Our house was a 12 year old Lancer car
Sitting in its congested patio,
Beheld the sky
That sky spilled over the sky
Stars squirmed and threatened to jump down immediately
We were like the children beneath the mango tree who do not rush to school
Even after the last bell
The wind may blow any moment
Our house was a 12 year old Lancer car
Descried the sea
Sitting inside its smoke-filled, odorous kitchen
That sea overflowed the sea
The fish swimming along in the deep asked, “coming?”
We were
Like the fisherman waiting for the snakehead murrel
Though it is noon and he is hungry
The sea fish do not know
The grooves of tears and the little waterway
Rainclouds can arrive anytime
Our house was a 12 year old Lancer car
Saw the woods sitting near its un-curtained window
Those woods got darker than woods
Trees pretending to cavil for my being late
Moonlight clear and fuzzy amongst boughs
Us, like fireflies watching ripened paddy stalks
There are wounds that are hidden
A lightning can strike any moment
Our house was a 12 year old Lancer car
Sitting in its spaces coarse otherwise
We quenched each other’s thirst and hunger
Argued
Prayed
Perused the holy book
Often, while no one watched,
We fed the dolls
Sung them lullabies
On these occasions,
I went out pretending that I wanted a smoke
Thereupon, between us
Sky sea woods.
Translation : Anitha Varma
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