Vatsala’s House

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SivaRamanathan
Posts: 1168
Joined: 14 May 2011, 20:30

Vatsala’s House

#1 Post by SivaRamanathan » 16 Sep 2012, 07:16

In the mid-portion
there was a shallow washing place.

The steps, the verandah
threw us into an old fashioned Brahmin house.

Above the shallow there was an open glass to let in light.

The roof stood on four pillars
on the four corners of the washing space

which had moveable glass panes above
to permit rain water to fill the place.

In a side room a Swamiji stayed
he fed both of us with morsels of epics.

Vatsala’s mother gave me the oil bath for my hair
of course I wore a thin white petticoat.

Vasala was classmate, I also had to cope
with needlings for my eyes for eighteen months

so she became my senior. Till now I had not seen
any type of written script. My father said, ’repeat.’

Besides in the second standard
I had had orals only. And now Hindi.

Berthela Sister was nondescript
I can only recall her voice.

Not even once did I pine for my house.
Meanwhile I learnt to converse in English.

Vatsala’s mother did not differentiate between us two kids.

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