Katrina: A Missing Case Poem by Leela Solomon

Katrina is my wife, sir
She is not dead, still alive,
She is only missing
Missing since Thursday.

No idea, where she had gone
Left her belongings here,
Everything in the same order,
Her rubber slippers under our cot
Car key is in the drawer,
She did not take her cycle.

We never had any fight sir,
She was an ideal wife, I swear.
Cooked food, washed my underwear,
Polished my shoes,
Cleaned ashtrays,
Never complained.

I am her husband sir,
A fortunate husband
I could hide my face in her
Long untied black curly hair.
I was lucky sir,
I tried to lock her in my arm
She never resisted,
Twisted her face for a kiss,
Never disobeyed.

Her eyes were blue sir,
Look like a sky in May
Sometimes I saw a bird
Flying across her eyes,
A rare species bird with
Violet feathers.

I used to kiss her fingers sir,
Her nails were clean and soft,
Yes, she has a wart, I remember,
But in the left chin or right…or,
Who cares sir, I was never patient.

I am her husband, sir
I should know my wife no?
She never talked to neighbours,
She never opened door to strangers,
She was never in love with anyone,
True, not even with me, sir.

Wednesday also we slept together, sir,
That night also I kissed her,
When the wall clock stroke twelve,
I pressed my body against her nakedness.
Suddenly, she pushed me away, sir,
Moved like a mermaid sir,
Opened the wall clock sir,
Took the cuckoo out, sir,
Kept it for a moment on her palm,
Then she threw it outside, sir,
And I saw that cuckoo flying,
Through the darkness,
I heard the flapping wings sound.

Katrina did not come back to bed, sir,
With a glow in her eyes,
She passed me and went out,
Followed the cuckoo, in the midnight,
Walked through the sleeping streets
Of Thangasseri, to the lighthouse.

She did not wake up watchman,
Without making any sound,
She climbed the wooden steps,
Reached the top and waved her hands,
I saw a bird flying out of her eyes,
A rare species bird, sir,
Towards the Arabian Sea.

We cannot file a suicide case sir,
Not found out her body so far.
And, there are only two witnesses, sir,
Thangasseri lighthouse and the Arabian Sea.