Sangeetha Kamath

  The snow was blinding, a total whiteout as Barry trudged on with his heavily padded feet. He was on a mission as usual. A troop of travelers had gone missing, buried under the treacherous avalanche which had come cascading down with a relentless fury.  Barry with his highly sensitive senses to sniff out frozen bodies went about his task with great devotion. His handlers followed close behind him, every hope pinned on Barry as he dug out chunks of snow with his strong paws. The Alps resounded with his victorious howls when he succeeded.  Barry belonged to a breed of Alpine Mastiffs, who later came to be called as the St. Bernard after the St. Bernard Hospice where the injured or unfortunate travelers were brought in to be bundled up in warm clothes and to be fed steaming broth. Barry, in this fashion had saved over forty lives. He was a cuddly pup who was brought in from a nearby farm and adopted by the St. Bernard monastery. Watching a long line of mastiffs rescuing peo...

A hush descended under pale blue iris skies  As I, a cobblestoned footpath threaded through rosemary and myrtle aisles Silhouettes of pewter clouds sailed over While I wended through glen, glade and lea of clover Down the moors sinking into the caverns and coves I wandered like a lost lambkin weaving my way into a sheltered grove I'm home and hearth to caravans and trailers The weary homeless, nomads and the downtrodden tent dwellers I drank the last limpid pools of honeyed sunbeam Whilst skirting the moon-bathed lakes and rocks laced with lichen Traveling with the pilgrims over crests of hills The ocean echoes are a melancholia spraying me with salty mists I stretch through the dim lamplit streets of hamlets and towns The bright city lights which upon me severely frowns A frigid and clammed up breeze rustles a jacaranda lined boulevard  Humming the glories of warm golden days abandoned miles behind The sky hanging low cleanses me with her downpour Under a starry night I spark...

  Christmas is coming, Christmas is here Please come home for the holidays my near and dear The eight pointed star of sweet crumb golden, Pandoro Crammed in my tote is a list of Christmas shopping to-do: Stollens with candied peel and nuts Panettone with almonds and fruits Marzipans with royal icing sugar; Oh what a treat, why does Christmas come only once a year? Pathways of fairy lights lead to the star-spangled crest Candy cane of red and white amid the baubles, trinkets and twinkling light With apple strudels, blueberry pies, sipping warm drinks around the fireplace Let's bite into gingerbread cookies and raisin-rum cakes drizzled with zesty glaze Brownie fudge sundae and melted chocolate on top  Mulled cranberry wine, mince pie and some champagne to pop  Sauntering into the pine woods for our Christmas tree  Returning home to aroma of freshly baked log cakes and caroling melody  As we snuggle in warm quilts and sip hot chocolate in front of the fireplace,...