When the stars go off
Tall chimney-sirens sounds
Daily with fast steps
Marching to the mill
Who looked backwards
And told us so lovingly
“Do not fight with anyone”
Gave us two paise
On the day before Dasara
She went with five of us
To see the festival
We bantered in the lanes
What a great pleasure
Beyond words
We returned with balloons
And whistles and pipes
We became birds.
What happened on one day
They brought her in a cart
Her eyes were open
Blood gushed from her mouth
Her partner saluted
Come near, caressed us and said ‘Balu’
We saw mutely everything
We searched our umbrella
Our roof, our mother.
That night we five
Struck closer and
Wrapped up to the coverlet
Taking it to be mother’s affection
Already we had nothing
Now there was even no mother
We were awake all night
Letting tears
Now we became fully unattached.
Narayan Surve
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