Knock, Knock

Knock, Knock, continuous
tapping on the door
every morning, keep
me on toes.

The day starts with gentle rap
 it is my maid Sumathy
Her smile enlivens, her  maturity
gratifies.

A deafening tap. it seems
the doors will give off. Velu.
who irons my sarees thunders in.
Enacts a dramatic greeting.

A pause, I return to the door
responding to a soft  knock.
one that is similar to a chirp.
gentle and subdued

My gardener Krishna walks proudly
carrying baskets of tomatoes,
 brinjals and cucumbers, happiness
writ large on his face,

Little later, the driver
barges in. His two-wheeler
hiccups, coughs, belches
before it comes to a stop,

Quick, he is at the door. before
 he could rap, I give the car keys,
 he salutes me in all attention
 a semblance of a military sepoy.

The day commences in a startle
 my assistants attend to their duties,
 I doze off peacefully, stacking my keys
under the pillow. A safety measure

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