FOOTPRINTS

lost in a land of sand

i was walking here and there

besides there was a stream

with water gurgling and murmuring

i could see nobody anywhere

i could listen some sound nowhere

the silence sounded somewhat eerie

i was lost in solitude nearly

alas! i saw some footprints on sand

not of human or panther or creature living on land

i shouted if anybody was there

but heard no response from anywhere

suddenly, i felt a touch

shocked, bewildered, i was stunned

it was cute, little and fumbsy

yeah! it was genie.....

ah! i thought he would grant me wishes 3

but, he himself looked pale, sad and needy

i asked who you are

where do you belong from

the genie exclaimed (as expected) :

" i can fulfil your 3 wishes..... "

ah! that's great!

you are a creature

found by people

with handsome fate

but, tell me why are you sad?

why not happy........

for fulfilling desires

for fulfilling what we aspire....

"no. i am an evil.

 i am a disgrace.

 i am not meant for people

 with handsome fate."

"ah! how come you say that?

 if you fulfil any 3 wishes

 you can't be a disgrace

 i am lucky to have such a fate"

"stupid girl! get the meaning of life

 life is a path of thorns and pains

 there are hurdles to be crossed

 and stones to be pushed away."

widely opened was my mouth

soon you could see me dumbfound.

while i was making out 3 wishes

my fingers shaking and body trembling

within no time, the genie said :

" demand! demand what your 3 wishes are! "

his words were an order

asking me for 3 wishes

his eyes were a plea

requesting me not to say anything

i was gazing at his eyes

oh! they were so immense

when i found that

i was lost in them

"no. i don't want you to fulfil any of my wish."

"demand! demand what your 3 wishes are!"

"no. i don't want you to fulfil......"

genie converted into a beautiful prince

sparkling smile and twinkling eyes

his hair was gold and colour was silver

yes, he was not less than a treasure

"i had been waiting for you for years

 without you i was always in tears

 you are not a stupid girl

 you know how life can always turn

 how did you make out

 that genie was something fake

 it was a trap for people

 not with handsome fate

 yeah, you were gazing at my eyes

 did you make out me pleading

 or you understood something from my speech

 or is it like you don't have any wish "

"what you said is all correct

 these were a few things i had kept in my head

 but, something else was most portentous

 that had troubled me with great momentous

 FoOtPrInTsssSSsSs........

 i saw footprints big, small and very small

 moving towards you on and on

 but why these footprints never returned

 has now an answer very much deterred......."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

an attempt to highlight how the world can always put some bait to engulf you. but, we all can overpower it by using our wits. the story of a fairy land, or Cinderella, or snowwhite may be good to listen and no offence against people who believe in the existence of such worlds ( hey, even i do..). here, a genie granting 3 wishes was a trap...a big trap..! the moment narrator had asked for it, it may have done something it never wanted to. the narrator's wits of observing footprints that never come and overpowering the vice of greed... that's what is the demand of poet  !!!  and yeah, it did help a beautiful prince !

“open your eyes to see the world. anybody: an enemy, an acquaintance, a friend or a well wisher...could be a disguise who offers you wishes, but, don't demand! it may take you down. ! :/ :/ :/”

:29-dec-08:with love~~isha jain~~