The Fall! Poem by Shahzia Batool

The Fall!

Rating: 4.1


When the winter takes its heavy toll
Breath declines at the season’s fall

While youth enjoys the pleasant blows
The growing souls their windows close

Asthma, fever comes as ailments
Syrups replace the food supplements

The family doc prescribes some food
One has to obey despite NO mood

The diet comprises porridge and soup
No favorite bits, no ice-cream scoop

No spicy, oily and fried things
No rice, no milk, no cold drinks

Less salt in meals, less sugar in tea
To level sugar and high B.P

Just toasted bread with a chicken leg
Pepper sprinkled boiled egg

Talk is hindered with thoughtful pauses
Mind accepts not wearing glasses

Daily weight-check, X-Ray file
Have upkeep with the lipid profile

Troubled by migraine and joints
Getting annoyed at little points

No thought of love, or hate or revenges
But syrups, fruit-drops and lozenges

Oblivion increases the use of fillers
As a spell of regular pain-killers

The bones get softened, eyesight falls
All this happens when the age calls!

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Courtesy:

The idea is conceived on the words by Ms. Indira Babbellapati, she wrote to me, Winter takes its toll...and i came up with this one...thanks Indira ji :)

regards!
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Musfiq Us Shaleheen 23 January 2014

true and realistic........

1 0 Reply
Tribhawan Kaul 23 January 2014

True to life poetic picturrisation. Age takes it own toll particularly with pollution around us, food items having chemicalised growth and sedantry life style all contribute to life style ailments. Best way is to combat it is to take it on one's stride not allowing the ailments overpower mentally. These phases in one's life come and go. I do have a medical condition which I am combating with all my will power though medical procedures may be needed sooner or later. I too have jotted a poem ' Stone and Pain' I hope you to visit my page on PH.

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Valsa George 24 January 2014

How well you have depicted the ailments of advancing age! With cholestrol levels going up and the heart panting while pumping the fuel... when joints ache with a sudden drop in the mercurial level.... what could be done other than imposing rigorous self discipline on diet and living habits as suggested by physicians! The perfect rhyning adds beauty to the poem! ! Enjoyed! !

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Tirupathi Chandrupatla 24 January 2014

Call of age cannot be escaped. You have nicely prescribed recipes for treatment. Thank you.

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Yasmin Khan 24 January 2014

Ah! Aging brings ailments in her pockets and the seasons that were once a source of delight turns aggravating old age sickness. It's a realistic write that paints such a true picture of aging factors.

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Amitava Sur 27 February 2014

A lovely penning of the factual in everybody's life. But right now it gives me a diff. impression that possibly in this way only we are handing over the baton to others (younger ones) . Now they will eat drink and booze and elders have to take a leave since commodities are limited..... nicely written

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Valerie Dohren 14 February 2014

Oh dear, what a gloomy picture of old age, but its true I guess. I can certainly vouch for the aching joints and high BP. Made me chuckle anyway Shahzia.

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Lyn Paul 11 February 2014

Keep eating like this and you will be a new woman, remember that we must climb after the fall. Great write

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Shihabudheen K J 09 February 2014

its a medical doctrine madam...........

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Bri Edwards 05 February 2014

i guess i'm not old enough to be reflected accurately in this poem. but in the past 10 years i have had doctors prescribe drugs for both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. i took the pb med for a couple of years? and the cholesterol med for one DAY. at the urging of my new wife, and with the ok from my new doctor, AND with now-and-then self-monitoring of bp and annual cholesterol lab tests, AND with a bit of a change in diet and more exercise (especially walking) , i quit both meds and for several years have only taken some over-the-counter stuff......vit. B complex, flaxseed oil, and about 80 mg aspirin a day. oh yeah, the poem! i actually thought, while reading it, that i had read it some time ago. maybe i did and never commented on it. not bad, shahzia. i especially liked these two couplets: The diet comprises porridge and soup No favorite bits, no ice-cream scoop (any stanza containing ice-cream must be good; nice rhyme. before i got married again i used to have my freezer almost FULL of ice cream and eat some every day; now i only get a little, now and then) Less salt in meals, less sugar in tea To level sugar and high B.P (I like how you reversed the conditions in order to make the great rhyme.) AND this stanza: Just toasted bread with a chicken leg Pepper sprinkled boiled egg yummy! i thought i had surely commented on this stanza long ago. maybe in a message to S's inbox? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - as for this stanza's words: No thought of love, or hate or revenges But syrups, fruit-drops and lozenges another nice rhyme, if i give a different-than-usual pronunciation to lozenges. .........when one gets old enough, one can not DO love, even if one feels it. are you following me? ? hate may still be present, but what good does it do you? revenge gets more difficult when one can't even make it to the bathroom in time! Shahzia, i may send a personal message [my suggestions] another time. thanks for sharing.........i think! bri :)

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