Writers Jam

"அமமா  அரிசி  முட்டி  கதை  சொல்லுங்களே"

once upon a time
there lived a man
in his humble hut
he saved a penny after another

to buy a mudpot of rice
he placed it beside his bed
drifting off to sleep
as he pondered its use

he traded it for an egg
tucked it in his pocket
keeping it warm
until the shell cracked open

the chick grew into a chicken
soon eggs filled his days
he sold some, kept some
and the flock multiplied

he sold the chickens for a goat
sold goat milk for more gain
bought a cow with his earnings
and began a small farm

he hired farmers as he grew rich
married a woman he loved
they welcomed a child
life seemed complete

until the toddler misbehaved one day
the mother scolded too harshly
which angered the father
and he kicked his wife

with a sharp crack he awoke
back in his quiet hut
his mudpot shattered
rice all over
all his riches remained a dream

3 years, it has been
since she passed.
she smelled like rotten onions
after she finished doing the dishes

the only time she cared
to look my way
was after the chores were done
i never let her nap

pestering her for bedtime stories
i would flick her flowy belly
listening with all the attention I had
i was, unsolicitedly, pleased at the age of 7

to hear about a man being humbled
for kicking his wife
not to mention the song after
singing of his greed that led to destruction

gramma was a great singer
she sang as if her life had reached its end
she radiated melancholy at its best
something about her was unsettling

as if she didn’t belong
regret filled to the brim
was she once like me?
a girl that dreamt of things
beyond reach