I'm crossing Hazratganj traffic to meet you, don't make me wait he said.
That's nothing I would walk through Budhh Bazar for you, I was quick to retort.
We went through Aminabad on foot just to see his old cricket ground.
He wanted to drive me to Ferozabad but a fight got us turned around.
We went for morning mass at Cathedral and read Rumi over chai at Sharma
We ate Eid biryani at his friend's in Chowk but he swore by the sewaiyan at Nakka.
Ashiana was too far but we went for the new place that served beer
He dropped me till SRS that day despite his hatred for Gomti Nagar
I promised to overcome my fear and go to Chowk with him in return.
He was too scared to let go of my hand as I ran through the maze of Bada Imambada.
We got stuck at the Indira Nagar jam one day and he held my hand for an hour
I cried into his new shirt when he let me drop him till the Charbagh chauraha
I walked through Buddh Bazar once several years later and swore I saw him in the crowd
He turned around and didn't glance back just as he had that once.
The imagery in this poem is really strong and beautiful. I have never been to Lucknow yet the image of an old city with a lot of life came to mind.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the last line kind of makes it anti-climatic.
"...just as he had once."
If this could be rephrased to make it a little more subtle, I think it would end the poem on a high note.
I love the specificity of the poem and how it comes alive when one reads it. I would like it to build on the relationship a little more especially towards the end. Nonetheless, I found the poem beautiful.
ReplyDelete