Mamta Kalia

Preparing for a second journey
Finally, I returned from your world to my own.
Walked for many lightyears,
traversed distances over a million, billion, trillion and a zillion miles,
over countless mountains and rivers, peered closely at stars,
gazed at trees, fish, sea-horses, insects and worms,
at imposing roads, magnificent buildings, huge hotels,
giant bridges, long embankments and deep valleys
and deep gorges underneath them all,
at darkness, just next to blinding light.
I have come back now.
To a small house in a jungle,
near the quiet breath of a sleeping man in a garden,
around the dreams of children frolicking
in the playground.
I have come back.
After a long journey.
Preparing for the next.
Vimal Kumar, born 1960, is a poet who also occasionally writes prose.
He has won him the prestigious Bharat Bhushan Agrawal Puraskar.
His published works are Chor Puran, Yeh Mukhota Kiska Hai and Sapne
Mein Ek Aurat Se Batcheet. He works as a correspondent in U.N.I.
and lives in Delhi.
Shalini is a senior journalist with M.A. in English Literature from
Delhi University.She has worked in leading newspapers and journals
like Financial Express and India Today. Presently senior editor with
a leading business weekly. Lives in Delhi.
60 :: April-June 2010