An Aubade Poem by Gayathri Seetharam

An Aubade
-Gayathri B. Seetharam
I listen to the chirping sparrows
And feel that there is joy in the air
The dawn of a new day
Brings with it the sight of a new horizon
Or a better definition of the old one;

I see the white veiled young girl with the woman's body
Myself in my 4th grade as a pretend Christian bride
Giving a speech which
Bespoke of the day of yore
That valued its children and youth
And encouraged a literate and an educated society;

That young girl who is, of course, me
Found love and my beloved(s)
For I refer to both my husband and son
I find that in a more generic way of waking up to the dawn
I must follow Swami Vivekananda's advice:
Arise, Awake and Stop not till you reach your goals;

As I write this poetic aubade
I am reminded of your beautiful serenade of love
On my birthday in our second year of marriage, my dear husband,
You had a violinist present to me a bouquet of red roses with lady's lace
And play a lovely piece of music to me
While being surrounded by loving friends
And while you were busy at work;
You have always been a role model
In my feminist aspirations
And a day full of happy love and sunshine
Following the dawning sunrise and the chirping birds
Would be an accompaniment to my singing heart.