THE MIRROR

One day
during my leisurely moments
a curiosity and eagerness
enveloped me-
to go through a
collection of antiques
piled up in a corner
of our old apartment
bestowed to posterity
by my great Grandpa.
In fact
nobody had thought about
digging up the past
which according to them
was a waste of time.
Past is past
past neither present
nor future, but inter-related.
My inner curiosity to
go through the antiques
however grew tall like
a mountain
and hence no stopping.
With a towel wrapped
around my nose
to escape from dust
accumulated around
the piled-up antiques
my hands started picking
each
closely scrutinized each
each invaluable in its own way.
At last I got this mirror
I dusted away with difficulty
the thick cover of dust
and made it clean and glazing.
I was stunned to watch
the face of young baby
taken aback I looked again
saw this time a handsome boy
each time I looked
I saw the reflections
of childhood, teenage, youth
middle age
and even my future ‘shape’
a grand old man.
The mirror I held to my bosom
and I wondered,
why nobody did think on
the lines of finding it out
and why
my great grandpa didn’t
reveal the secret
to anyone at home
I too decided not to
reveal it to
anyone at home
it is my secret joy….