A sixty-five year old lady…
trembling with Parkinson’s…
low on confidence…
afraid…

Kin bring her in…
‘Please see if you can help her …’
I sit down…
listen…

Soon…
I ‘see’ the strong , proud ‘core’…
‘I used to sing beautifully …’, she says ,her eyes bright ,for the
first time…
‘Would you sing for me ?…Please….’, I request…

‘I’ll try…’, says she…
and then…
she starts ….
‘Silent Night ….. Holy Night…..’

Voice shaking…
eyes darting at me …
to check …
if I catch the flaws….

Slowly … I unfold her trembling fists…
as she sings …
her eyes shut now…
her face …full of peace …

Waves of melody…
fill the room…
fill me …
with emotions, I cannot disown…

‘Sing…lady …you love it…’, I say to myself…

She finishes…
opens her eyes…
Tears…
Why ? I don’t know …
or…
do I …know ???

‘Your fees ?’, she asks at the end…
‘Nothing ….’,I say …

(There is no price for tears …no price for the carol …no price
for that unspoken ‘something ‘….)

                                                                   ~Monica Bakre

                                                                 Bangalore, India