Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Kamal Vora

No. 5 His name and address forgotten

No. 5 
 
His name and address 
forgotten, 
the old man sits in silence. 
 
When a stranger asks him a question, 
he smiles abstractedly, 
as he tries to catch  
specks of evening light  
playing hide-and-seek 
through the tree’s shade, 
or else, waves him away 
with trembling hands. 
 
He scribbles something 
in the dust 
with the end  
of a walking stick, 
then erases it. 
 
When someone he knows 
reminds him of his name, 
his address, 
the old man listens, 
lost in thought. 
 
He hears him out, 
then smiles  
absently. 

No. 5 His name and address forgotten



એક વૃદ્ધ
એનું નામ, ઘરનું ઠેકાણું
ભૂલી ગયો છે
બસ
ચૂપચાપ બેઠી છે
કોઈ અજાણ્યો જણ કંઈ પૂછે તો
એ આછું આછું હસે છે
પાસેનાં ઝાડના છાંયડા સાથે
સંતાકૂકડી રમતા
સાંજના તડકાને
ધ્રૂજતા હાથે
પકડવા-ઉડાડવા મથે છે
લાકડીના છેડાથી
ધૂળમાં
આડાઅવળા લીટા પાડે છે
ભૂંસ્યા કરે છે
કોઈ ઓળખીતો જણ
એને એનું નામ યાદ કરાવે
ઘરનું સરનામું સમજાવે
ત્યારે ઊંડા વિચારોમાં ઊતરી જઈ
વૃદ્ધ
બધું સાંભળે છે
સાંભળીને
આછું આછું મલક્યા કરે છે
Close

No. 5 His name and address forgotten

No. 5 
 
His name and address 
forgotten, 
the old man sits in silence. 
 
When a stranger asks him a question, 
he smiles abstractedly, 
as he tries to catch  
specks of evening light  
playing hide-and-seek 
through the tree’s shade, 
or else, waves him away 
with trembling hands. 
 
He scribbles something 
in the dust 
with the end  
of a walking stick, 
then erases it. 
 
When someone he knows 
reminds him of his name, 
his address, 
the old man listens, 
lost in thought. 
 
He hears him out, 
then smiles  
absently. 

No. 5 His name and address forgotten

No. 5 
 
His name and address 
forgotten, 
the old man sits in silence. 
 
When a stranger asks him a question, 
he smiles abstractedly, 
as he tries to catch  
specks of evening light  
playing hide-and-seek 
through the tree’s shade, 
or else, waves him away 
with trembling hands. 
 
He scribbles something 
in the dust 
with the end  
of a walking stick, 
then erases it. 
 
When someone he knows 
reminds him of his name, 
his address, 
the old man listens, 
lost in thought. 
 
He hears him out, 
then smiles  
absently. 
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère