This poem is dedicated to the time, when i left my home town for the first time and traveled  to a city, thousands of kilometers away, for work.

मैं नन्हीं  चिड़िया

मैं नन्हीं  चिड़िया  थी,               
कुछ साल पहले ,
छोटे-छोटे पाँव थे,                               
और छोटे-छोटे डैने।

दम भरके उड़ती,
जब खुले आकाश में ,
तो सोचती, चल उड़ें  आज इधर,
चल उड़ें  आज वहां।
बादलों के भीतर ,
जहाँ सिमटता हो जहाँ।

कब होउंगी बड़ी,
के नाप सकू यह आकाश।
जाऊं वहां जहाँ तक,
जाता हो प्रकाश।

दूर इस घोंसले से,
इंद्रधनुष के उस पार ,
कैसा होगा वह समां।

कब जाऊं और कब जाऊं ,
ऐसा सोचती और सोचती।

आया वह समय  भी,
जब हुई मैं बड़ी,
कह कर सबको अलविदा,
घोंसले से चल पड़ी।

प्रेम, सत्कार और सम्मान की,
आशा लिए मन मैं,
उड़ रही थी नए जहाँ की ओर।

रंगीन सपने बुनते-बुनते,
जाने कब आ गया छोर।

आशाओं से विपरीत,
पाया नया जहाँ।
प्रेम और सत्कार, यहाँ था कहाँ।

मन की धुंध हो गयी साफ़।
मेरे प्यारे घोंसले, मुझे कर देना माफ़।

ठोकरों के सिवा यहाँ कुछ नहीं।
सोचती हूँ, जिसे छोड़ा, वहां लौटूं या नहीं।

- मीनाक्षी  शर्मा


                           ©MeenakshiSharma 2018 'All Rights Reserved'

One of my kind

One evening, i was teaching my six year old the use of definite article in English grammar and started an exercise  of 'describing a picture' in simple sentences. There was a picture of shining sun, which i asked her to describe. She described it as - 'A sun is shining'. To this, i corrected her and  explained,  the  sun is only one for our earth and definite.It is mighty and important. Hence, we use 'the'
before it. Her next question left me in splits. She asked, ' Mamma, am i not  only one and definite. I have nobody like me. I look different than others , behave different than others  and have Adhaar card as well. Am i not important ? Why you do not use 'the' before my name ?

©MeenakshiSharma 2018 'All Rights Reserved'

Addiction

Whenever, i saw my 5 year old with ipad, i was always worried that she will be addicted. On one such day, when she was glued, i brought black slate, sat near her and started drawing on it. When completed, i left it with her and went away. Later, when i peeped from behind the curtain, i could not stop grinning with joy.She kissed my drawing, erased it with cushion and started her own drawing. Ipad stayed in one corner of bed untouched for rest of the day.

©MeenakshiSharma 2016 'All Rights Reserved'

Either get mad or be sensitive

Today, I noticed, that my 4 year old daughter broke all her new 24 wax crayons into two pieces. At first glance, I was mad from inside and then controlled myself. I took her in arms, looked into her eyes with a smile and questioned her the reason for doing so. Her reply left me speechless. She said, " mamma, when I lose any of those colors, I will still have other piece and I will not have to stop my drawing" 

                            ©MeenakshiSharma 2016 'All Rights Reserved'

The mango tree

My five year old loves mangoes. On environment day, they did planting activity in school. Meanwhile, i was busy in 'save the nature' painting activity in my office.On returning home, i saw plastic beads scattered everywhere. I almost got mad at my kid.Then, she quietly took me to balcony, where i was stunned at the scene.My bead box was filled with damp soil. She told -' Mamma, I love mangoes and want to own a tree, hence, i sow the seed'.

©MeenakshiSharma 2016 'All Rights Reserved'