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The Red Traffic Light by Manasi Ramani
This is a wonderful poem I came across while reading the posts of Manasi Ramani on KMitra, an e-magazine founded and run by the alumni and present students of Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology (KMIT), Hyderabad. In simple prosaic style, this poem portrays subtly the woeful condition of street children in India. Kudos to a heart-touching work of art. This will certainly tug at your heartstrings.
With five minutes till the main gates close
The red signal stupefied my vehicle. I froze
On the spot. That’s it. I’m late. Oh, the woes
Of being tardy. Ah, these phases of morose.
I look around and notice nice, long rows
Of hanging Indian flags and Nehru’s photos.
It was Children’s Day, November 14th.
The day for people just like me.
A day for all who feel childish glee
At the sight of sweet sugared candy.
I was certain that tonight on TV,
I’d find the likes of Arnab Goswami (He's a TV news presenter)
Riddling about what they think the country is to be
So that our freedom fighters can rest in peace.
As I was looking about and looking around
A little girl walked up to those around.
Her height was short and her face was round
But her winsome charm seemed profound.
For a girl with such inner beauty, her deed left me dumbfounded.
With a smile on her face, ear-to-ear
She approached each driver, there and here.
She wiped the dust off their vehicles with a mere
Little kerchief she had; she dusted both front and rear.
She was stopped by most as she did so;
The drivers told her to stop and just go.
She held up to them a meagrely filled bowl
Of coins. They gestured and nodded- they said no.
Not even for one person did she expose
The tiniest tad of pitiable sorrow.
She just went on to the next in the row
Of vehicles, to be treated to the same negligent show.
Then she came to me; it was my turn
To choose to be open and kind of taciturn.
She began dusting but I stopped her with a churn
Of feelings. I couldn’t see someone like her yearn
For a life that she fully deserves.
I had to do something to preserve
That lovely smile she boasts in the sun.
I wanted to be at least one
Of many who would soon help her overcome
The struggles she’s facing. I wanted them done.
She held up to me the same meagre bowl
And smiled to me- “Didi, kuch toh bhi dedo.” (Sister, please do give me anything!)
I felt a crush within and tears almost flowed
From my eyes but her eyes still glowed
With beaming hope that I would differ from those
Who dismissed her with an insolent ‘no’.
I gathered myself and flashed a smile back.
I asked her to wait and she took a step back
As I reached into my bag and pulled out a stack
Of a couple extra sandwiches my mom had packed.
She laid her amber eyes on the sweet sight
Of those sandwiches packed one on another, nice and tight.
Seeing her joy, I held back tears with all my might
And handed the sandwiches to the girl with a smile so bright
That the sun, for a moment, lacked the light
To outshine the girl’s pure and innocent delight.
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