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| Dawn, by David Boyle |
Deathwatch Beetle
As the breath fails, the hold grows
Aaj chutti hai? Is it your day off, she asks
Our presence at this hour is unexpected
But for her to have noticed, equally so
These night watches have their own rhythm
Conversations begin and dwindle
But the voice seems more lucid
Than it has been for weeks
Memories crowd the mind
Of past energy, activity, zest
A mother packs so much in a lifetime
More than her children will ever know
Her son now gives her water, spoon by spoon
The young nurse, off duty, plays war games on the phone
Youth is mercifully unaware, of the battle in this very room
She has fought this for days
Now the hours take over
What will the morning bring?
Epiphany
No one depends on me today
I can sleep
I can write
I can plan a trip
Why then, do I feel so bereft?
The hand I held, held me
Transmigration
Punarapi jananam/punarapi maranam goes the song
The cycle of birth, then death, then birth again
The ideal state is nirvana; no rebirth
To be rid of existence itself
In nature there is no such quest
All happens as it should
The leaf dries, then a new red one is seen
It turns green, lives gloriously, withers
And a new leaf arrives
Whence our particular restlessness?
Lina Krishnan is a poet and artist, based in India.
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