Notes from Darjeeling
Taking A Trip
Poetry
Poetry
Ravichandra Chittampalli
Matthew Berg
Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
1 The train, picture perfect, With eager faces in windows As the smoke spewing engine Waits for the stroke of Four. 2 Down Chowrasta tourists gather Like pigeons at the hawkers’ stalls Feeding on kababs, roasted corn or noodles While night drips slowly from the weeping Moon. 3 When she arrives, fear grips the youth Who remember weeks spent in jungles The narrow roads are all blocked None may pass till she has spoken. 4 The arena in Sikkim or in Nepal That provides guides and porters While money flows from all over To the enterprisers in Darjeeling. 5 Young and adventurous, portly And pleasure seekers either trek Or drive up the winding roads Towards a passion or memories. 6 The snowflakes falling remind me Of the jasmine shower every evening, Even as I sit warming my hand at the stove While the cold seeps through my chest. 7 Far more fabulous than any on earth Makalu, Chomo Lonzo, Lhotse
Beech Bluff, Tennessee, USA
Everest and Nuptse rule the horizon As I on sit dreaming under a failing Sun. 8 Chowrasta, where all arrive or depart from A mesa amidst colonial mansions Where all races flow like candy colours Where memories of youth flounders. 9 The poor cannot get off the hills, The rich will not stay for long, All honeymoons end in snow storm And water dries up when summer arrives. 10 The men of mountains who ruled are gone, Tenzing Norgay, Ang Temba, Nawang Phenjo, Cheewang Tashi and Phurba Dorje Who ruled the young hearts are gone. 11 First flush, Second flush or Autumnal The brew either delicate or golden Flowing at dawn from the east into my cup Is sweetened now by the rosey rays Of a westering Sun. 12 The finality in the act of buying picture postcards, The wait for stamps at the post office, The thud of franking date in black All end in the devouring slot of the Red Box.
17
They wouldn't understand, wouldn't want to, when I'm taking a trip. I venture off course, camp out in my mind, enjoy shiny stars called thoughts, and rest a while. This is my "break", a little time away, taking a trip through day dreaming, hoping to come back refreshed.
