Just around the corner
saw him there under the lamp post
sitting with his eyes closed and his fists too
wrapped in rags, with a bottle of sherry maybe
staring
staring into the sky, into oblivion
thinking perhaps
everyday, every moment
he sat there staring
in retrospect….
confused and tired
hungry and ill
sleepy and far…from home
he heard his own breath
being blown away
he heard his own being
being towed astray
behind a bike
like an empty beer can
our eyes met
or so it seemed for a moment
they were dark
tired and ill
tears dried but still visible
like channels on the dust caked face
oh yes….the face
the so very wrinkled face
covered with soot and dust
with tears maybe
and crumbles from an stale bread’s crust
the eyes knew it all
they have seen them rise and fall
those were haunting eyes
they bore through your very being and asked you
are you sure you wanna meet me?
are you blind or you just wanna beat me?
the eyes said….go home kid
I trust no one
you seem like too busy
to come here and hold my hand
you’re too busy
to crawl up and stand
the face knew it all
it screamed of pain
it laughed of disgust
but it was a very familiar one
he turned again and looked at me
I was just about to have pity
but then…I remembered
I knew him…..we had been friends
we had grown up together….years back
we had debated through nights
and I had always won
he never cared much
till I held him by the neck and beat the crap out of him
even then, he would come back and apologize
I waited for him to mould
to change the way he was and be a bit more bold
until that one day when he didn’t come back
he just went for a stroll
now I know why…with his backpack
I searched for him…days on end
but alas
he was gone…for good I thought
got tired of my beatings…felt sorry for the chap
I didn’t miss him anymore….
he didn’t deserve it
my girlfriend did….
sometimes yes
I thought about him
wished he was there
when I got married
when I had kids
when I got my first raise…but he was gone
and here he was
old and shaggy
looked like a beggar…smelt like one too
Oh Lord…good Lord!! Was this true?
I searched for him….eternity and beyond
and here he was….finally found
I wanted to hug him
gave a damn what people would think
I knew he was my best friend
and I knew I missed him
wanted to tell him I was sorry for all I did
that I wanted to go back home
and take him with me
we would live together again….brethrens
and I promise I would never even speak
‘cause I know now he was right
I know he wished good…maybe the only one
I wanted to take him home…my wife and kids are gone
they left me ‘cause they thought I was wrong
now I know....I was
I go to him and touch his shoulder
oh its so cold!
I want him to look and me and say
hey buddy! Wassup? I’m hungry…let’s go home.
I touch him and he slips….
I look around…frantic….anxious…scared…he’s not there
did I touch him?
or was it just the cold, damp air in my fists
I want him here, right now
I want to hold him and cry
I want to tell him that I will never let him go again
I want…..
people are staring…I give a damn
they are laughing now…I guess why
someone yells “Hey!! Nutter!!! Go get a bath you fleabag !!”
I look down….my bare feet stare back
my shirt…used to be white…is beige now…fluttering
I touch my lips, they feel like the scorched earth
I see my shadow under the lamp
there is a halo….can it be true?
hh no…not halo…that is a head full of hair….my head….my hair
I look around again….damn these kids
a stone brings a warm trickle on my face
I know its blood…my blood…I give a damn…
I want him with me
to hold me and to tell me its all right to be scared
to shoo away these kids and scold everyone who is laughing
I want to sleep….
I know who he was…
that was my soul….my very own being
Yes…my own conscience
hungry, poor, beaten and old
and he will never come back…or maybe he will…I cant wait any longer…but I have to
everything is dark now…dark and cold and mute
I don’t hear a thing
no wait!!
I hear a scream…far but its there…
a painful agony…….
I feel sleepy...and yet I hear it clear
can it be him calling? No…he stopped speaking a long time back
I hear it every day…can’t be a dream
I know now what it is….
