Ishita Basu Mallik \ Monsoon 2015

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Tiretta

breakfast in a different neighbourhood
tourists the awkward

do you eat the meat
bun, do you match the writing on the wall
with the copybook

do you manifest in the group photo

look for a temple contemplating
the years clogging its openwork. always

red lantern flowing
from a gash of wind

then an old man falls down
he falls with the grace of those who fall often
no longer surprised
by the taste of earth

haul him up
so that he can admire the sight:
child’s paint
smeared on his nose and palms

there’s no place for him at the table
he’s so heavy and he can’t remember home

his bones are so light
and you can’t forget

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Ishita lives in India. Some of her work has been in places like Asian Cha, decomP and the Northeast Review. You can look at her artwork here: ishitabasumallik.tumblr.com.