A Blind Man Waking The Scorpion With Poem by umashankar manthravadi

a blind man waking the scorpion with
a bent twig. black pendulous upstanding
sting found in the dark. a sharp still bright pain
lighting the spinning hole. brave man. blind man
stick turns to snake if you loosen your grip

didn't you know that? snake smooth the bright sharp pool
opens without assent folds round without
holding. stone falls without ripples through
the womb of strangers. don't you know that in this
blind world nothing wakes to the touch no skin

breaks? hold tight till the hollow tuber puts
its shoots behind the eye. and the purple
pendant stings where it hangs against the skin.
blinded by the growing rot a child bent
upon waking the snake he merely nods

November 3,1973