Hunger Notes

1

Hunger pattering 

inside their bellies 

To say you are hungry 

is an embarrassment 

It is more honourable

to sleep hungry 

Than to have a full meal

at the langaar 

2

I did not wish 

upon this discovery 

To know these sides

of you unknown hitherto 

That you could be mean 

so uncouth so scheming

The full wide spectrum  

of your personality 

I did not want to know

my ability to hate 

My capacity of hate

my range of hate 

3

I did not forget

everyday the gully dog 

If nothing I spared 

a morsel for the bony thing

After everything I did

that day I gave it one meal

Its wagging greeting 

was my redemption 

A comma, a sparse checkbox

of my humanity 

4

The rains arrived 

as the flood of dead bodies

He got a job

at the cremation ground

They began eating

three square meals 

As dead flesh burnt

urgently in mass pyres

They could afford now

fowl in their food

-

Chandni Girija

I have responded to Maureen's prompt of writing a poem with numbered sections. Each section, while individual, should attempt to talk to the other sections, like a different person picking up each new verse in a continuous song. Maureen also suggested the poem be set in a specific place that I used to spend a lot of time in, but don't do so anymore. Well, this poem is situated in and around the cremation grounds. I haven't visited this place a lot. But my head was a lot in this place as thousands of Indians were cremated during the pandemic. Why would I visit it anymore? Until recently, well no, I won't relive that horror again. 

Thank you Maureen, for pointing me towards Arvind Krishna Mehrotra. I enjoyed his 'Lockdown Garden.' Also, what a shame I didn't know about him! It speaks about my very limited reading, and, perhaps, the cultural obscurity? We should keep these accomplished poets and artists, from our part of the world, alive in discussion!! 

Day 23 of 30 | 30 Poems in 30 Days | National Poetry Writing Month #napowrimo