GRANDMOTHER BY SITAKANT MAHAPATRA POEM...

1 THE MATCHBOX BUS FULL OF PASSENGERS LIKE MATCHES, THE UNEVEN ROAD THE DRIZZLING RAIN, THE CROSSING OF RIVERS. THE NARROW PATH BETWEEN CROP FIELDS FULL OF CRABS AND DEAD SNAILS: IT WAS ALREADY TWILIGHT WHEN WE ARRIVED AFTER GOING THROUGH ALL THIS. SHE USED TO SAY: EVEN THE GOD OF DEATH REACHES OUR VILLAGE STRUGGLING AND LATE.

2 EVERYTHING IS OVER, IT WAS TOO LATE, THE PALLBEARERS HAD ARRANGED EVERYTHING. HER SECOND LONG JOURNEY WAS ABOUT TO START. SHE HAD JOURNEYED ONCE BEFORE. A SHY TAMARIND-COLOURED BRIDE ON A BULLOCK CART LEAVING HER FATHER'S HOUSE FOR OURS.

3 " I'VE BECOME AN ERODED SHORE DO COME SOMETIMES, MY SON I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SEE YOU AT ALL, WHO KNOWS?" THE TREE AT THE FLOODWATER'S EDGE SLIPS, IS SWEPT ALONG HELPLESS IN THE WIND IN THE BLOWING CURRENT WHERE IS HE NEED FOR SOUND OR NOISE"

4 IN THE INNERMOST ROOM I LIFTED THE WHITE SHEET AND PEERED INTO HISTORY'S FACE: AS VAST AS THE SKY, DUMB AS THE EARTH. ONCE MORE SILENCE HEAVED A DEEP SIGH.

5 NIGHT, THE CRICKETS SINGING, THE GLOWWORMS WINKING IN THE BAMBOO FOREST: IN THE DARK SKY A FEW STARS GLIMMERING EVERYONE HAD DEPARTED AFTER EATING THE TRADITIONAL NEEM-BITTER FOOD SHADOWS DANCED ON. THE COWDUNG WASHED WALLS.

6 HIS FACE TO THE WALL, HIS BACK TO US, FATHER WEPT. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAW HIM WEEP WHAT COULD I HAVE SAID TO CONSOLE HIM? WALKING OUT OF THE HOUSE I MEERLY LOOKED UP AT THE SKY WHERE SHE HAD BECOME ANOTHER STAR.

7 THAT DAY I REALIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME HOW EVERY WEEPING ACT IN THIS LIFE IS PERFORMED IN A HIDDEN WAY SECRETLY.