Shreeom Shrestha ‘Rodan’
Many have perchance walked
along this trail on trips;
the shoeprints on the dust
enforce this conviction!
Along a mountain trail
just the width of a wrist,
the footprints had been deformed
I too was leaving mine,
only to be crushed!
The friend on the lead said
Do not look anywhere else;
walk following my steps
if you turn up or down,
the river, hills and the rocks
shall all appear horrific
and deter an already worked up trip.
But,
to which village can I head for
and the annals of which home can I comprehend
following someone else’s footprint?
[Shreeom Shrestha ‘Rodan’ is a senior poet, essayist and journalist. Former Chief Editor of the Gorkhapatra Daily, he also edited Madhupark, a premier literary monthly, for a long time. Currently, he is the Chairman of Laghukatha Samaj Nepal, an organization of the micro-story writers. His published works include poetry collections Lalita and Sargam, essay collections Sambedanaka Swarharu (co-authored), Arthaheen Arthaharu, Samayaka Sambhavanaharu and Bhanaunki Nabhanaun, travel essay collections Samudrapari–Samudrawari and Nabirsane Dinharu, micro-story collection Bhramharu and a collection of interviews, Prasangabas, besides others.