Kurmitola, Jehanabad,1989, Evening Poem by Malay Roy Choudhury

Kurmitola, Jehanabad,1989, Evening


Mother
while standing in waterweed, in the kitchen,in her petticoat, was caught
by police, her hair unkempt
in wintery autumn flying horses stored in glass jar held in left hand, knitted in loincloth
a comet from the yellow piece of cloud
she floated her boat made of hay, unconcerned, lilies within shouts of children
I know what will happen to her now
Abdul, Gafoor's brother, was first to bring the news
but Mother gave up, hazy domesticity in the dusts of her brows
why did she conceal behind Goddess Kali's lamp-oil
broken pulses and rice crumbsbrought from Murshidabad
a little sun tainted skin, in unknown fear, palm on her chin, forgot her own name
damp shadows on her hung face
brain completely naked
in drizzling dewdrops, smiled a skinny deer
wooden shoes on snow, sky facing wolves, she cried whole day
the priest
drew blood in a syringe from her hand
pain at the corner of her lips, was tired to climb the stairs
(Translation of Kurmitola, Jehanabad,1989, Sondhya)