Once upon a time

Once upon a time,
when cars in the city
would stop
for pedestrians on the road,

Big houses
had big lawns
to grow
Mangoes
and for failed attempts at growing plums.

I was young
and loved the shriveled plums
just for variety.

I don’t push my pedal bike
by those houses anymore.

When I do pass that way
I see the trees have made space
for more people and their houses.


But I don’t get sad,
the way I would’ve
when I was young.

But, that was many worries
and many kilos ago.


© Jatin Gandhi, July 8, 2007.