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A dawn’s Promise: A poem by Anju Kishore

Every new day is the promise of a fresh, blank page.

On which to string words together in an all-new way. 
You could begin by sipping coffee of a different name
Or toast your bread a little more or less than you do always.
Wait at the bus stop without  damning the delay
Or cursing the crush of your creases like you do every day.
You could smile at the liftman and ask about his day
And not look through him like he was nothing but the air.
Give an ear to your secretary when she asks for a raise 
Instead of knitting your brows and saying business is not great.

It’s all in your mind how your day turns out 
Whether life keeps its promise or turns upside down. 
The sun assured hope as it ushered in the morn,
 “Cheers” called the birds that woke up the town.
But if you curse the heat and the sweat bogs you down,
If all you can see is the pigeons messing around,
You do not give the promise a chance to work its charm.
And didn’t you make a promise to yourself at dawn
That with meaning and purpose your day will abound
Going not by the hours of the clock but by moments that count.