Inspired by the latest ad for Eternity featuring the lovely Scarlet Johannson…
Imagine a city, bright, colourful and earthy. A strong ethnic culture, art galleries, theatres, playhouses, colleges. Like Cairo, Istanbul, Bombay, Moscow, Paris, Rome… Bright lights, sodium lamps, a river with an iron bridge. A promenade along the river, wrought-iron benches, a nip in the air. Woolens in all conceivable colours. Fish markets, puddles on the road, narrow alleys. Buildings made of stone with massive arches. Minarets and mosques. Suburban trains. Shop windows with mannequins. Steaming tea cooling off on the glassy surface of black-rimmed spectacles. Studio apartments, sloping ceilings, narrow stairways, mussed bedsheets. Locks of dark, curly hair on the bathroom floor. Discarded film tickets. Ephemeral charm and a few moments to share, cherish and love. All in tones of black-n-white and sepia.
I try *desperately* to evoke romance and ill-fated love in a lot of what I write. To set right an impression, I am not half as dreamy or romantic as these blogs may imply!
sthira says:
You claim you are not but there may be a die hard romantic Locks whom you don’t know very well, sitting behind a veil in some corner of your consciousness!
October 12, 2004 — 12:29 pm
Lakshmi says:
If I don’t know her well enough after so many years of existence, her acquaintance may not be worth it, Sthira….:-)
October 13, 2004 — 6:19 am
sthira says:
Hmmmmmm that was a deep statement!
Perhaps I shouldn’t conjecture that others may be in the same position as me, discovering bits of myself every day and moment, and sometimes thinking whether I know the person that my mind is supposed to be housing in.
October 13, 2004 — 10:35 am
Lakshmi says:
You’re right, Sthira… I’ve been discovering bits and parts of myself every passing day and wondering if I ever knew myself at all…Maybe I should strike a conversation with The Romantic within!
October 13, 2004 — 10:41 am
arunshanbhag says:
nice list. couldn’t help but add a few more:
empty wine glasses, lipstick stains, drying burgundy, cookie crumbs on plate;
cuddled under a goosedown, smothered by conditioner scented hair, dhuk-dhuk (do hearts beat so loudly?)
If I don’t know her well enough after so many years of existence, her acquaintance may not be worth it,
it would probably be more like a moth which had matured to a beautiful butterfly, waiting to break free. No permission is going to be asked and IT (your new self) will be making your acquaintance in fond memories.
… me thinks its the season!
October 13, 2004 — 12:17 pm
Lakshmi says:
I like your list…:-)
And yeah, looks it is the season playing truant! Good to have you back live in action, Arun!
October 14, 2004 — 6:46 am
hollowandempty says:
i thought it was rather romantic…i especially like the ‘discarded film tickets”…BAM! It is so defining, that phrase
October 12, 2004 — 1:41 pm
Lakshmi says:
Very reminescent of young love, huh?
I know that *feel*…:-)
October 13, 2004 — 6:19 am
shri says:
Painting pictures with words. 🙂
October 12, 2004 — 10:22 pm
Lakshmi says:
An attempt…:-)
October 13, 2004 — 6:20 am
fugney says:
Locks of dark, curly hair on the bathroom floor
Isn’t that generally seen as gross?
October 13, 2004 — 12:37 am
Lakshmi says:
Nothing is *generaly seen*. It is the viewer who lends it that perception, don’t you agree?
October 13, 2004 — 6:20 am
fugney says:
Yes, but hair? I mean, my first reaction was,”eeeks!!!” where did that come from? The rest of it seems to make sense… or maybe I don’t really get it…..
October 13, 2004 — 7:41 am
Lakshmi says:
🙂 Don’t blame you for hair inspires that reaction from many people. Just that here, I meant it to invoke passion.
October 13, 2004 — 7:44 am
Anonymous says:
um, someone having shed all their hair on the bathroom floor does not invoke passion by any stretch of the imagination.
October 13, 2004 — 8:04 am
Lakshmi says:
*all their hair*… didn’t imply that. In any case, to each their own.
October 13, 2004 — 8:05 am
dannykk says:
Cold inky nights lit by a solitary candle. Leaves heavy with spent rain. A bud that is about to burst into a flower. The sun that weeps into the sea. Eyes that lock for eternity and then a silent sigh.
October 13, 2004 — 4:33 am
hemya says:
of all the stuff that u have written….this one hits me the most…..according to me……this is the best to date……you go girl!!!!!
October 13, 2004 — 7:40 am
Lakshmi says:
:-))
Thanks, Hemya…
October 13, 2004 — 7:45 am
hemya says:
i’ve been reading it again and again since yesterday…….and i can just seem to picture it so perfectly……in black and white:)….though the city that flashes across my mind is Bombay or Pune (though its nowhere in that list)
October 13, 2004 — 7:49 am
Lakshmi says:
Bombay is on the list. The city that comes to my mind is Cairo. I am sure that Pune can also fit in perfectly from what I’ve heard about the city…
October 13, 2004 — 8:00 am
deelight says:
Add in some squalor and it’s Bombay you have!
October 14, 2004 — 4:27 am