Bengali Tola

With utter abandon
She runs

Gangly limbs
All astrewn
Head rolled back
Now lolling
Side to side

She runs

Only for the joy
It seems
Of running
Down Bengali Tola

And as my camera
Finally finds her

She finds me

With wide eyes
And lost abandon
Interrupted joy
A stutter step

Then slows

To a purposeful jog
Eyes locked on mine

Then askance

As she passes me
Continuing down
Old Bengali Tola

Down the narrow road
She goes
With every stride
Finding again her joy

And nary a glance
Back to me

Soon to disappear
Down Bengali Tola

While her
Little form
Gets littler

I wonder

Has Bengali Tola
Been the main road
Of ancient Kashi
For all its 4,000 years

I wonder

How many little girls
Have run down it
With complete
Unconscious joy

This narrow road
Bengali Tola

Running through
Kashi’s heart

And now upon it
This little girl

She’s run

Through mine

Down Bengali Tola
She ran