Daniel Trevelyn Joseph - Angel

An angel on earth! Pah, where are they?
They are fairy-tales or christmas carols:
No evidence, not there: but only priests'
Holy men's way of cheering and cheating.

Long ago when we had come to Mumbai
On transfer first, I used to drive a black
Ambassador, and one evening near Churchgate,
The car stopped and I couldn’t make out why.

My wife comes from family of engineers,
She knows driving since long, says she quietly,
Check the fuel. And there it was. I found it
Dry. Not a drop. We got down to push.

I was feeling odd. My daughter was six years.
Wife of last seven years got down to lend me
A hand. Suddenly a car stopped, I was worried.
An old gentleman in pure white got down.

He said, “ The young lady cannot be pushing,
Madam, please get in. We’re here”, and joined
Me to shoulder ahead the car: When he found
It was the fuel he got me in drove his car

To the nearest pump in a petrol can of his,
And paid for it drove me back to my car,
Helped me transfer and answered my query
By saying he lives in Lalit building,

Drove away, and away from our life.
He was in early sixties, and now reminds me
Of the line by Matthew Arnold, in Rugby
Ye Angels! ye appear at the right time.

They appear even today and in crowded streets
Too, but he who has ears to hear only hears,
Eyes to see only sees, and others miss,
Like I did: hope he reads this poem of mine.

Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/angel-91/