AN AFTERNOON NAP

In her garden of love
bloomed variety of flowers
fragrance spread smell all around
in the afternoons,
while dad and mum entered-
the world of long afternoon nap
stealthily she would move out
of her room first
walk down the steps.
Pluck she would a red rose from her garden
keeping the flower close to her heart
open the gate slowly and close it from behind
would cross over to the other side of the street
and walk down the pavement
in the direction of a flat a few steps away.
Unlock the door she would
sashay into the room
dip she would the slender stem of the red rose
inside a bottle filled with
crystal clear water
"Fade away not,
it is my love,
my offering to my beloved"-
Whisper she would.
Into the kitchen next,
boil sweet hot tea
on the micro-wave
fill the thermos
and would close and tighten it with the cap.
The next step then,
cook and ready the food and curries.
Happy and satisfied she would move inside
his private room,
switch on the ceiling fan,
beads of sweat slowly start evaporating,
her shawls often played pranks under the fan,
she loved it,
smile she would to herself
in the veil of reverie
sing,dance and gyrate as usual.
Tired, lie on the cosy bed
for a while,
look she would at the ceiling fan circling-
above for a while
time like a conditioned-reflex
would force her to wake up
reluctantly would she move out
lock the door from behind.
Down to the streets,
then to the house.

--------The routine knock at her door
sudden jolt as always,
afternoon nap broken,
train of dreams abruptly halted
with dozing eyes
wake up she would
walk to the wash-basin
Dad, Mum all woken up
into the portico would she move.
Her garden of love
blooming flower world,
she felt like it beckoning her
eyes reaching out to her beloved's flat-
still locked
move she would into the kitchen
Mum busy with routine chores,
then assume the role of Mum's assistant,
her routine chore.