My Favourite Book

By Naayaa Mehta –

That’s what I said when I saw

The topic of this year’s lit fest

What rubbish! A favourite book?

Someone’s idea of a jest

How can anyone choose?

Between the sky and the sea

Between a mermaid and a fairy?

Between all that you can imagine

And all that you can see

But anyways, then I got all my books out

And realised this was going to be one absurd journey

I had too many books and too many stories!

Books, books everywhere

But not the one whose journey I wanted to share

Not the One calling out to me

It was like 20000 leagues under the sea

But I had to start somewhere

So, I launched myself with a prayer

I skipped a little and fell into a hole

Came out looking like a hideous mole

Blundered into a tree trunk

`and then into a horrible witch

Who turned out to be a snitch

Wiggled out of her clutches

Straight into a den

of a slumbering tiger and it’s cubs ten

Tiptoed out and found a snake

Farancia erytrogramma

Family – Dipsadidae

Suborder – Give me a Break!

I looked left and looked right

The amazing story of Adolphus tips

Or The curious incident of the dog in the night

Maybe, it’s the fault in our stars

Or shall it be The Garden of the gods

Choosing one, I surely was against fearful odds

I lumbered on without a glance

Through forest and marshes like under a trance

Books were countless and there was no dearth

It was turning out to be a journey to the centre of the earth

I ran out of time and had to conclude

There shall never be a winner

Of this blood feud

So, I’ve penned down my ramblings

And pray thee, them thy include

Naayaa Mehta

7A, Sri Ram School, Gurgaon