Splendor Of Seville Poem by SUNDARAM SARMA

As I embark on my bucket-list travels,
There is something I wish to unravel,
To see my skills at penning poetry,
Over which currently I have no mastery

My family kept goading me,
To shed my lethargy,
And make a beginning,
Which in hindsight, was a self- awakening

It was on a fine morning in sunny Spain,
That I decided to make some meaningful gains,
In penning my first few lines,
Without allowing my mind to work overtime

While walking down the streets of Seville,
You see people wanting to do what they will,
It's a wonderful feeling of being stress-free,
Which makes me think "is this what life is meant to be"?

The street restaurants are a gourmets' delight,
That'ssheer heavenly bliss in every bite,
The menu variety is the joy of any epicurean,
And the task to choose makes it no less Herculean

Street cafes abound in no small measure,
With people flocking in droves to seek hedonistic pleasure,
The wining and dining carry on past midnight,
And makes you wonder whether the end is ever in sight

Beating the heat with a cool retreat,
Are ice creams and sorbets in an array of treats,
The flavors on display makes one spoilt for choice,
But once decided, it is a matter to rejoice

The popular flea market on Sundays,
Is a rarity not seen everyday,
Hawkers displaying their unique wares,
A sight not beholden everywhere

The ornamental antiques,
Embrace the mystique,
To the ardent art lovers' gazing eye,
There is so much stuff that money can buy

To the connoisseur philatelist,
There were no stamps that did not exist,
To the persevering numismatist,
The jingle of coins was a means to co-exist,
The rustle of currency, an erstwhile pleasure to the notaphilists,
Such a variety of notes no longer exists

Amazing to listen to the ceaseless chatter,
The noisy banter, little did it matter,
Price haggling was no laughing matter,
Achieving the end result was all that did matter

The Triana sector famous for its ceramic ware,
Artistic glazed tiles, pottery and curios discerned just about everywhere,
Such is the craftsmanship excelling in intricate designs,
The wide variety on display just blows away your mind

Meandering through streets and alleys was a pleasure,
Whilst enjoying the local traditions in no small measure,
The staccato Spanish chatter of passers by,
Was a joy to listen - an unique experience that money can't buy

The number of cathedrals was definitely aplenty,
Each with a history extending to posterity,
The majestic domes and sprawling structures,
Boreample testimony to ancient and contemporary cultures

Thenumerous horse carriages sauntering on the cobblestone paths,
Were a sight to behold with their inimitable trot,
The tourists and locals alike beamed as they rode by,
Responding to the constant cheers of passers-by

As the day dawned on our leaving Seville,
It was more out of compulsion than our own free will,
That with a heavy heart we had to bid adieu,
Knowing fully well that such a feeling was not anew