BIRD OF PARADISE (NaNoWriMo Day 19 HWR)

BIRD-OF-PARADISE

"Yikes! Mandy! What have you done to your hair, you brat?!" Mom's jaws dropped to the floor and her temper hit the roof! How I enjoyed being a rebel in this 'madhouse'.

"Yes ma'am, it's what I wanted to do for a long time now. If you don't like it, well, sorry, I'm not sorry!" I flashed her a defiant grin. Mother looked on, aghast. Yes I had gone to the salon and they did a perfect hack-job out of my long, golden, silken tresses. The hairdresser did have second thoughts as my hair cascaded through her fingers.

"Miss, are you sure?"

"Most certainly I am. Just do it!"

Finally, I would show everyone that I'm no goody-two-shoes.

Mom was raving mad, pacing the floor and fuming away. "Look at you, you punk! And your jazzed up hair with shocking purple, neon green and garish blue! Spiked like a porcupine or what…what…" She was sputtering a lot and losing it.

"... you put a bird-of-paradise to shame! What have I done to deserve such an insolent child!"

"You didn't mention my mohawk", I couldn't help rubbing it in. "With silver danglers in my ears and piercings on my lips, I'd be fire! Dope!"

"You will do no such thing, Mandy!"

"I'm sick of all the rules in this house. Stop me from doing anything, I'll move out and you'll never see me again! All I asked for was a puppy and it was too much to ask?!"

"Mandy…"

"Oh stop it, Mom!"

I stomped out of the room and out into the backyard. As I sat on the grass looking lost, I heard feeble whimpers and noticed a basket under our magnolia tree. As I uncovered it, out bounded the most adorable beagle I'd always wanted!

Pic Courtesy: Pixabay

©️ Sangeetha Kamath

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Glinting sunlight off jeweled pools of sapphire Shimmering in the vast aridness of coppery fire Fringed with a viridescent canopy of trees fig and fronds of palm A sanctuary for birds and animals to splash about, it's a soothing balm Scorched and parched, my soles trudge on the sun baked grains Seeking respite from the bleeding crimson fireball, stranded I remain Mounting sand dunes, slipping, tumbling, sinking Scraped and raw, peeling sunburnt skin Veils of illusion lifts from fleeting dreams and hollow shine Fading hues of paradise around reduced to shriveled creepers and withering vines Imperial silver puddles on blazing bronze sand Deceived again by the phantom of the parched land Visions and charms swirl like a mist under a chrome moon Conjuring sprites of the desert weave mirages of oasis and lagoons Sailing across a barren horizon are walls of crystal waves No water lilies and wild roses unfurl under these mystic skies. ©️ Sangeetha Kamath Pic Courtesy: Pixabay

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Sangeetha Kamath

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