The Plum Cake of 2020

By Ashwini Shajan

By the window sill, she caressed her ebony hair,

the ‘rain-dropped’ pane blocked a pitiful sight.

Lonely lanes with only a vehicle or two,

She knew, this winter, Santa wasn’t putting gifts in her shoe.

Uncle Nate grouched all day, of a bad year befallen,

“To old times, bells n’ chimes”, Aunt Polly whined too.

Deprived of guests and goodies they brought,

To savour a plum cake, was what the girl sought.

“This is called poor”, said her aunt to her,

the girl knew their plight of unpaid bills.

After all, the lightless fir tree stood cornered,

without star or sparkle, t’was an Xmas bother.

They said grace for mere bread n’ butter,

remembering last winter, that meat and a roast!

Friends had arrived, foe welcomed to stay,

the eve they’d spent, alas! an opposite of today.

She shut her eyes, tears trickled, dousing her cheeks,

then clasped her hands, and so mutely she prayed,

“God, you know, what I need this time”.

If an answer to her beckon, the child knew never,

for a beaming Aunt Polly stood ahead of her,

holding a jolly fat plum cake, as brown as ever!

Moral: The poem is set on Christmas eve in the pandemic year 2020, where a little girl who lives with her uncle and aunt, unhappily compares the festivities at her home now and then. The theme of the poem focuses on not dwelling in the past but being grateful for being able to celebrate with little or nothing. This year must teach us to celebrate our good health, safety and, of course, to appreciate those insignificant moments we enjoy with our families at home

By Ashwini Shajan