13 SECONDS

Spells of broken slumber embrace often,

            May be the winter’s cool drowsiness!

Efforts to reach the branches of sleep

As if a female chimpanzee’s fancy!

            Oscillating between the trees of Amazon

            Rain forests, she heard a heinous ‘hiss-hiss’

And felt a nauseating odour too!

Is it the nine-headed poisonous snake?

‘Lernaean Hydra’ of Greek legends?

            Didn’t the brave hero Hercules kill him?

            Next moment that horrible snake

Hissed and sprayed poison onto her.

Yelled aloud her ’oh! Mom!’ and-

            Opened her eyes ‘Oh! I’m not dead!’

            It was again the uninvited villain “Seizure”.

Not any poisonous spray from snake!

Only the water sprinkled by Mom,

            To wake her up ‘Tick, Tick’ 13 seconds!

                                                                               S.J.SANGEETHA