Ominous Silence

- Paul Israel I

I entered my work shelter

to ominous silence,

shocked at what my ears could suddenly hear —

turning leaves of a notebook,

squealing chairs,

Gentle humming of a  friend I wouldn't enjoy otherwise, 

cutlery making music with lunch boxes,

a gentle cough sounding like loud thunder.

Dripping water in the lavatory,

the yawn of a fellow colleague,

the clicking of an analog watch.

Fellas in the bay halting their doom-scrolling,

some listening to what I enjoyed,

few ignoring the silence,

all heads up to see each other,

wondering —

A power cut.

(Paul Israel I, Head of the Department, English FIITJEE Global School, Chennai)