yaatra: a smile yaatra down the lane

rugged peaks, impervious, distant, distinct, detached
ambuscading, camouflaging, playing hide and seek with
lazily floating clouds, covering, baring, making faces
determined pilgrimage to the attic for a carton
a blue pullover, left elbow torn, sleeves frayed
pages torn from a notebook, amorous thoughts
once passion soaked, laughing, tingling, quivering
a yellowing newspaper cutting conveying inapt urgency
a rusted key chain with sepia dark photo barely discernible
conveying flashes of mirth, laughter, joy, sigh and tear
stale memories, faded laughter, earnest discourses
trembling anticipation, warm embraces, carefree sleep
now indiscriminately floating across mind's screen
like the images on the giant screen in a smoky lounge
full of fans - loud, raucous, cheering, heckling, shouting
memories foggy, indistinct, passing vaguely, vainly
memories' play over, objects ensconced back in the carton
escorted gingerly, furtively to the waste bin
on its way to the land-fill...dust to dust...inna-lilla...
peace, chain, a'munn, sukh, shaanti
elusive, a smile etched on soul's skin
that cannot be placed in the waste-bin
nor erased, returned, expunged, obliterated
smile indestructible, alive nor dead, afflicting