Bus rides in Kerala
When we hear the iconic cluttering sound of ksrtc bus,
Our faces light up and glows,
We rush towards the doors even before it halts,
We push to get in first and act like it’s not our fault.
On my lucky days, I get a window seat.
I put my headphones on and sit there,
experiencing bliss,
as the cool breeze hits my face.
The conductor tries to separate men and women,
As he moves across the bus shouting to get tickets,
Sweaty uncles hit us as the bus bounces,
And we squirm in our seats trying to avoid contact.
The bus ride feels like a cheap roller coaster,
This can only be a ksrtc driver’s superpower,
He rides this giant bus on narrow hilly roads,
Which truly makes him a hero.
It’s a two-hour drive,
and I eventually sleep off,
From the tiredness of staying up late,
Talking with friends and planning for the fun tomorrow.
When we finally get out,
We thank God we made it safe,
We neaten our hair and dress,
And run off to get our tasty breakfast.
This is a poem based on my experience with the KSRTC bus service in Kerala, India. I studied in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city, for 5 years, and our college was around 2 hours from the city. The poor kids like me who couldn’t afford to have and maintain bikes, which is 90% of us, used to use the bus for travel from college to the city and other nearby places. As much as it used to be annoying, with their random timings and creepy uncles, it is a memory that is etched in my heart. So I wrote and dedicated this poem to Kerala’s one and only KSRTC.
Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed this, let me know by clapping for me :)
