Star Literature
POETRY

Stories of passing strangers

My train just started / I found my seat / When she called me
Illustration: Maisha Syeda

My train just started
I found my seat 
When she called me
I sat down to pick up her call
Sorry
Sorry
Sorry
She said
I wanted to be there, she told me

It was my first time traveling alone
I reassured her it was fine
Fine

She was worried
She was worried about me
And it made me feel less
Worthless that instance

Looking around I wonder
Everyone here is living a story 
A story that they author but don't 
Control, 
Others control it by saying sorry

I was listening 
To the stories 
Stories of other men and women
I would never see again

And I was putting it together 
In my head
A draft of what I would tell her 
When I would meet her 
Again

The story of the man
Sitting with his grandson 
The woman carrying a single apple 
The young man standing in the middle 
Looking tired after a long day

I talked to the person in front of me
She was a teacher 
She loved kids, unlike you 
I thought to myself

In the end I never met her 
Again, I kept the stories 
Of unknown men to myself
The teacher's life was saved within me
The book I bought from the train station 
Was mine now
And I kept it safe

But I did call her 
We did talk
We did say goodbye

People only ever say goodbye 
When they plan to meet again
I hope I never meet her again 
I want the stories 
Just to myself

Nafis Anwar is probably listening to 'Ekanto Golaap' by Indalo as you're reading this.

Comments

POETRY

Stories of passing strangers

My train just started / I found my seat / When she called me
Illustration: Maisha Syeda

My train just started
I found my seat 
When she called me
I sat down to pick up her call
Sorry
Sorry
Sorry
She said
I wanted to be there, she told me

It was my first time traveling alone
I reassured her it was fine
Fine

She was worried
She was worried about me
And it made me feel less
Worthless that instance

Looking around I wonder
Everyone here is living a story 
A story that they author but don't 
Control, 
Others control it by saying sorry

I was listening 
To the stories 
Stories of other men and women
I would never see again

And I was putting it together 
In my head
A draft of what I would tell her 
When I would meet her 
Again

The story of the man
Sitting with his grandson 
The woman carrying a single apple 
The young man standing in the middle 
Looking tired after a long day

I talked to the person in front of me
She was a teacher 
She loved kids, unlike you 
I thought to myself

In the end I never met her 
Again, I kept the stories 
Of unknown men to myself
The teacher's life was saved within me
The book I bought from the train station 
Was mine now
And I kept it safe

But I did call her 
We did talk
We did say goodbye

People only ever say goodbye 
When they plan to meet again
I hope I never meet her again 
I want the stories 
Just to myself

Nafis Anwar is probably listening to 'Ekanto Golaap' by Indalo as you're reading this.

Comments

বাংলাদেশে গুমের ঘটনায় ভারতের সম্পৃক্ততা খুঁজে পেয়েছে কমিশন

কমিশন জানিয়েছে, আইনশৃঙ্খলা রক্ষাকারী বাহিনীর মধ্যে এ বিষয়ে একটি জোরালো ইঙ্গিত রয়েছে যে, কিছু বন্দি এখনো ভারতের জেলে থাকতে পারে।

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