A Hot Noon in Malabar
A Hot Noon in Malabar This is a noon for beggars with whining Voices, a noon for men who come from hills With parrots in a cage and fortune-cards, All stained with time, for brown Kurava girls With old eyes, who read palm in light singsong Voices, for bangle-sellers who spread On the cool black floor those red and green and blue Bangles, all covered with the dust of roads, Miles, grow cracks on the heels, so that when they Clambered up our porch, the noise was grating, Strange … This is a noon for strangers who part The window-drapes and peer in, their hot eyes Brimming with the sun, not seeing a thing in Shadowy rooms and turn away and look So yearningly at the brick-ledged well. This Is a noon for strangers with mistrust in Their eyes, dark, silent ones who rarely speak At all, so that when they speak, their voices Run wild, like jungle-voices. Yes, this is A noon for wild men, wild thoughts, wild love. To Be here, far away, is torture. Wild feet Stirring up the dust, this hot noon, at my Home in Malabar, and I so far away …
A Hot Noon in Malabar This is a noon for beggars who are complaining Voices, a noon for men who come from the hills With parrots in a cage and fortune-telling cards, All marked by age, for brown Kurava girls With old eyes, who read palms in a soft singing Voices, for bangle-sellers who lay out On the cool black floor those red, green, and blue Bangles, all covered with road dust, Cracks grow on the heels, so that when they Climbed up our porch, the noise was harsh, Strange … This is a noon for strangers who separate The window curtains and look inside, their hot eyes Filled with sunlight, not seeing anything in Dark rooms and turn away and gaze Longingly at the brick-edged well. This Is a noon for strangers with distrust in Their eyes, dark, quiet ones who seldom speak At all, so that when they do, their voices Run wild, like voices from the jungle. Yes, this is A noon for wild men, wild thoughts, wild love. To Be here, far away, is painful. Wild feet Stirring up the dust, this hot noon, at my Home in Malabar, and I so far away …