A bus-ride

Sunman rides a bus from Janum to Marnam

Crispy breeze,

Seats aplenty, the bus is empty.

Or the mind ?

You may say so.

Which seat will he take?

Where he can breathe his best ,of course,

Behind the driver.

Not to squeeze in narrow spaces,

Where side-shutters move back and forth,

And tussle goes on for the right of a whiff,

Or the fat man pushes in for lack of width.

Tittle-tattle or wordy battle,

The mind rattles or the bus?

You may say so.

Skilled chauffeur, oozing pate,

In soiled collar, he turns his neck.

Fix your gaze on the tricks he makes

To guide the destiny of the crazy deck.

Thoughts screech to a halt, mind stumbles.

Don’t blame the steerer, plain and humble;

Rushing he is to be in time,

For a minute’s delay would cost him a fine

Of rupees nine,that could fetch him half a kilo of rice.
.
Sunman likes to sit behind the guy

To have a vista of the looming lie.

Time is short and it pays to be sly.

Hark you man! don’t you rave

At the passing bus that overtakes.

Slow down a bit ,let’s have peace of mind;

Sunman will take care of the fine.


, m . m. goswami