Ashok Gupta
Don't Make Mistakes
When you alight from the train
look for Ramdhun, the rickshaw-wala
Tell him you want to go to chowk and
pay him two rupees no more
When you come to the stream
take your shoes in your hands
hold the rope on the log bridge
or you will get wet
A small walk along the cowpath
and you will reach the village chowk
Ask for Vaidji. Everyone knows him
as he gives them medicines
The village boys will follow you
as you will be dressed strangely
in city clothes
Let them
If you see me playing with other girls
or doing some chores
don't stare or call me by name
They will be shocked
Just lower your gaze
and walk past briskly
towards the house
I will follow later
When you meet Baba
talk about other things
not about us
Or he will think you are brash
When he talks about
the days of the British Raj
look impressed
And ask him to tell you more
If you do all this
and don't make mistakes
he will give you my hand
in marriage
Mama
Streetlights fill in the fading space,
between the porch and memories
of Mama and my village, far away.
I am burning and delirious,
Mama plucks chillies and bananas
from the backyard.
She returns from the market
with just a few Rupiah
not enough for the village doctor.
When lamps go out
there is the silence of crickets
and our sobbing.
©2003 by Ashok Gupta
