Poem: I am almost home, baba
Photo: The Indian Express
By Umang Kumar
I think I can see our village
shimmering in the heat
in the distance –
just wait for me
don’t start your lunch yet baba
I am coming to join you all –
Have been walking for three days now
my throat is parched
I will need a
glass of cold water
and plenty of rice baba
with some khatti bhaji and
red chutney –
you all have enough rice, na, baba?
I have been dreaming about
all the dishes ma cooks
I am very hungry, haven’t eaten much
for the past three days –
you heard of the lockdown, na, baba
big disease coming they said,
get out get out
no work suddenly, nothing to eat
so we began walking –
no time to rest baba,
my feet are sore,
and pricked by thorns,
we walked the jungles
to avoid roads and police –
when I reach, I’ll pet our
goat and hug little brother Kurlo
then I will sit down to eat
and won’t be finished till all the food is finished –
you will widen your eyes as if in surprise
oh you finished all the rice
you will ruffle my hair
we will all laugh!
See, your Jamlo is almost home!
I am not going back there anymore, baba.
Bio:
Umang Kumar is a writer based in the National Capital Region of Delhi.
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One Response to “Poem: I am almost home, baba”
A beautifully written poem from the prism of those we choose to ignore . The details and simplicity are on point .