An Arrival Poem by Sankhajit Bhattacharjee

His family was waiting eagerly for his arrival
like the passengers waiting on the platform
for a train, running late-
he was supposed to arrive on Diwali
after one and a half years.

But on that very day his colleagues
arrived at his home and declared,
'The martyr will receive national tribute'.

The sound of open fire suppressed
the sound of crackers.

A mother's bright days turned black,
a wife's colorful dress turned white,
a daughter's contrasting smile turned gray
forever, forever...

The villagers wanted to avenge-
this time it was not
'an eye for an eye' or 'a tooth for a tooth'
but a head for a head!

The arrival was expected,
what was arrived, was beyond expectation...