MY MORNING WALK

Cool breeze
Flowers and leaves falling from the trees.
The weather is perfect,
I wear my designer shoes and track pants.
Set out for my walk.
I walk rhythmically to the sound of the cawing crows,
Till the sound of a random cuckoo breaks my steps,
A few minutes later, I start again,
Promising myself that I would not get distracted again.
I set off with a good pace for a few steps,
Only to be distracted by someone calling me from behind,
To be greeted with a big smile by my close friend
The happiness of meeting a good friend is priceless,
The idea of a brisk walk is lost as we laugh and walk slowly,
Towards a mini morning coffee break along with breakfast.
Followed by a visit to the vegetable market,
To buy fresh vegetables and fruits
The flower seller starts a random conversation with me,
About the rising prices and the rising temperature,
I feel all important and happy,
About the entire morning routine
Where, I effectively spent more than an hour on the road,
Whoops, I hardly walked a kilometer in that hour!
My doctor however is not too pleased with my regime,
She asks me regularly,
“Do you go for a walk in the morning?”
I nod my head indecisively,

Only I and my weighing scale know,
How distracting my morning walks are.

POEM BY SHREYA SURAJ