"The Eternal Player"

-- Rhitwick Mookherjee (Table Tennis Player)

A closer look at the mirror

Makes him little sad,

The whitish hair and greyish beard

Looks really really bad.

He finds it difficult to look afar

With his diminishing sight,

Blurry vision makes him realise

Something’s just not right.

Trembling hands make it hard

To hold the tea-cup steady,

As if it is trying to say

I am no more ready.

Fading memory fades away

All the names and date,

Things keep on getting deleted,

At a slow but steady rate.

Fatigued muscles and weaker knees

Refuse to obey anymore,

Even a simple walk in park

Makes them tired and sore.

Age is finally catching up, it seems,

Making him weak and old,

“Time for you to retire and rest”

Thats what everyone told .

But………

Little did they know, he was

Still a player in his heart,

Ready forever to fight and win,

And take the table apart.

Always appearing before his match

With his fav racket in hand,

Approaching the table with honor and pride,

And take his aggressive stand.

Then as the game begins,

Slowly he forgets his pain,

Body starts to get into rhythm,

As the topspins and smashes rain.

Age might have slowed his body

But spirit is still the same,

Even now, he is eager as hell,

To fight for one more game.

Win or lose doesnt matter nomore,

Victory'n Defeat become same,

What matters to him the most ofcourse,

Is to give his all in the game.

Cause this is the game

That gave him his identity,

And it is right here ,that

He wishes to attain eternity.