for Supriya · अहाँक लेल

Six
Kilometers

a short story of distance,
beginning in Janakpur,
where I was born.

siddhartha shishu sadan · janakpur

Same classroom.
Same school bus.

Every morning, the same
noisy little world.
And somewhere in it, you.
संगे संगे।

bajrang chowk · one yard apart

Your house was just
behind mine.

Too shy to wave. So I'd steal
a glance over the wall, and hope.

holi · janakpur

One Holi, mom and I
came to play.

Everyone got colors that day,
except you. I was too shy,
even for that.
याद अछि?

class four

My family moved
to Kathmandu.

225 kilometers, just like that.
गाम छूटि गेल।

somewhere in those years

I looked for you online.

But the internet
hadn't met you yet.

a few years later

You came to
Kathmandu too.

Same city. Same rain.
And we never knew.
एतेक लग, तैयो दूर।

2021 · work

Then Delhi.

1,100 kilometers further.
New city, new work.
Same old daydream.

this spring

So I flew back.

Four weeks in Kathmandu.
And one thing left to say.

tinkune → maharajgunj

Fifteen years.
Six and a half kilometers left.

So here is my one small ask.
One evening, one cup of tea,
one real hello after all this time.
The last six kilometers are yours.

· Anuj