They take me back in nostalgia –

These pretty paper flowers.

In bright shades of blue and yellow

and pink, purple, white, red and green;

Though I can´t exactly place them,

carelessely tossed as they are

in the back alleys of my memory.

.

Was it at my cousin´s wedding?

Or the Pujo pandal from long ago?

When these flowers covered the mandap

in their hauntingly happy refrain.

Dancing with the rhythmic dhak.

The scent of rose water and incense sticks

caught within their crepe folds.

.

They now top the straw hat

of my bunny in the Easter parade.

And peek out from her cane basket;

wiggling on their spring wire stalks.

Ever so bright and happy

Like all those years ago.

And the circle of life stands still.