My Percussion Dreams

 I focus on the layers of drum beats 

When I listen to the songs 

I started my tryst with percussion 

By making beats on a wooden bench

As a kid, emulating tabla in mind 

Given my interest, my father let me learn tabla

I loved those fast notes and tried to grasp

But I was bad at byhearting the notes 

So my learning was slow 

I was so insecure about my tabla skills

That I skipped meeting the legendary singer Yesudas

When he came to meet the music students

It remains a regret that I didn't play for him

When the high school became more important

I had to take a break from the lessons 

I did perform before audiences 

With contrasting  fortunes

I used to jam along with some nice beaty songs 

Then I fell in love with drums 

Bought drum sticks and joined a class

After learning the basics for a few months I quit 

I have two pairs of drum sticks waiting for me to play

Maybe I will learn drums again

And fix the tabla to play it again 

As beats in songs still slip my heart to beat the desk

And I dream to play beats in front of an audience again

Most people follow their musical aspirations. I have left my percussion learning midway. The beats of songs still lure me to try beating the desk. I want to make up for an embarrassing tabla performance in front of a packed audience someday. The images are taken by Carlos Castilla and By Heaven.