Monday, October 21, 2019

without a sundhal, without a partner


Chamar’s wife
and Chaudhari making advances !

she instantly broke out of her
husband’s bangles.
with a big bamboo-stick in hand,
the moustached-man drove away
the rejoicing woman.

drooping and dancing
smiling and swinging,
Gabhla’s wife reached Chaudhari-vas
in the dark of night.
only to collect dung all her life.

litting pyre in the hearth
burning fats of his legs,
Gabhalo sat roasting dead liver’s pieces
drinking the juice of opium-fruits.

as if a cock is roasted alive
in the sacrificial fire, the havan,
eyes overflowing with tears,
spiraling and sparkling

his little children encircled by the fireside.
and Gabhlo made a fat and unevenbajra loaf on the earthen pan
red on fire.

like loban incense smokes.
the suffocating odour of her ghaghra
spread till midnight in the hut
and the blouse was dripping in his dreams
like sweet drops falling from the honey-comb.

at daybreak,
with broken heart
and no sundhal, no partner,
Gabhla yoked himself
toChaudhari’s plough again.

all alone.

Sundhal :  two poor farmers making, each having single ox, making partnership for ploughing.



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