*Hush!* An angel whispered into my ear, ‘Bob tell your friends this brand new year, That if they get on their knees and pray, God will handle woes that come their way.’ Dear friend, even as I greet you this year, May this assurance bring you good cheer! That all…
Joyful Strains for A Dying Year..!
And as the year comes to an end I look around and see my bamboo flute stretched out on the grand piano. I pick it up and place my mouth tenderly against the unpolished bamboo hole, and then from the bamboo shoot pours out my soul. My tune is sad…
Jabbering about the Jab..!
It was my body talking and I thought I’d listen to the outbursts coming from different parts of me; my feet and shoulders, arms and palms, all having an argument. “I can’t figure out why you should get the vaccine jab!” whined my feet to my upper arm, “We’ve all…
Dare to Get Up..!
I used to love watching boxing matches, especially when they were on the silver screen and you know what the outcome is going to be: Dishum, dishum, dishum, dishum; one shot after another. You shudder as the hero finally gets knocked down. Then you wait with baited breath, knowing something…
Winning Gold..!
It was on Christmas Day, I drove out for lunch after many months, and found roads not just dug up everywhere but found many had been kept as permanent dugouts for months! I wondered whether in this period of lockdown, when other athletic events and games had been kept in…
A Feather for the Baby..!
T’was the habit of Mr Sparrow to always build his nest with straw from the stable. “You clever man!” chirped Mrs Sparrow happily, “While all dem other birds go roun’ searchin’ for straw you jes’ sort of walk into dat stable and grab a beakfull to build our house!” And…
Why Can’t Christmas Last?
Once upon a time one was inundated with calls and visits every Christmas. Not just Christmas but every festival. There was an air of good- natured bonhomie be it Christmas, Diwali or Eid. That was how we greeted each other, once. Today it’s all WhatsApp messages and videos, but let…
Why Jesus, Why?
In the Realms of Heaven, a sweet baby angel with brand new wings walked down the heavenly corridors. She passed St Peter with his stately wings, who turned his kindly face to hers and asked, “Where are you going little girl?” “To meet Jesus!” said the little one. “There’s determination…
Bringing the Birthday Boy In..!
It was a scene of joy and revelry! The Christmas tree glistened, its branches laden with blue and red balls. Snow shone white on its branches and mistletoe and green wreaths hung everywhere. Santa stood near the tree, a look of contentment and satisfaction on his red face as he…
Peace On Earth..!
Just a hundred years ago, wars fought on battlefields, left men physically scarred, as even if they were fortunate to come home alive, they came wounded with either the loss of arm, leg, or even a mutilated face, plus horrors and traumas in their head which sometimes never went away…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.