile and blame street dog...

I looked at him with a keen and watchful eye, and was enthralled by his wit and charm. His smile so mysterious, his mannerisms so shy, He was placid, subdued, thoughtful and calm. He seemed so intelligent, so smart, so wise, his ideas so concrete, positive and concise. His questions so contrasting, so different, so stark, his answers always held substance and a spark. When intimidated, he'd never turn aggressive, and when praised, he'd look all humble and pensive. He was unlike the rest, He stood up for whats right, He'd have the final say in any brawl or fight. He always looked at me with piercing curiosity, but from his lips there never escaped a smile. He was known for his indifference and honesty, and yet he seemed unfriendly. strange and vile. He was always considerate and courteous, around girls he was distant but chivalrous. With colleagues he was curt yet respectful and with his friends he was magnanimous and tactful. He was imaginative and extremely knowledgeable,...

At the 206 bus stop I patiently wait For the red bus that's always late. I have now waited over an hour And my mood is surely turning sour. I crane my neck for the glimpse of that bus Which, when moves makes ruckus. I am excited by the noise of yonder thunder Alas it turns out to be a school bus, oh what a blunder. I'm tired, hungry and even ready for bed Yet compelled to wait for the bus in red. If only I had money for a three wheeler Alas I can't afford it on my income meager. My patience is put to a severe T-E-S-T As I stoically wait for the B-E-S-T. A serpentine queue has now formed But come the bus its door will be stormed. My hopes rise upon the sight of something red Alas it's a bus of another route instead. The hunger has traveled from stomach to mind Can someone please a solution to this delay find? At the 206 bus stop I patiently wait For the red bus that's always late!

Screaming and brawling their day begins, running about increasing their sins. They yell, cause a racket, and shout, they are so many of them all about. In the corridor their infant will eat, and on my ceiling they'll exercise their feet. Their dog is a menace, he defecates all around, and the husband is a wretched hound. Their antics leave me angry and livid, their indifference makes me frigid. They are a nuisance, a horrible bane, an exasperating, a nerve twitching pain. The wife has such a melodious tone, even when she bangs the door and slams the phone. They cause an awful din while descending the stairs, and even more noise, when they drag their chairs. A noble woman am I; I always say my prayers, yet nobody answers them, nobody cares. Oh Jesus how can i love them as much as I love myself? I'd rather drink salt water and marry an elf. The husband comes to fight at the drop of a pin, And if i tell him about his continuous din, he frowns and says,...

When the sun first shows its beaming face, at the break of a blissful new dawn. Your birds that exult with elegant grace, bid farewell to the night that's gone. Your flowers ornate your vast lands, of your priceless treasures they boast. The besotting Kilimanjaro that stands, dominating your east coast. You are home to the best precious stones, the land of gleaming clear waters. Garnished with skills and strong bones, you are served by your dutiful daughters. The soil that expands on your gracious vest, the equator that cuts your enormous chest, birds that bear your golden crest, are a few ideals of your daring zest. The treasured soil that fills your vast expanse, the gracious finesse in your every dance. From Egypt, to South Africa, Nigeria to Kenya, From the stupefying Sahara to the beatific Victoria. I love you dear Africa, The land of the wild, This poem is for you from your little child.