O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!!
By Vedanta Anagha

What I heard was complete silence.
I recently saw a man with no words—
A quiet admirer of this world.
Phone in his left hand,
Pressed gently to his ear,
Standing as if talking to the sky,
Standing as if hearing the heart.

I stood behind him, lost in myself.
My call was full of words,
The air offered soft, gentle love.
I didn’t hear the voice,
I didn’t hear the whispers.

I try to join him in the peaceful crowd.
I try to understand—to hear what silence is about.
He is quiet. He is honest.
My words cut through the edges of recovery.
He gives all of himself to the voice he hears.

What I learned today was just a mistake—
One I make every day.
His calm gaze pierces the world.
His zipped lips speak every truth.
To me, He is now a teacher.
And I call him–

Good Evening, Sir!