Paperboats

Art By : Amrita Pattnaik

“Shall I go to the rain?”

I asked myself in fuss.

Standing under under a shed,

Waiting for the bus.

The rain was incessant,

Quenching the thirst of the dust.

& I was ambivalent in

that romantic mid August.

I was in a hurry &

Wanted the rain to stop.

But my plans were bedevilled

With every falling drop.

I had no “dare” to step into

the rain in those attire.

Ironed shirt, polished shoes

were stuck in the middle of the mire.

Today's appointment & some stats

Were written on my palm.

I was freaked out but

Said to myself - “keep calm”.

I stepped out, & then hauled back

As there was money in my wallet.

This was the first time,

I was going to be late.

I had to reach somewhere

With those assignments and reports.

Then I suddenly noticed

Some children, playing with paperboats.

They were completely wet

And were giggling a lot.

All were curiously

Running behind the paperboat.

I could hear the clinking

Of coins in their pocket.

How poor am I?

That time I noted.

When I was a child, I liked

Cycling in this weather.

I deliberately never wore raincoat

& always lied to my mother.

Amidst this nostalgia, I smiled

and then stepped out into the rain.

I loosened my tie, closed my eyes

& let the fountain, to endure my pain.

A soul that was jailed

inside that corporate attire,

I set him free &

Let him respire.

I could see, It was “me”.

The real “me” away from the rush.

Before I could spend more time,

I heard…., the sound of the bus….

-Deepak Kumar Sahu

-दीपक कुमार साहू

23rd August 2018

04:32:25 AM