Hunger Poem by Sukumar Choudhuri

With our heads down
we used to make paper bags
under the stooping, hot, tiled roof
the bags used to pile up
into a small hillock

When we got tired, sometimes
mother would serve us tea with joggery
Sipping the tea, at times
ny eyes got obsured with vapour

I sam in front of my eyes
a huge mountain
as big as our inconsiderate hunger
Amd I saw
the bellies of my little siblings
shrinking day by day
like those empty paper pouches

and mother would say
Finish it quickly, my child
else the shop closes down







____
khide
tr: kamalesh banerjee

khide