The Alarm's Screech...

 by Dr. Smita Anand Sriwastav

The shrill screech of the alarm clock echoed to tatter the gossamer veneer of a fuzzy dream or was it a hazy memory replaying as some old mute movie on mind’s canvas in swirls of grey and sepia? They had held me mesmerized as languidly unfolding fairy tales that breathed their fragrance into my thoughts, like orchids sighing scented vowels into stained glass flutters of butterflies. The alarm’s wail was the chime of the bell of consciousness that drag reluctant thoughts away from alleys of Morpheus. I tried to recall that scene vivid moments before and now strangely vague, almost forgotten, lost in amnesic depths of unconscious thought. I wondered if I closed my eyes silently would those faded realms be revived, in swirls of sienna shades, alluring, intriguing and unworldly. Lurking at the edge of the eyelashes, those scenes refused to replay themselves, a poignant medley of faded scenes refusing become completely lost as well. The adamantly ticking hands of time denied such reincarnation, simply earmarking those moments in the ambiguity of nostalgia. They dispersed like fickle friends in adversity, for they were like carmine sighs of withered rose scattered on soil never to feel the kiss of pollens. The window gilded in morning’s grin beckoned as dispelled with traces of languor, dreams died and consciousness soared high like dove’s feathers over heights of a newborn day.

"I am an M.B.B.S. doctor with a passion for poetry and literature. I have always expressed my innermost thoughts and sentiments through the medium of poetry. A feeling of inner tranquility and bliss captures my soul whenever I pen my verse. Nature has been the most inspiring force in molding the shape of my writings. I have published two books and have published poems in journals like the Rusty Nail, Pyrokinection, Daily Love, Jellyfish Whispers, eFiction India, literary juice  and Contemporary Literary Review India and one of my poems was published in a book called ‘Inspired by Tagore’ published by Sampad and British Council. I have written poetry all my life and aim to do so forever."