Flight Mh Seventeen Poem by Sharad Chandra

Early morning the next day
both the brothers had to board
the Flight MH Seventeen
to spend a week with their grandparents
the night before
the younger of the two aged eleven
stretched out his arms
all of a sudden
like a little baby,
‘Ma, I want to kiss you goodbye
tomorrow I leave.’

Suddenness of this burst of affection
forlorn tenderness in his voice
and the vague uncertainty
exuding from his eyes
startled her out of her senses.
Lost for a moment
in thoughts of God-life-why
he is a big boy and very independent
is it a sign, signal, divine portent,
a premonition?
her hands froze
she stopped packing his bags
Collecting herself together the next moment
wrapped her arms around him and said
‘you are a big boy now, soon we’ ll meet again.’
next morning she dropped them at the airport
hours later ‘breaking news’ on the TV screen
announced the crash of MH Seventeen
she ran in checked the details
no mistake this was the flight her sons had taken
she tried to call didn’t know whom
took the car out to go didn’t know where
all she wanted was her sons back home
how? whom to ask, where to enquire
mind gone numb, body inactive
she kept standing still
lifeless, breathing praying
eyes stuck on the TV in front
flashing scenes of the crash sight
men running to and fro
talking, discussing the possible cause
search for the black box
and the bodies...
she understood nothing only saw
the outstretched hands of her son
bidding her goodbye forever...

God has his own ways
to send his signals, his portents
whether we follow or not
is our own fault.

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25/7/14 12: 10 pm