THE CALL

A Poetry – The Call

I count hours and I stare at my luggage,

Another few minutes and I will be home,

Waiting for that warm hug from dad, and a kiss on my forehead from mom,

A pleasant blessing from grandma awaits me,

The cuddles I shared with my brother haunts me….

It had been days since I lived all these moments..

And now its just minutes away.

As my watch ticks around, I hear the call……

The call??? The call to board over;

I see couples, whose eyes gleaming in happiness waiting to see their loved ones,

Two or three young hearts yearning for their loved ones.

A mother, who sacrificed her motherhood, staying away from children,

Only to make both ends meet…..,

An old couple eager to narrate their experiences abroad.

In no time I hear the shriek of the flight as it takes off,

And I fly high.

High above the city, and now still higher.

My heart beats faster, thinking of crashes I heard before,

Optimism takes it over; confident I “am about the prayers of my dear ones.

Happiness and joy has filled me and there is no room for food and drink,

I hear laughter of small children, a wimp here and there….

The city lights become blur,

My journey amidst the clouds goes on………,

A cell phone for my brother, a wrist watch for dad,

A sparkling bangle for mom and a quilt for grand mom,

How delighted they would be, to accept my small gifts,

I wait to see this happiness in them……

And I know they are waiting for me too….

Minutes just flee off and I see the rays of the sun.

Its green everywhere, the coconut groves and the paddy fields.

It’s my homeland welcoming me, waiting to embrace me….,

I hear the shriek again as the plane touches the ground.

I loosen the seat belt and soon there is panic everywhere,

Fumes enter the plane; I hear more shrieks and all the chaos….

The young, the old, all an endless echo

The smoke builds up making it hard to see….

“God save me”, I pray, but my lips still numb.

A warm touch on my palm,

And I “am dragged out, me trying to flee and escape..

But I was already in the arms of an angel;

“Come with me and this is ‘THE CALL’ from above”.

I see fumes and debris below me,

Children whose laughter adorned the plane were carried out all burnt,

I see families waiting at “ARRIVAL” with loud wails and tears…..,

Firemen, doctors, reporters, politicians, servicemen…..

They were all there…..

Hearts lay broken, dreams shattered…

The joy of being one with the family remained a dream forever….

*****