BELIEVED

 

BELIEVED

 

 

In front, across the street, a house,

Double-storied but empty, totally,

Lives the lady decent and mannered,

Advanced in age but alone living,

Her husband expired a few years ago,

In front of our bedroom window,

On the balcony, Madam used to sit,

Morning rays fall on the verandah,

She used to read a newspaper on a chair,

A lady servant, a driver maintains,

Rarely goes out to work in the city,

Cordial relationship Knew her well,

Her only child is at a foreign shore,

Completed study, married and works,

Settled happily corresponds often,

Feeling sad and concerned for her,

She is not pulling well and feels helpless,

Intermittently I enquired about her health,

She was bedridden for the last few days,

Attending her with medicines, food,

She told intimated her son to come,

Intimated her son on his arrival,

In the morning, she is on her balcony,

Watching desperately, son's arrival,

Knew she was sick and concerned,

Her white saree was cleanly covered,

Sitting on a chair on the edge, attentive,

The clock rolled quickly to afternoon,

She was sitting there, quietly calm,

Looking at every bus, car, pedestrian,

Her gaze was telling a million words,

The evening is only past, feared and looked at,

She was still sitting there composed,

Disturbed, she was sick open air facing,

I realized she was serious, if not rested,

Went to her home and goaded her a lot,

To take rest and sleep her body needs,

Socked by her reply, she told me,

She used to wait for him for hours,

Her child used to visit college return,

Quite late, he arrives home to meet her,

Never could her child know a fact,

For hours used to stand near the door,

Wait till her child returns back,

Remain alert till he goes to his bed,

Morning bus her son picks up,

She used to stand at the door,

Till the bus vanished from view,

She never fails to get aware of his time,

Leaves automatic, everything to stand,

Till he is in sight, takes a long breath,

Eager for his arrival, she wanted,

His first sight of coming home today,

Surprised by now, she silenced me,

Continue to sit on the balcony too late,

She slept on her chair, felt tears,

Went back to my house, greatly worried,

Her son arrived in the morning and saw,

Dashed to her home and found her unconscious,

We admitted her to a hospital quickly,

I told her son everything in detail,

He was shocked, speechless, then crying,

Believed her mother, never lose her,

A few days after Madam returned home,

Packing her baggage with her son to travel,

I congratulated her travel with her son,

She replied she believed he would return.

 

Pen: Bijayananda Mishra

Title of Poem: Believed

Themes: A mother waits, tests patience

Written: 29th June 2023, Cuttack

@ Copywrite