The Wait – Nabin Kumar Chhetri

I am going to hills of Darjeeling again

A very special thanks to Nabin Kumar Chhetri for his excellent submission to Voices and the competition. Here is a short biography about Nabin:

Nabin Kumar Chhetri is a Nepalese poet. He is a member of Scottish PEN. He graduated with a degree of M. St in Creative Writing from Oxford University and has also graduated with a degree of M.Litt in the  Novel from the University of Aberdeen.

He is recognized by the Scottish Book Trust: 

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/profile-author/122275

 His poetry has been published eighty national and international journals. He lives in Scotland with his wife and two children.  Further information can be had at www.nabinkchhetri.com

THE WAIT

I sat beside you

when we went to Darjeeling.

I must have been nine then.

–

I would sit by the glass window

and watch the landscape shift

on the tinted glass pane.

–

At Kurseong, the bus would stop

the old train station would show up

through a haze of mist

the smell of burnt coal would warm my nostrils.

–

You would get off, to buy something

my eyes would follow you through the crowd

and as soon as you disappeared, my heart would skip a beat

and when you would reappear again, life would return.

–

The bus driver would come

he would roar the accelerator; On and Off

a column of black smoke would rush out

and when he blew the horn

my eyes searched from one face to the other

until I would see you

running with a packet of biscuit in one hand

and a bottle of water on the next.

–

On the way uphill, I would vomit

you would wipe my mouth with your handkerchief

give me water and an avomine tablet

I would rest on your shoulder and sleep.

–

Thirty years have passed by

I am going to hills of Darjeeling again

I sit by the window

a stranger, rests next to me

The wind moans through the glass chink.

At Kurseong, the bus slows down to a low throttle

beside the same train station

It hisses and comes to a halt. I do not want to go out.

And it feels like nothing has changed;

the rush, the smell of coal and the faces of the people.

The driver comes back, pushes the accelerator, blows the horn.

I look at the crowd. The mist curls up and lazily cover the town.

–

I feel like I am waiting for you again.

Nabin Kumar Chhetri

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