Wild Flowers/18: The Star Poem by Asit Kumar Sanyal

In the summer nights
Sometimes I lay on the rooftop
enjoy the beauty of night
observe the blue sky
with billions of bright and twinkling stars
I always search a bright star
My grandma said, after death
Everyone transforms into a bright star
and observe us from top.

I search my papa.... my mother's star
Who used to consume country liquor
from morning to evening
utter slang words to her,
slap her now and then,
steal her money,
saree, utensils, rations
for buying liquor bottles
but I fail to recognise that star.

Whenever I see the sky with full of stars
I search that star...
my mother's loving star
again and again, but I fail
If I find someday....
In the evening or midnight
I will say him
you wanted to take us on the footpath
But papa, you couldn't.

We, all the brothers now established
and have the peaceful life
but it was God's grace
he didn't make us daughters
If we were girls
I am sure....
In those terror days
we would get the address of brothel
One by one.