Bubble and Brew

By Vanaja Malathy

Past sunrise 
winter chill.
still ached to
coil myself tight into the
comfort of the warm quilt sheathing around
like a carapace of a crustacean,
tight encasing, hard to make the slightest move
to disturb myself
from those dreams
that parade, swaying like in a show
at fixed time of REM sleep
vivid, random, turbulent…
dreams pamper a lazy body all the more.

I drift off into a sleep
desirous to watch,
choose and cherish
what I always missed and
if my dreams can give a clue.
The best hours of the day
to place your life enviously
on a different pedestal!
‘Leave me alone.’
an invisible sign board hangs on me.

A frothing cup of coffee makes an appearance
 by my side table
emanating an aroma of bitter sweetness
generating a strong release of whiff
of fresh espresso.
the smell of  bean, a palate cleanser for my nose
deserved my attention.
With a temptation hard to resist 
I gather my tired bones
relax tight nerves around my muscles
to reach the cup.

I wondered
while the whole world around, selfishly asleep
craving for that excess sleep
some compassionate hands brewed the elixir of life
with right water, right scoop, right portion of milk
right stirring and right timing to tastefully mix and churn so deftfully
the king of drinks.
The bubbles akin to foam of an ocean
tempted me to pierce through the lather
for a larger sip to feel the wealth of aroma into my olfactory-
I attempt not to delay
lest the bubbles slowly disappear
leaving an insipid broth below.
Bubbles and brew are inseparable!

Bubbles of my dreams too melt away
unfolding the reality of life
rendering a new form and flavor
to a mundane life
I surf through a challenge anew
of fun and fascination 
feeling less fatigued
vibrating more energy 
I rise up.
The magical drink turned  
‘Leave me alone’ into a
‘Hi Good Morning’ wish.  

A doctorate in English and an educator for decades from India.. A smooth drift from academic writing to Poetry writing. Vanaja Malathy considers poetry as her fabric of existence, poems to breathe and as a vent to her emotions. She also loves to paint, sew and read.

Her poems have appeared recently in The Nightingale Poetry Journal, The New-England Monthly Poetry Digest, The Poet’s Showcase, Poetrynation.com, The New International Poetry Digest, and The Literary Yard.

 Her Interview in the latest edition of Author Talks is published in The Literary Yard at

https://literaryyard.com/2023/01/11/writing-poetry-to-reduce-stress-vanaja-malathy/