A 90 year young Peggy Mainwaring, a fan whom Plum would like to greet,
Still giggles and stares at speakers who forget speech and shuffle their feet.
As a friendly lion-tamer cast in the Aunt Dahlia mould,
Her steely gaze often demands perfection, though her heart is of pure gold.
Quite a few Berties and Angelas has she dandled on her sprightly knees,
Brimming over with the feudal spirit, soothing the clan like a gentle breeze.
Her lair is full of hearty laughter, joy and dollops of Plummy bliss,
Lavish spreads of Anatole-kind greet visitors before they get a parting kiss.
Melodies of the likes of Madan Mohan and Salil Chaudhary waft in the air,
Insightful poems of famous poets get read while she rocks in her chair.
She follows the Laura Pyke regime when it comes to her frugal diet,
Lining of her intestine stands her by, she thinks twice before taking a bite.
Oh, what a transformation she has witnessed in these 90 years,
Wars, acts of terror and news of genocides have reached her ears.
She may miss fountain pens, LP records and telegrams,
Not to forget a cell-and-internet-free placid life, noisy cars and trams.
She has witnessed a man landing on the moon, a space mission to Mars,
The tragedy of having the time to network with the world but not with ours.
She has seen shrinking TV sets and shorter global hauls,
Several generations passing by, sprouting glitzy malls and highway tolls.
A transition from the rustic sophistication of Varanasi and many a boat ride,
To the hustle and bustle of a metro she has taken in her joyful stride.
Time sits lightly on her mind and has certainly made her more wise,
Family and friends can lean on her shoulders, despite challenges that arise.
She continues to be young at heart, in her inspiration we find,
As always, her advice is practical, objective, frank and kind.
With a chin up attitude, the elixir of eternal youth she has already found,
Drinking deep from the rivulets of life, a spirit of joie de vivre profound.
She is just short of ten to hit a century, surely a result of her positivity,
We all salute you, eager to learn more secrets of your longivity.
(Ms Sushama Varma is an avid fan of P G Wodehouse. Her permission to share this composition here is gratefully acknowledged.)
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Sushama Varma posted this comment elsewhere:
“Dear dear Ashokji. I am overwhelmed. I recollect, there was some problem and my response could not be posted/published then. No…. soon after, my grandson went down with Covid and passed away. We were distraught. I remember my sending you the photo.
You have given me attributes which I enjoyed reading about. But whether I will ever rise up to them, I do not know.
Here is to our very dear Plum, he keep s me young. His books are the Elexir.
Thank you dear friend.”
She celebrates her 91st birthday on the 31st of March, 2022.
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