MOTHER

In this very citymy mother died
she ceame from darbhanga
darbhanga is thousands milesaway from here


some days later
my father died too here
before his death ,he said
son from this world  i carry a lie
the truth is
ur mother died on the train

to the the train i went and asked
did my mother die on ur lap
the train was crowded
there were children old people and women packed into it
befire the train could speak
a vebdor of snacks blurted out

oh! yes some days back
a woman entered this compartment
she was all skin and bone
She  died before she took the seat

i dashed to the village
the villager said
as a bride ur mother came
she musr have died in her parental home

i reached grandmothers village
and almost yelled at mothers home
why did u kill  my mother
look at me
the house said
for the last ten years
i have been drenching in rain
for five years now i have has cold
and every summer i get heat stroke .!


vimal kumr

translated by madhu.b .joshi .