Friday, May 23
Wednesday, May 21
due april 17
this birthday my brother asked me what i wanted
i dint know what i wanted so i said, you give me options
he said, you want a rat snake? a constrictor.
you want a boa?
you want an alligator?
or maybe a bearded dragon.
so i gathered it was in jest and let it be.
of course he was very hurt that i could not make up my mind.
so i said, ok i'd love a bearded dragon. wow. how cool. i love beards.
then he said, but you have to walk it everyday and it has sharp claws.
ok ok! get me a rat snake then!
pleasantries done with. I forgot all about it. One day he calls and says, your gift is here.
a REAL RAT SNAKE! !@#$
it's small now. says he'll send it to me by air. apparantly they pack them in an ice box so theyll hibernate till they get here.
and i can feed it "pinkies" i.e. lab rats every week. It's easy he says. they're kind, because you feed them. and you can walk it once a week!
he says but dont leave it around too much, theyre good escape artists.
i picture me taking it to the housing society's secretary's house.
taking it for a walk the way she takes her dumb pom.
can you put leash around a rat snake?
Can i walk it around thakur village? I told him there wont be place in the house for it maybe.
it's small now but these things grow up to be 6-7 feet or so, domesticated even.
i dint know what i wanted so i said, you give me options
he said, you want a rat snake? a constrictor.
you want a boa?
you want an alligator?
or maybe a bearded dragon.
so i gathered it was in jest and let it be.
of course he was very hurt that i could not make up my mind.
so i said, ok i'd love a bearded dragon. wow. how cool. i love beards.
then he said, but you have to walk it everyday and it has sharp claws.
ok ok! get me a rat snake then!
pleasantries done with. I forgot all about it. One day he calls and says, your gift is here.
a REAL RAT SNAKE! !@#$
it's small now. says he'll send it to me by air. apparantly they pack them in an ice box so theyll hibernate till they get here.
and i can feed it "pinkies" i.e. lab rats every week. It's easy he says. they're kind, because you feed them. and you can walk it once a week!
he says but dont leave it around too much, theyre good escape artists.
i picture me taking it to the housing society's secretary's house.
taking it for a walk the way she takes her dumb pom.
can you put leash around a rat snake?
Can i walk it around thakur village? I told him there wont be place in the house for it maybe.
it's small now but these things grow up to be 6-7 feet or so, domesticated even.
Tuesday, May 20
Sunday, May 18
kalboishakhi
kalboishakhi is here.
the air will clear, the clouds will fall,
clouds will move, so will trees.
suddenly still and suddenly violent
winds will fly, so will the utensils my grandma left on the terrace, the sarees, pajamas and then the clothesline if it hasn't given way. my sister is little and thinks she came from the blue star, i am little too and want to feel the kalboishakhi sweep me away. but children dont stray on terraces during the storm.
we get swept away.
we imagine where landing in fairytales caught in the hurricane. we deliciously feared kalboishakhi. closed our eyes but loved the rage.
the wind would wind around wild...
then
it settles
the windows that wouldnt close would have broken panes, and we would wind around the teracce to look for frayed rose calyxes, alo mashi's red saree on our terrace and my grandfather's dhuti on the tv antenna,
and fantasicing the sounds and feeling intimate with the skies.
sucking on the tamarind seed long after the skin has been eaten.
Monday, May 5
Slithergadee did me in
The Slithergadee has crawled out of the sea.
He may catch all the others, but he won't catch me.
No you won't catch me, old Slithergadee,
You may catch all the others, but you wo--
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