It happened slowly
this conversion
angelic face to harlot looks
the lines that ravage my face
were not there when I entered the temple
I was as young as you
nimble and of supple linbs
gathering flowers of trees
that hung their branches low
Today as you go in
eyes averted
shrinking to circumvent even an accidental touch
of me, sitting on the temple steps
selling garlands
for men to drape over their lord
I speak out to the wind
" You too shall become a whore like me
One, will play with you, the other will turn you to stone.
Then, The Lord will release you with his touch.
And you will be condemned to redemption."
Its not a curse that I cast,
stung though I am by your revulsion
but a prophecy that I state.
An old woman
sitting on the temple steps, selling garlands
for men to drape over their lord.
-Rinchin
*excerpts from the 'Original Edition', a joint collection of poems by different poets of Hindi, English, Urdu and Marathi languages; published by the 'Invisiblink', a non-profit motive publication, 2009.
this conversion
angelic face to harlot looks
the lines that ravage my face
were not there when I entered the temple
I was as young as you
nimble and of supple linbs
gathering flowers of trees
that hung their branches low
Today as you go in
eyes averted
shrinking to circumvent even an accidental touch
of me, sitting on the temple steps
selling garlands
for men to drape over their lord
I speak out to the wind
" You too shall become a whore like me
One, will play with you, the other will turn you to stone.
Then, The Lord will release you with his touch.
And you will be condemned to redemption."
Its not a curse that I cast,
stung though I am by your revulsion
but a prophecy that I state.
An old woman
sitting on the temple steps, selling garlands
for men to drape over their lord.
-Rinchin
*excerpts from the 'Original Edition', a joint collection of poems by different poets of Hindi, English, Urdu and Marathi languages; published by the 'Invisiblink', a non-profit motive publication, 2009.
