Children At Play

I watch children gathering on empty fields With harvest over and the farmers gone Books laid to rest and the school being closed For sunny days and outdoor games they do yearn In fiery spirits and wild enthusiasm Over the stubble of paddy, they move and run Unmindful of the sharp bite under their feet Eager to spend their holidays in fun Some run around, kicking the ball Passing it to the goal posts quick and smart While some in groups skip, hop and jump A few like asteroids through cosmic void, dart By my widow I stand and watch their sport I can hear their shouts of joy and hilarity Like tiger cubs, sometimes they fight Alerting the neighborhood to their noisy gaiety Unwilling to disperse, they continue to play Till the sky turns ashen and the evening dims Finally through the country paths Hurriedly they depart to their homes They promise to meet the very next day To plan still more adventurous games and enjoy Free birds of the air having nothing to annoy How blessed is their life of unalloyed joy These scenes weave pictures of delight Reminding me of the days of amusements wild When such shadowy phantoms fill my brain I yearn to be reborn once more a child