The Greeters and ….

-M. Sitoula

Like the screens of the dawns and the dusks
upon the global horizons
the doors at the Walmart keep closing and opening
in their sweet dutiful ways
through which the customers come in.

Like the vigilant universal consciousness
though present everywhere but never seen
except felt in the conscience of every creative force
the greeters are already alert on the doors to welcome
when the customers come.

They come like the dawning sun
with its golden hue throwing around
the meadows of the American horizons
that are nourished by the natural spirits
from time immemorial; nourished
also by the sprouting villages, towns and cities
since the advent of Prometheus
when he was showing the seeds of light, freedom,
reason, love, respect and justice among men and the wild
to foster the culture of thoughts, arts and technology
where men, pets and the wild make their amicable sports
a lovely gesture of the actors in the colorful theatre
where the greeters greet them all!

But they are not alone:
The greeters are with their friends there
which include the doors and the cheerful flow of customers,
there are the electronic machines for processing the returns,
the beautiful rows of carts are like the queues
in the customer service or like the majestic battalions
of ants in the Amazon banks or in the African jungles
or like the huge swarms of bees spread in a thick jungle
to collect honey that fell down drop by drop
from the Greek cliffs to feed the baby Hercules,
when the greeters greet them all !

Also there are the piles of baskets waiting there
like the beds of sea-beaches wait for the lovely waves
their lords gone afar to see the world and try their lucks !
The electric moving carts glitter for the old or the weak,
all the carts are for the movers that would need them
while moving round in search of goods they want
or some have already taken in from outside
where the hot sun is shining terrible on every object;
but the sweats of the cart pullers cover the rays
and the occasional wind breaths them cool.
There is also the bar in the background
for closing out the heat from the air-cooler inside.

On their front there are the associates and cashiers nearby
all busy in themselves and the roaming managers;
but on top of them their sweet voices of greetings and see-offs
come directly from the pool of the warm heart
like the mountain fountains of pure water or a small flow
of seen-unseen water in the Sahara desert
come out to quench the frenzy of rushing thirst of travelers !

The sense of duty and responsibility to give the best
impression in the very entrance and exit concerns them the most:
thus the greeters greet them all !

That the meadows shine distinctly beyond the parking lot
with the morning pearls of the earths’ and sky’s toils
in union, noble as the ‘work is worship’
and sacred as virginity of the Himalayas
or the Rocky Mt or the Alps or Macchu Picchu
in the Aconcagua range of the Peruvian Andes
-extremely bitter cold or some times even depression -
where mostly the sense of compassion and pride of place
are at cheerful play with the pulses of moments
making history in awe and wonder the decades pass or centuries
in which quite often the real artist-commoners fall
into the brackets of oblivion –but enlivening their memory
the customers come and the greeters greet them all !

The free customers with their shining faces in liberty
and glittering enthusiasm come in the doors:
“Hi, how are you ? Or welcome to Walmart”
Hail the greeters with all the gracious tone of
Civility, humbleness and a music of the heart
in a pride and pleasure of civilization !

The busy hours inside flow like the spontaneous brooks
that are decorated by the soft mosses of the bank
and given fresh life with their nonstop flow
like our desires and imagination to sustain life, duty and art;
while the moon and stars sprinkle drops of lights at night
to peep their harmless beauty in the innocent hide
and the sun at day time throws rays of light, life and awareness
about service, self respect and responsibility
when the small shower, a cooler from the sky
prepares a photo session in the rainbow just on the front
where Walmart is mirrored and reflected,
and the greeters greet them all .

Thus here in Walmart the people flow like life itself
in diurnal corridors of clock in and clock out
in a system of an organized selling center
lit by the energetic lights of within and without
of the tender hearts, and skills of the dedicated hands,
on the same footing of attitude and thoughts settled
out of the team-grass-root from where like this
evolve leadership on its own to continue the run
and also make a new march through the new concepts
and visions to mobilize all with an energy of unity and support:
‘leaders who are listening, appreciating, caring
and embracing service’, an ideal set by Sam Walton
to improve the air and ‘attitude of service to the local
communities’ and develop a good will in the ‘local landscape’.

