Her gaze is fixed,
No-
not at the darkness of the night,
but, on the thin strip of light
coming from a lamppost
across the road,
in front of her camp!
Falling rays are sprinkling like droplets of light
with the falling raindrops!
The chilled wind is trying constantly
to sneak into her camp;
every now and then-
it pierces her skin,
and she has goosebumps!
She remembers;
back home, it was warm…
the embrace of her mother,
the folds of the soft blanket,
bread from the oven,
giggles of her siblings,
and—
the wide smile on her father’s face;
Everything was warm, fresh!
Her thoughts are breached
from a thin, fragile cry;
No. 53 is crying.
They have no names here,
only numbers!
53 has fever since morning,
the warmth of his body is different-
than the warmth of her home;
like the smoke here is different
than that of her mother’s kitchen,
and the register here is different-
than the one back in their school!
A drop of blood is sneaking from the
covered wound on her little brother’s leg!
She pulls out a piece of gauze-
from her pocket,
which she had stolen
from the doctor’s chamber!
She wipes the oozing blood,
Badge of 37, on her brother’s t-shirt,
still visible in the darkness inside the camp.
He slips a little nearer to her,
brings out half a slice of bread-
from his pocket and smiles at her!
She strokes his hairs,
spreads her mother’s dupatta over his legs;
and smiles,
her gaze still, fixed on the strip of light,
and still the darkness of night prevails
beyond the lamppost,
up to the horizon—
up to time uncountable!
[ Dedication to the thousands of children who are forced to live in refugee camps due to war or violence. Forgive us, children, for our helplessness in being unable to do anything for your well-being.]
A Rainy Night in Her Camp
