Such A Good Husband

you saved my skin from the harsh sun

behind my extravagant purdah

you helped fight pimples on my skin

with the steam from the stove

you made my arms and calves muscular 

with the cleaning cooking scrubbing

you prevented my hair from greying

with the soot from the tiny kitchen

you maintained my hushed coy voice

with the coughs from burning the firewood

you surrounded my eyes with thick lotus petals

when i'd sew your buttons under the kerosene lamp

you let my baby fat be chubby and cute

with the marks from birthing five children

you let my feet remain curvaceous

from the long walks to fetch water

you let my toes blush pink and red

sore from the rust iron that would sneak in

you made me shudder, shiver, moan, cry

when you'd return drunk, with a thick vocabulary

you gave me round red chubby cheeks

with your palms slappity slap slap on my face

you are such a good husband

Touch And Go

the sun wriggles out

of the blue-black-blue blanket

the crowd of clouds

begin to jump their own jumps

he opens his eyes

and his pillow turns crimson

he touches his blanket

and it warms up in saffron

he looks up at the wayward clouds

they blush pink in awe

united in solitude, they traverse

across the blanket -- sea-like

they will now run, jump, glide

the clouds will now not hide

for they have heard of his tales

of how he wriggled

out of a dark blanket

to bring to us this morning

burning, he smiles,

emulating his light, the clouds fly

Bhagat Singh

Didn't they garland you this morning?