Dear Mother-In-law

[SivaRamanathan]

You certainly knew when death came near you.
You spoke about the old dark woman who pulled your hand.
You shooed her away with your dentures.
You spoke about a country chicken gruel;
probably your husband liked that.
There was also a necklace to be gifted to a granddaughter.
You were carried like a baby to see the temple car festival.
When you died they made a miniature effigy of you in dharba grass.
Also, a not so shapely cow with grass sticks.
You were catching the tip of the cow's tail en route to heaven.
I gave you your travelling expense.
There is a long line on the wall leading to a Shiva Linga
with a sun and moon on either side
and a couple of stars drawn with turmeric.
Butter is thrown from above the shoulders thrice.
We searched everywhere, only to find your spectacles.
You were fighting for your life. Your dentures,
your only weapon: No wonder we could not find them.











You certainly knew when death came near you.
You spoke about the old dark woman who pulled your hand.
You shooed her away with your dentures.
You spoke about a country chicken gruel;
probably your husband liked that.
There was also a necklace to be gifted to a granddaughter.
You were carried like a baby to see the temple car festival.
When you died they made a miniature effigy of you in dharba grass.
Also, a not so shapely cow with grass sticks.
You were catching the tip of the cow's tail en route to heaven.
I gave you your travelling expense.
There is a long line on the wall leading to a Shiva Linga
with a sun and moon on either side
and a couple of stars drawn with turmeric.
Butter is thrown from above the shoulders thrice.
We searched everywhere for your dentures but only found your spectacles.
You were fighting for your life.
Your dentures were your only weapon.
It is no wonder that we could not find them.

[Michael (MV)]

Hi Siva,

a minor workshop consideration re the last 4 lines to 3:

We searched everywhere, only to find your spectacles.
You were fighting for your life. Your dentures,
your only weapon: No wonder we could not find them.


Siva,

if you are not already representing another board this current IBPC,
and if this is your original, unpublished poem,

would you please allow Dear Mother-in law to represent the Block.

Please accept or decline in the thread @ Palaver:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5798

If accepting please provide all the needed info, ASAP.


Thanks, Siva.



Michael (MV)

 

 
 
 
 

[SivaRamanathan]

Hi Michael
Thank you for asking me.I will post the poem first thing tomorrow morning--after ten hours.I would like to sleep on it.There is too much of prose in it.
It is an unpublished poem.
Siva

[Michael (MV)]

Hi Siva,

I don't find it too prose, albeit I do consider it a prose-Poem; specifically, as indicated by the title: Epistolary - the letter-poem.


Some minor workshop edits in the text, including another variation on the close.    Michael (MV)


You certainly knew when death came near you.
You spoke about the old dark woman who pulled your hand.
You shooed her away with your dentures.
You spoke about a country chicken gruel
(probably your husband liked that.)
There was also a necklace to be gifted to a granddaughter.
You were carried like a baby to see the temple car festival.
When you died, a miniature effigy was made from dharba grass.
Also, with grass sticks, a not so shapely cow.
You were catching the tip of the tail to heaven.
I gave you your travelling expense.
There is a long line on the wall leading to a Shiva Linga
with a sun and moon on either side
and a couple of stars drawn with turmeric.
Butter thrown from above the shoulders thrice.
We searched everywhere, only to find your spectacles.
You were fighting for your life, with your dentures,
your only weapon, and no where in sight.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[dyerfrank]

I liked it, I like most of your work. Your English language skills are improving, your presentation becoming more ordered easier to read. Probably you could write a book which would be facinating to the western reader. It is a window on an ancient civilisation and culture - religion practice - family, - roots - customs all interesting to the person who is stuck in one place.

[Spizolli]

You created strong imagery for the readers. Agree with dyerfrank that western readers would find your eastern cultural perspective intriguing; I do!