A Saint And A Young Man Poem by Sourav Bhattacharya

The train was about to start.
A young man was sitting on a window seat
Opposite of him was a saint.
Face of that young man was
Pale and gloomy.
The saint noticed silently,
Asked the young guy where he was headed to.
He didn't reply.

The train started with a jerk.
The young man turned his face from window
And looked at the saint.

Said, ‘'I am a criminal
Returning from jail'
The saint smiled and said
'your punishment is over
So don't call yourself a criminal now'

The young man thought for a while.
Then started to tell all misdeeds of past life.
Station after station passed
One chapter after one chapter was revealed.

The young man concluded thus..
' I have written a letter to my father
By begging his forgiveness.
I have asked him not to write a single
Letter to me, as I don't deserve it.
But if you forgive me then attach one flag
On the banyan tree near our village railway station,
Then I shall return to you,
Or I shall go away for ever.'

Both were anxious now.
With the rhythm of train
Their mind was saying
'what will happen…what will happen..'

Now the village station was about to come.
The young man got up from the window seat
And sat behind the saint.
Said nervously, ' I don't have strength to watch it
By myself baba…please tell me what is waiting for me.
I shall accept whatever happens baba'

The station came. The train stopped.
The saint started to weep.
The young man said, ' I already knew it baba
Don't cry, no father can forgive and take back his son
Who has committed so much sin'

The saint said with a chocking voice
' look my son, there is not a single branch
In the tree without flags..'