Today Is My Birthday! Poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

The first day of my sixty-seventh year,
I slide open the three window panes in my bedroom,
To find the huge red circular plate of the Sun rising.
Geometrically disfigured by tall buildings
In Bandra Kurla complex towards the South.

I feel the fresh breeze blowing in, fresh
And cool: I notice it is blowing from East –
North-east monsoon was a reality
In Madurai during childhood, not now in Mumbai.
Got up at five a m, and went for a walk.

Remembered to take my old binoculars
Stopped at the corner near Mithi river on skywalk
Peered, and peered thru binoc, but had no luck today
As the Souther Cross constellation was not visible,
Felt like Matthew Arnold on the Dover Beach!

The layers of faith have been now darkened,
And polluted away into a deadly grey,
But still after completing sixty six years,
I am happy to feel life pulsing though
My body and mind, enabling me to enjoy

Moments of joy and beauty, use my senses,
My incomparable brain, and the elusive
But subtle and highly evolved brain-mind.
Reading is my only hobby, and friend too:
At present I am into “The Tell-tale Brain”
By Dr V S Ramachandran, Lucknow Boy
Of Vinod Mehta, Power of the Powerless
By Vaclav Havel who I read has died three days ago.

Some are born,
Some die,
Some celebrate birthday!
What infinite variety and color! !
Everyday I feel thrilled to be alive, and aware!