'The Picnic in Jammu' by Zulfikar Ghose

Uncle Ayub swung me round and round
till the horizon became a rail
banked high upon the Himalayas.
The trees signalled me past. I whistled,
shut my eyes through tunnels of the air.
The family laughed, watching me puff
out my muscles, healthily aggressive.

This was late summer, before the snows
come to Kashmir, this was picnic time.

Then, uncoupling me from the sky,
he plunged me into the river, himself
a bough with me dangling at its end.
I went purple as a plum. He reared
back and lowered the branch of his arm
to grandma who swallowed me with a kiss.
Laughter peeled away my goosepimples.

This was late summer, before the snows
come to Kashmir, this was picnic time.

After we'd eaten, he aimed grapes
at my mouth. I flung at him the shells of
pomegranates and ran off. He tracked
me down the river-bank. We battled,
melon-rind and apple-core our arms.
'You two!' grandma cried. 'Stop fighting, you'll
tire yourselves to death!' We didn't listen.

This was late summer, before the snows
come to Kashmir and end children's games.


What's your impression of the poem? What do you find interesting in it? What's noteworthy? What's the tone of the poem? How is it similar or different from the extract we read in class?

Your assignment:
a) Post a comment with your analysis of any aspect or personal reaction to the poem. You may answer any of the questions above or any one your classmates have posted.
c) End your comment with a question for your classmates to keep the discussion going. You may or may not have the answer for it!

You may post a comment as many times as you'd like. You are required to participate with at least one comment, but since this discussion is intended to help you gain further insight in preparation to write your essay, you may want to keep the discussion going.

To do while I'm away...

Your work for Monday and Tuesday at the Computer Lab is:
1. Write a commentary on the extract that you chose and presented orally last Wednesday. It should be 300words minimum.
2. Search on the net for information about any current issue you might be interested in. It should be a global issue, not just regional. With at least a couple of articles you should write a report on each with the following info:
a) Title, source, and date of publication.
b) List the key words you had to look up in order to fully understand the article.
c) Take note of the main ideas.
d) Write a brief personal reaction/commentary on it.
You should have at least 2 articles and 2 reading reports done by Wednesday.

In Memoriam

I walked through the corn field, away from the fence where the sound of the wind caressed the dandelion. With every sudden gust of wind a few more seeds were blown away, invisibly gone to find a new home in rich soil. Only one little seed remained attached; the head, almost empty, stood erect and proud. Another gust and now the last seed gone - the dandelion's mission done, a brittle barren head holds on. I keep walking and think of the same field just a few moons away, covered in countless yellow flowers...

Almost half way down the road

Sunny Sunday, almost noon, May in the day, San Miguel just calm if only for a little while.
I sit back and let my fingers slide through the warm keys of my laptop. I look back and forward almost absent-minded, almost dozing off. So far, I've survived these intensive weeks, and have only a few more to change pace, place, people and the summer landscape of the New Paltz campus.
I've been trying to find my voice in this blog and have changed it a little. First, the formal, hybrid, fit-all welcome message, then the still formal encouraging voice of SP's teacher. Now, I thought this is my space after all, and whoever wants to hear they may, and move on if not. In the milky-way-like blogsphere, mine deserves the attention of a few. Mostly busy kids to find some help, maybe teachers who care to see the rest.
Right now, just my digression on a quiet sunny Sunday. Shiny but no tennis, I just chill in my little sancto sanctorum. My knee looks fine, but I can't run yet! I've no complaints though, I'm regaining my strength. Every process takes some time, I just need some patience, yeah - Guns n Roses, ring a bell? I'm ok. I hear the voices of my friends last night and the ones away. Their warm names dance swaying their syllables softly in my mind. And the warmth feels good. And I appreciate the gift.