At this the customers move round the goods
causing them dance like the fawns in the parks
or our wishes at play with our activities
when they all make innocent travels to and fro, up and down.

The wailing and smiling babies, playful children and the teens
all at play in every curious moment of their own
to enter into the ‘brave new world’ of every new phase of life
with paces befitting the spaces of the Walmart cases and rows
or the walkways that are free of spills, dirt and disturbances,
‘Safety’ the first concern, respect, help and services;
then the choices begin at the desks, hangers, shelves or lockers
or ‘excuse me , where can … be found?’ the humble quarries
like those of the legendary heroes or in the fairy tales
in the tired evening talking to a good Samaritan-
on the way back home tired with toil but bright in thinking
of his better-half to land the tiredness in rest reaching soon-
asking about the lost cherished one/s or for a shelter;
recollecting such a sweet memory by a one in the floor
just fancying to have found (though not)the lost heart back
and trying to help the customers earnestly
from corner to corner…. in the dense of rows and goods
where they are busy in collecting items of various
countries, firms, sections, brands, forms, needs and choices
only to pass on to the already busy cashiers.

The cycle finishes and the flows move back to the greeters
Hi, hello , good day, good night, good luck , see you later!

Oh dear ! It is Walmart where the transaction
of goods in the spirit of partnership and friendship
like this are always on for all time to come
and better in continuation as per Sam Walton’s vision
to try to do away with the hardships, sufferings and sorrows
Oh God ! Bless us to ‘build a stronger America..’ in all tomorrows!

Austin, TX July 07, 009

(Copy right- M.Sitoula)

I Am Walmart

I am the Walmart: They say a sweet center of supply
where the rules of citizens and commerce are to apply
Oh dear customers of all stages and walks of life !
Pls come here,welcome you are and find things as you like
befitting the situations, seasons and your choice
‘save more and live better’ a worthier life to rejoice.

Oh dear ! Come to my place and enjoy the cosmopolitan
warmth of human heart, cultures, arts, colors and kinds
move inside, roam around where you will find
guys always in ‘good humor and high spirit’ of mind
that Nature has bestowed us and the mother earth
gives her lap with love, care and freshness of life
where the sun, moon and stars in sky, look at us
shining; and we shine here , the busy hours shine,
my customers shine in satisfaction to have the respect
and care through which my men rise with rays-
a path, from ‘being to becoming’ always better
with a sense of responsibility, service and care
humble as they are with honest mistakes
and correction to ‘strive for excellence’ a noble aim
and ideal learnt from all the gospels of life’s truth
that humility and nobility can safely go together.

I am an old organization and always new to become
with sweet feelings of my family members to distribute
fellow feelings and respect to one another
exchanging the ‘milk of human kindness’:
a divine nectar given to man to save himself
from the ills and evils and rise towards the noble path
through new consciousness always a new horizon
of literacy in the changing context of new rhythm
of moments that die for the new ones, a sacrifice
ever to achieve desired goodness and creativity
through the reality of tested thought and the flavor
of imaginative flight blend all in passion for name
in the integrity of complex character of human
a union of complete personality, and learn
to ‘save more and live better’ and help others live :
Such juices that are produced only by the human heart
of freedom and love, respect and justice, the noble life’s art
in the canvass of time and space that are spread in unknown parts !

