I get hold of my niece
she starts crying.
I carry her outside to
console her by showing
her worldly things.
The boy selling balloons
and cotton candy looks
at us. My niece points her
hand at the shiny thing.
I distract her pointing
at something else.
He keeps looking at us
now and then, but I keep
distracting her.
A silent tension builds
between him and me.
It churns my stomach to
not empathise that guy.
and just then a little girl
in rags comes to me
with her brother asking
for alms.
I nod her away with my
stony eyes, and she moves
ahead in search of better
chances-
She goes to the boy with
the balloons.
He readily gives her a
coin and looks at me.
My face turns pale
remembering the poem
by Vinod Kumar Shukl,
"Hatasha Se Ek Vyakti".
and like the poet,
maybe I too understand
what desperation is.
But that teenage boy's
eyes ask me-
Is understanding enough?