Special Edition: Meghna Kaul

Meghna Kaul

  The Bird’s Flight

The bird flies in the unfathomable sky, the wings widespread cutting the wind, slithering further unnerved through the billowing clouds threatening to capture the whole void, vast stretched endless, the scuttling clouds intimidating the lone soul determined,’ this will also go’ she repeats all the time. She swoops down, envisioning a last minute escape in the glimmering grove of trees, her wings drenched, she escapes among the wet leaves, her empty eyes peep through the criss cross of leaves, night approaching, now desperate for her darlings nestling among the twigs and straws anxiously she looks at the weeping sky, why did she leave them in the morning, the numbness smelt of rain but she ignored, she had to gather the grains from the barn, so she risked her life and perhaps theirs too, she looked at the menacing clouds for mercy . Between the pitter patter she soared, her moist wing heavy on her back, her breath full but she kept on flying slow low no pause till she reached the familiar grounds, inching closer she saw the twigs, lying forlorn, the baby stickling to the dangling branch. She pecked him on the forehead, fondling him beneath her wings, all her exhaustion evaporated, she looked around the broken pieces, saw the scattered fragments of life 

the gales strong, the ship capsize

among the debris 

picking the pieces of life

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Bio: Meghna is a teacher by profession, loves to read and write. She composes poems and writes short stories. She loves to write on nature and celebrates simplicity of life.  She has written reports and articles for TOI. She is currently residing in Lucknow.

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Setu, June 2025