“We are going to do one
of the most interesting and creative exercises in writing today,” I began the
class.
It evoked nothing more
than the usual response: a few sparkling eyes and others which said something
like: “How can any writing exercise ever be interesting?”
“Narrative writing,” I
went on. Having explained what a
narrative is and how to write it, I give them a question to write a narrative
about a cycle ride on a rainy day. Riding a cycle when the rain is dancing
passionately on your face is an exquisite experience, I started off for an
example. A few more eyes sparkled.
I was bathed in the rain’s dance. I went on. I
whistled my favourite tune. But the rain
sealed my lips with its kiss.
A gasp escaped from one
of the students. That sealed my
lips. “Ok, start writing now. That was only an example. You imagine your own ride and make your own
romance with the rain.”
“What happened after the
kiss, Sir?” asked one student.
“You can’t whistle when
your lips are sealed, can you?” I asked.
“So what did you do?”
I savoured the kiss and broke out into a song. I sang about a bird caught in a rain. Its wings were drenched. The bird was struggling to fly.
I don’t know why my rain had
to drench the wings of a bird. I stopped
my narrative. “Come on,” I said, “create
your rain and get wet.”
I turned to the
board. I realised there was some
moisture in my eyes.
What a teacher! Of course the wings of imagination get drenched in the rain of mundane anxieties.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, too many mundane activities. Yet I got a few very interesting narratives yesterday. A few very candid ones too 😀
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