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The old man and his cart
I see them day after day
He's always at the same spot
Looking so happy and gay
He sits by the busy road
Under the share of a tree
Just minding his own business
Looking far as the eyes can see
He sells cigarettes and snacks
Some colas and bananas too
He's old, eighty or more
But his job, he loves to do
As I travel to work and back
I see him twice a day
I just know him from afar
Only because he's on my way
Yet I look for him everyday
My eyes search his daily spot
I smile to myself when I see him
As he's surrounded by his regular lot
At times he's just reading a newspaper
Without the help of any aid
Other times he's having a packed meal
Probably, the one his wife made
There is a sense of assurance
Every time I pass by him
He gives me a glimpse of hope
On days that I feel grim
I didn't see him for the past few days
I wondered what was wrong
His age suddenly plagues me
I pray for him to live long
After days of finding that empty spot
I wondered why I feel so much
There was something so pure about him
That re-instilled my faith in human touch
Almost a week he wasn't there
I did not know what to do
He was just a stranger to me
And yet I continued to feel blue
Today, I finally saw
The sight that always melts my heart
Going about his usual business
Was the old man and his cart
Lovely reminders of simple life. I love that generation, my grandmother's generation (80+). They still go about their daily life on their own ans with so much gay. They're always looking to do what they love.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know that he is back in business.. 😊
Oh I was so glad! My heart was just not beating right until then.
DeleteSuch a beautiful, moving poem, Soumya!
ReplyDeleteTrue, there are strangers we pass by while travelling or even running our errands and just spotting them becomes a part of our daily life. And, on days we don't see them around, we begin feeling so restless, as if we are missing something in our life. We don't even know them, their names, where they live, what they do, but they become a huge part of our daily lives.
Thank you, Shilpa. Unknowingly, so many people become a part of our lives.
DeleteLovely thoughts Soumya- isnt it amazing how we get habituated to simple sights and then itch when they are missing! You have captured this so well!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes! Thank you, Shalz.
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