Tuesday, 10 April 2018

Response to Nitoo Das poem- Directions


Parallels
  

On platform 16 a lady sat on a bench and waited
Her elbows hooked on to her two heavy handbags
Her crossed arms held herself
Her feet gripped the handle of her fat attachee.

To Not Let Go is an art we practice well sitting on platforms.

Trains did not arrive on this platform to load and unload passengers.
Most people looked like their luggage.
Most luggage looked like their people.

After half an hour a train crawled in
Speakers announced the arrival of ‘Mathura – Ghaziabad’
Someone going to Mumbai got on 
With a matchstick sticking out from his mouth
and a phone on his ear
Who knows who is lying.

We Are Going To Get Somewhere might be the name of matchbox.

With a bag on my back, I tried on invisibility
But it’s a different magic trick
if you are just sitting and others are walking
you are going to get noticed.

Three women and two children on the edge of the floor of the train
sat facing the door
even though the train was empty
.
There has to be more freedom in doorways that windows can’t seem to give.


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