I Met A Little Girl Poem by Amar Agarwala

Once I met a little girl
Sweeter than honey could be,
She must have been barely eight
But looked much younger to me.

She asked with a dimpled smile
If a picture I could draw,
Her eyes shone with a strange light
In them happiness I saw.

Not to let her mirth astray
I took her pencil in hand,
She gave me her picture book
Then I sat with her and planned.

Knew not what to draw for her
But was keen for something nice,
Though I am no artist great
So I thought over it twice.

‘Tell me what you wish of me
Do tell me my little queen?
Should I draw the sea and sky
Or some distant hillock green? '

‘Would you like a hilltop house
Or prefer the birds and bees?
I could draw a pretty bloom
In a garden lined with trees.'

She shook her pony-tailed head
And said to draw what I like,
Her words made me ponder hard
To rummage into my psyche.

Was hoping against my hope
That I could fulfill her will,
So I set upon my task
And I set down all my skill.

Etched the outlines of a lea
With mountains reaching a height,
Drew a boat amidst a lake
And a skein of geese in flight.

Then I drew a rising sun
Some hutments near the shore,
‘Twas the best could do for her
I knew I could do no more.

Saw her face her limpid eyes
They were brimmed with joy and glee,
I felt she liked what I drew
For with a kiss she thanked me.

The she sat and coloured it
So its beauty I could see,
Was spellbound watching her paint
As happy as I could be.

Then I mused life too lets us
Etch thoughts on its canvas white,
Then fills it with colours fine
To make a beauteous sight.

We ought to have faith on life
With the passion of a child,
Like they do with jocund hearts
Care not of being beguiled.
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