I hear me scream………
Abhijeet Basu
23rd November 2006
saw him there under the lamp post
sitting with his eyes closed and his fists too
wrapped in rags, with a bottle of sherry maybe
staring
staring into the sky, into oblivion
thinking perhaps
everyday, every moment
he sat there staring
in retrospect….
confused and tired
hungry and ill
sleepy and far…from home
he heard his own breath
being blown away
he heard his own being
being towed astray
behind a bike
like an empty beer can
our eyes met
or so it seemed for a moment
they were dark
tired and ill
tears dried but still visible
like channels on the dust caked face
oh yes….the face
the so very wrinkled face
covered with soot and dust
with tears maybe
and crumbles from an stale bread’s crust
the eyes knew it all
they have seen them rise and fall
those were haunting eyes
they bore through your very being and asked you
are you sure you wanna meet me?
are you blind or you just wanna beat me?
the eyes said….go home kid
I trust no one
you seem like too busy
to come here and hold my hand
you’re too busy
to crawl up and stand
the face knew it all
it screamed of pain
it laughed of disgust
but it was a very familiar one
he turned again and looked at me
I was just about to have pity
but then…I remembered
I knew him…..we had been friends
we had grown up together….years back
we had debated through nights
and I had always won
he never cared much
till I held him by the neck and beat the crap out of him
even then, he would come back and apologize
I waited for him to mould
to change the way he was and be a bit more bold
until that one day when he didn’t come back
he just went for a stroll
now I know why…with his backpack
I searched for him…days on end
but alas
he was gone…for good I thought
got tired of my beatings…felt sorry for the chap
I didn’t miss him anymore….
he didn’t deserve it
my girlfriend did….
sometimes yes
I thought about him
wished he was there
when I got married
when I had kids
when I got my first raise…but he was gone
and here he was
old and shaggy
looked like a beggar…smelt like one too
Oh Lord…good Lord!! Was this true?
I searched for him….eternity and beyond
and here he was….finally found
I wanted to hug him
gave a damn what people would think
I knew he was my best friend
and I knew I missed him
wanted to tell him I was sorry for all I did
that I wanted to go back home
and take him with me
we would live together again….brethrens
and I promise I would never even speak
‘cause I know now he was right
I know he wished good…maybe the only one
I wanted to take him home…my wife and kids are gone
they left me ‘cause they thought I was wrong
now I know....I was
I go to him and touch his shoulder
oh its so cold!
I want him to look and me and say
hey buddy! Wassup? I’m hungry…let’s go home.
I touch him and he slips….
I look around…frantic….anxious…scared…he’s not there
did I touch him?
or was it just the cold, damp air in my fists
I want him here, right now
I want to hold him and cry
I want to tell him that I will never let him go again
I want…..
people are staring…I give a damn
they are laughing now…I guess why
someone yells “Hey!! Nutter!!! Go get a bath you fleabag !!”
I look down….my bare feet stare back
my shirt…used to be white…is beige now…fluttering
I touch my lips, they feel like the scorched earth
I see my shadow under the lamp
there is a halo….can it be true?
hh no…not halo…that is a head full of hair….my head….my hair
I look around again….damn these kids
a stone brings a warm trickle on my face
I know its blood…my blood…I give a damn…
I want him with me
to hold me and to tell me its all right to be scared
to shoo away these kids and scold everyone who is laughing
I want to sleep….
I know who he was…
that was my soul….my very own being
Yes…my own conscience
hungry, poor, beaten and old
and he will never come back…or maybe he will…I cant wait any longer…but I have to
everything is dark now…dark and cold and mute
I don’t hear a thing
no wait!!
I hear a scream…far but its there…
a painful agony…….
I feel sleepy...and yet I hear it clear
can it be him calling? No…he stopped speaking a long time back
I hear it every day…can’t be a dream
I know now what it is….
I hear me scream………
Abhijeet Basu
23rd November 2006
3 comments:
hey i reviewed the post before u posted... keep getting it reviewed by me u will do good :)... jokes apart...may your wish come truwe as quick as possible.
extraordinary piece of writing,and it goes without saying...your command over language and the smooth poetic flow is captivating.
I am introduced to a new sensitive side of Basu :) very touching!!
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