Written by Jayati Roy
1960
I don’t know why
But a date that would last forever
When musings had another meaning
And I thought the world would never end
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when my father became my hero
And my mother I thought would live forever
Even if my grandparents would soon leave…or whatever
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when Nepal mama, an uncle of sorts, came to stay with us
And for the first time I learnt from him, and engineer from Glasgow, Edinburgh or Scotland, I’m not sure
But that there was more to what I believed was England and the Queen
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when I knew I would be kicked out of school
If I failed my Standard Six exams
And suffer the same fate as poor Naomi – my special classmate who could not read
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when my bicycle meant everything to me
Just like Cliff Richards and Elvis, who stole my heart
Hmm! Like the boy next door
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when my brother threw a stone that ripped my forehead like a rocket
And blood gushed out like a dam that had broken its banks
While he hid till midnight, in an old shed in the Sentul golf course, opposite my house
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when we baked cakes on a charcoal stove, with an aluminum tray covered with sand
And my mother, she shared a recipe for butter cake that still sticks in my head
Putting many on Instagram to shame
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when we harvested avocados, jackfruit, mangoes and brinjals from my garden
And my father boasted that his fruits and vegetables
Were better than my mother’s ferns and flowers which sat in clay pots and smiled at visitors
1960
I don’t know why
But a date when my sisters in their pinafores giggled like little Convent girls
And admired me the crazy teenager, in her miniskirts and bellbottoms
Who could twist like Chubby Checker and be high on the Beetles like some Bohemian
1960
I don’t know why
But a date I cannot forget
For our home in Jalan Ipoh, 361K, was a palace my father built
Sadly, the possession of some Chinese towkay today
1960
I don’t know why
But you’ll be in my head, when they take my body away
And the birds will sing and the sun will shine
This date, I’m sure will follow me through the sands of time
Cover image sourced from SAYS.
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Too good! Live the butter cake stuff and the ferns n flowers smiling at visitors….bohemian twist too! Wow
Thank you Deepa. You are the expert, and I, just a scribe to my mind. Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for all your comments. Didi
1960
Stays in my memory
For the very same
And for very different
Moments of fame
When i was happy
And unhappy.
Today 2020
Jeyati
A brilliant poem.
Prasanna
Thank you Prasanna. We all share the same sentiments. The 60s…Boy! What a period!
Thank you for your comments. They’ll prod me on.
Significance of the year 1960 for which the date cannot be forgotten.
It’s just outstanding.
Thank you so much. Yes 1960, and so many other dates. Shoob kischu ki bhula jai? Thank you for your comments. Makes me want to go on.
Jayati, this poem sings to me. So evocative, touching, and relatable!
Have already savoured it a couple of times, and have saved it to enjoy it again. Well done!!!
Thank you Saras. This is just a part of my stream of consciousness, if I may say so. Appreciate your comments always.
Beautiful poem
Thank you Didi. I guess it was my way of going back to the halcyon days. As always my love for you.
Charming, Jayati. Did not realise a year cld mean so much unless you reflect on it. Very cleverly done.
Thank you Mashi. I just wrote what ‘jumped’ out of my head – must be some stream of consciousness. Thank you for commenting.
Thanks for the memories. How well you’ve chronicled them in your poem, Jayathi Roy! We don’t hear of many like you anymore but you’ve given those of us the 60’s and earlier our identities back. I’m not from that period but much, much earlier but I can relate with what you’ve written bcuz that was the year I first landed my first job and was posted to KL. So you see, it meant a lot to me. It set the wheels of time in motion until my retirement in 1993 and which saw me serving in 4 government departments. Along the way I also witnessed the Independence of our country only to be followed by the darkest days that marred that independence – May 13 1969! Parliament was silenced and replaced by the National Operation Council! Democracy was dead – for awhile! But this was soon to change when democracy was restored and parliament was up and running again after two years and things began to settle down as life returned to normalcy. I have seen many things happen to this country since the 60’s. We passed through two millenniums and the country began to develop by leaps and bounds until it is what it is today. The 60’s saw the post Merdeka development of this country. I would say that was period that saw a lot of development in the rural areas of the country particularly the development of Felda land schemes etc. I don’t know why you chose the 60’s but I would say it was very appropriate as it saw the country in the infancy of its independence and struggles we had to go through. So, yes, the 60’s meant a lot to people of my era and we are thankful that we (some of us) are still around to see how this country has grown.
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