They are old couple
moving around
in indian railways
post retirement
having served the
Indian Railways
all their lives
they travel
second class
got confirmed berths
in two compartments
from dadar to jhansi
settled their bags
and lying to sleep
into the reserved compartment
at eleven in night
a crowd of bhaiyyas
going to Gorakhpur alight
they fight, scream, shout
for their berth rights
with utter disregard
for the rest of confirmations inside
the husband concerned
exchanged seats with the wife
took a bag along
that was settled inside
someone would have noticed
the bag moving
alongside the wife
in the middle of night
took the bag to toilet
took out the shaving kit
took the new saree and blouse
it was a gift
worn only once
the thief
packed all in little kholi
left the bag
in the morning a little boy
wondered
Aunty, is the bag in toilet yours
They could only wonder
the Railways they served
had become a safe haven
for taking away
the little things
moving around
in indian railways
post retirement
having served the
Indian Railways
all their lives
they travel
second class
got confirmed berths
in two compartments
from dadar to jhansi
settled their bags
and lying to sleep
into the reserved compartment
at eleven in night
a crowd of bhaiyyas
going to Gorakhpur alight
they fight, scream, shout
for their berth rights
with utter disregard
for the rest of confirmations inside
the husband concerned
exchanged seats with the wife
took a bag along
that was settled inside
someone would have noticed
the bag moving
alongside the wife
in the middle of night
took the bag to toilet
took out the shaving kit
took the new saree and blouse
it was a gift
worn only once
the thief
packed all in little kholi
left the bag
in the morning a little boy
wondered
Aunty, is the bag in toilet yours
They could only wonder
the Railways they served
had become a safe haven
for taking away
the little things
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