Staying Afloat Poem by Jasbir Chatterjee

Here I am
At the bus stop,
Unemployed once again,
Waiting for the bus that would take me home...

Dark clouds are gathering
in the sky and it has started drizzling...
There's a lump in my throat
and tears of dejection are gathering
behind the eyes, just about to overflow...

Suddenly Courage springs up inside me,
The lump disappears,
The tears dry up,
The bus arrives.
I gather my cloak of self-esteem around myself
and calmly, I get inside...

I stay afloat
and Life pushes me along...

Here I am
At home
Unemployed once again
Waiting for the phone call
That would change it all...
The sky is clear
and the sun is burning hot
There seems to be a big cross on my shoulders
and despair threatens
To pull me down...

Suddenly Courage springs up inside me,
The cross disappears,
Despair gives way to hope,
I send applications, I sew, I wash, I clean, do all my household chores
And calmly, I sit down to pray...

I stay afloat
and Life pushes me along...