In this evocative poem featured on DifferentTruths.com, Raja captures the gritty, nostalgic essence of a weary night bus journey.
The night bus shrugged
As the key hit the ignition
A rickety body jarring into motion
It belched out like an old man
Interspersed with gurgled coughs
Leaving a thick trail of smoke
In its aftermath
A stray dog, sleep disturbed
Barked in protest
Inside its age-old belly
A handful of obscure shapes
Clung to cold steel seats
Bouncing with every turn and bump
Like rubber balls gone ballistic
Foam given long ago to memory
They sat on leftover fragments
Of leather and dreamt of soft beds
The night bus dragged on
Carrying the baggage of the past
And no promises, except destiny
A tired post-master sifting
Through mails
Practised hands and sleepy eyes
Delivering to addresses
Every nook and alley etched
In the backyard of a mind’s recall
The shapes now fewer
Some gone, some waiting still
The night bus chugged on
For the last pit-stop
As the night faded into dawn
The last shape exiting its shape
The night bus yawned and murmured
Tomorrow’s another day
Picture design by Anumita Roy
Raja Chakraborty, born in Kolkata, is a bilingual poet, a gifted artist and bureaucrat, crafting seven English and nine Bengali poetry collections. His works grace magazines, anthologies, and e-zines. In the West Bengal Excise Department, he combats drug abuse and oversees liquor shop licensing under the Bengal Excise Act 2012, curbing illegal trade. Balancing literary passion with public service, Chakraborty’s contributions enrich West Bengal’s cultural and administrative spheres, showcasing his dedication to poetry and societal welfare.
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