MY BOYHOOD BALLAD

MY  BOYHOOD   BALLAD
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In  my  boyhood  I loved  to remember  more
that  Arithmetic  which  I  enjoyed  most
where  that   problem  about  that  'monkey  jump'
on a  polished bamboo-pole  smooth  and  oiled - up

The  monkey  jumped  high   but   slipped   instant
gained  only  few  inches  each  of   his   struggling  strife
and  I  was  to  work- out , when  it  would   finally reach  the  top
or     how  many   jumps  , -that  monkey has  to  make   ?

Apart  from   problem , I  enjoyed  the   struggle   as a  'game '   so  much
that ' poor monkey's'   jumping  and  slipping - down  strife
on  that  very   oily ,  slippery    bamboo - pole  and   up  and  down
I  ,a boy,was   enjoying  it's  sufferings   along with  that  of my  work .
 
         *****             ****            *****

More  than  six  decades  after  :  on my  balcony - chair ,  relaxed
on   river-side   of the  Ganges , - I  travel   back   so often on time
and  that   monkey's  struggle    , even now  I  see  vivid   so  much
and  match  my   own  life  on  that  back- ground - screen.

Climb  and   fall  ; myself  I  have  experienced  so  many  times
and  the  final  'reach'   even  now  seems ,   quite  a   little far  for  me !
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