Oh dear ! Come here ! ‘We welcome you’ the greeters say
from morn to morn, and wish you always a good day
year in year out a cheerful and good profession to obey !
(Copy right- M.Sitoula)
July 3, 2009 Austin , TX, USA

Brook and Her Friends

Once once upon a time, my friend
there was a big jungle in the Heartland
there was a group of friends
and they used to meet everyday
to sing and dance and merrymaking

In that happy circle of bosom friends,
there was a cloud and a tree, a brook,
a nightingale, a deer and a dove, and
a few others would sometimes visit them

Then it was the birthday of Brook
and all the others were happily busy
to prepare the celebration and the food
they went to Walmart and did a lot of grocery
the cloud brought her rainbow as an ornament
the tree gave her a green-blue cloth to put on

The deer brought her some wild moss to sit on
the dove brought some wild leaves and a sharp reed
so that see could write some notes as it might be
while the nightingale brought songs for her

Lo ! A host of well wishers came there by
a peacock, pigeon, rabbit, a lamb and others
they had flowers, food, drink and clothes
for Brook, and of course the best wishes
like the Magi, from the very core of their hearts !
“Oh ! We, the descendants of Noah,
our wandering earth is a big boat beautiful
how happy we are !” Thus they played and shouted !

After food and drink the nightingale
sang a few songs, and the others danced:
one of the songs went like this my friend
in the Heartland of freedom, love and happiness:

“Flow, flow little brook so pure and bright
you are so pristine, blue like water or sky
and white like the foaming waterfall

Flow, flow little brook
you are so lovely, friendly, and nice
for we are born to flow through life
one day the mother ocean you will see
roaring to meet all her children that are we

There are hurdles and hardships on the way
and the darkness will frighten you more
sometimes the clutches of intrigues and selfishness
will scratch your delicate skin and somehow
some misbehaviors will cut you to the quick

But do not lose your heart, my friend !
Bare with patience and do your job honestly
move forward through the stones of efforts
behave mutually, modestly and talk with wisdom
smile, be happy, cheerful and sportive, take care
your strong will, sound wisdom and friends
will be with you on the way ; that the god
and good fortune will bless you all the time

Flow, flow little brook so dear and good
the moon and stars will shine for you
and the sun will give you warmth
the air will give you breaths and
whisper you some strange messages
from far off the sea-fairies and nymphs
who are always from the very ancient times,
sad for the loss of their lovely hearts beloved
who had gone away to fetch fortunes,
golden flowers and love for them, but never
did come back because the flying forlorn fowls,
the unseen spirits of unknown mistresses took them
by their magic bands to make love
with the humans bodies and hearts

Ah ! The touch so sweet, warm, worldly and heavenly
with honey kisses, pleasures and embrace firm
but no one can go there to see and rescue
except the melancholy songs of love from far
which they rejoice to listen to the lamentation
and laugh and determine to not return them for good;

Thus they suffer from separation so bitter
and hard to endure in every moment of life
and thus seeking help to find out them…”

Then the peacock, pigeon and the deer danced,
the dove too began to sing songs full of
the stories of legends of life heard, unheard
and realities seen-unseen, written-unwritten
and sorrows and happiness known, unknown

Now the lamb began to dance and the pigeon
sang a song of himself telling that previously
the human world used to eat the pigeons and
animals and destroyed the jungles and thus
he had lost her spouse and living in agony, but now
we are tossed up for peace, love and fraternity
a culture worth enjoying by all in creation

The jungles and the wilds are well taken care of
and we fly high and see from there the green,
blue mother earth full of forests, meadows, lakes
and rivers making it worth living to all and rejoicing !

At this, Brook became sentimental with
tears rolling down her eyes and cheeks
and breast that made small furrows of rivulets
that still more enhanced her beauty of mind and body
incomparable ! And she looked so tender and dear
then she sang a song long cherished, oh hear !

“ Thank you my dear friends for this kind trouble
you did to toss and stir my spirit and cheer me up
which has sprouted the seed of our love
that will shoot off tender branches in which
there will blossom lovely universal flowers- immortal !

Now I will be away from you, my dear
from this beloved soil of ours and travel
through the strange lands, I do not know
where I will try to be good and do good;
and one day I will come back to you again
from the ocean with the air and cloud, you see
and fall on thee with love and sweetness
then again we will all together be.”


Oct 15, 2009 Austin

(Copy right- M.Sitoula)