Ihad Not Been There Poem by desamangalam ramakrishnan

Ihad Not Been There



On that day
I hadn't been there.

I hadn't been beside the street
to wonder at the chariots
or to see the colourful flags.
On that day
I hadn't been at the third row in the class
when the teacher came
and took the attendence.

On the days of my absence
I had kept in my heart
the reverent face of my teacher,
I could feel his words
reaching from the class afar.
He used to describe
the mysterious world
by pointing the spots in the map.
On those days
I used to imagine my country
as the picturesque lines in my palm
where I saw my home
as a grain of rice.

On that day
I hadn't been there to know
how cruel might be the sun-set:
It is said,
he was drawing and describing
the sad Mahatma
wandering through
the streets of Navaghali.
It is said,
the teacher was enacting as Gandhi
uttering: "No, don't do harm to anyone,
we are the sons and daughters
of the same mother".
On that moment, it is said,
abruptly some goons
rushed into the class
and cut him into pieces
and disappeared.
How horrid to see the children's faces
splashed with the blood
of their Guru.

Since that day
I was devoid of legs
to step into that school.
Since that incident
I had no eyes
to see that blackboard.

Then, so often
I couldn't help recollecting
his presence in my dreams
where he used to be a magician
who would escape
from any chain and lock
or any pile of fire
and enter into the classroom
carrying a globe on his shoulder,
a stick and chalk in his palm.

- -

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Recollecting a deplorable incident happened somewhere nearby.
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