Ship On Wheels
By Shafqat MH
On a rainy day, the city breathe it's usual air
Then, the meteorology department informed,
The city on a verge of heavy downpour,
It will be an incessant rainy heavy day.
Like heavy heart on a bad day, the sun on a break,
The day went by, clouds wept, softened, the roads,
Potholes filled with drizzling rain, on a usual day,
Arteries clogging up, on an incessant rainy heavy day.
We waited, waited for rain, till the end of the day,
The roads were blocked, as it turned into waterways,
People, went berserk, rode on, excavators, trucks, lorries,
The route, flooded, cars parked on the highway.
Someone, turned a little faucet, to drizzle,
That was the clue, we got into an old car,
By watching the rain, halting, moving cars on the road,
We sweared on our Gods, headed out to reach our lanes.
Trapped in the vehicle, on a flooded route,
The colleague had confidence, to drive,
The captain of his ship, a four wheel drive,
Me, the colleague, Boss and the HR guy.
Google maps on, checking the areas to avoid,
The captain maneuvering, left and right,
The boss, navigator indicating as the left side,
The route, flooded, cars parked on the highway.
Buses zooming past, bathing with flood water,
He, captain, steadying the ship, presses on pedal,
Searching for higher grounds, water rising,
I can see it rising, two feet left to reach the glass.
Water seeped in, the vessel , but nowhere to move,
Being steady, captain maneuvering, left and right,
Other colleagues, inquiring, where have we reached,
Somehow, stars shined on a drizzling night.
We zoomed in, feet pressed on the pedal,
Whenever clear, we went, as if in the Buddh Circuit,
Drizzling turning into a downpour,
Slowing the progress, now stuck in traffic.
Ambulance sirening, looking for ways,
Roadways or waterways, we are ship on wheels,
Being steady, captain maneuvering, left and right,
Cars stuck on rising slope of a flyover.
They say, it's a smart city, that we breathe,
Nobody's taking the blame, coming down,
On another patch of water, like a ride, an amusement park,
Roadways or waterways, we are ship on wheels.
The closed schools will be breathing a sigh,
The closed offices will be not,
The captain speeding on an empty patch,
Whenever clear, we went, as if in the Buddh Circuit.
Now, roads clear, heading on a steady pace,
On a long flyover, bumping on the joints,
Speeding over speed breaker, on a downpour.
They were swearing like it's the end of the world.
They say, it's a smart city, that we breathe,
Nobody's taking the blame, it's the downpour,
If the earth shook, and destroyed the city,
They would play the victim card, to raise funds.
On the final stage, almost the last lap,
Pants off, to captain's ship, steady in the rain,
They dropped me, wet but, not stuck on the highway,
I crossed, the road, and onto the alleyway,
Downpouring slowly fading to drizzle,
Open umbrella, and walking to home,
On this rainy, shaky windy 30th day of May.
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#urbanlife, #floods, #citychaos, #narrative poetry #realism #satire
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NON ESSENTIAL TRIVIA
On May 30, 2025, Guwahati faced **severe waterlogging and flash floods** due to **incessant rainfall** that had been ongoing since the previous day
Major roads, including GS Road and several residential areas, were submerged, causing **traffic congestion and disruptions** across the city
The **India Meteorological Department (IMD)** had already issued warnings about heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, predicting worsening conditions over the next few days. Authorities were on high alert, advising residents to avoid unnecessary travel and brace for potential landslides in vulnerable areas
Public transport was **severely affected**, with fewer buses operating and bike taxis largely absent. Many commuters were stranded, and even food delivery services struggled to function. Schools were closed, and several offices allowed employees to work from home due to the flooding.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) activated emergency response systems, urging people to stay cautious. Meanwhile, **power outages** were reported in multiple areas as electric poles collapsed under the strain of the storm.
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Phenomenal piece. Well done.