It was a pleasant, September morning,

A few days after the equinox,

Neither hot, nor humid,

A gentle breeze caressed my neighbor, my companion,

My source of serenity, solace,

Branches of the tree, which kiss the balcony of my apartment,

Where I relax, doing what I like to do the most,

Savor the taste and aroma of my favorite coffee,

Browse through the day’s newspaper,

Listen to the chirping of birds,

Sometimes, the strains of the Holy Gurbani…

That day was no different,

I was engrossed in reading a book,

Oblivious to everything around me,

My fingers tingling with the sensation of the thick paper,

The unique smell of fresh print pervading the air,

Till, instinctively, I looked up,  

And within the wink of an eyelid,  

Saw a single leaf, yellow,

The first of the season,

Getting detached from the dusty green behemoth,

& Waft, ever so gracefully, gently,

Heralding the onset of autumn,

My Delhi autumn…