City
Unknown City maze
That rainy morning, the roads were slow,
with dusty buses, slapped with
marks of loose dirt and trace of vomits
on its side just above the back wheels.
The overload old trucks shoot fumes
from the back as they struggle uphill.
The musty motorcycles honked
as they sped pass from both sides of the bus.
The haze lazily covered the approaching
road behind the bends of winter hills.
A few hours ago, roadside villages
had appeared with sheaves of ripe corn hanging
from quiet verandas, red chilies drying in the sun.
And a small unknown city had passed with
lantern lights on the verandah
emerging from the haze of smoke.
An early chill morning tea kiosk had set up
on both sides of road with the noisy stove steaming
hot bowl of milk tea. People had gathered around
holding the warm tea cup between their palms
The bus driver had stopped by
the side of the highway and had us go
out for bathrooms alongside the quiet unknown river.
A short while later, the unknown city emerged from
the layers of dust hung right above it. Its roads
packed with dusty potholes enough to wake
the sleepyhead passenger inside.
The honk of cars, the musty motorbikes,
The stud bulls, the crowd of bystanders
The rusty bicycle and squeaky rickshaws
the poor city road welcomed everyone.
The herds of passengers started rushing to
get out near the bus entrance door during
frequent stops. This afternoon was long spent
wondering what had become of the city some
years later where once a beauty of city stood.