Nandini Dhar
Clap Done
(after Rita Dove)
For a six-year old there was plenty to do
split apart the letters spell out the word
memorize let it brew
climb into the story hornet's nest blurred
like the backyard no lamps secret staircase
But I am not a child anymore – sticking names to everything
the toy monkey Goldilocks writing lines erase erase erase
I read a page in the book tear it up clap done. Stare neighbor-woman breastfeeding
When I get up I leave behind torn pages― countable remains of words accomplished
Grandmother shouts: there is a juju-lady in the kitchen closet. White hairs like jute
nails just like me sharper. Teeth like fangs― eats kids bbbasssss finished
I laugh : you're the witch stupid old hag now listen to a word I have learnt : brute brute brute
I claim : I don't believe in god witches don't exist neither do demons
Now go and do what you're good at : pickling lemons
I am nine continue to tear pages from books when done
make pictures from them – little women, grey rabbits
red hoods brown foxes princess with old lady bun
tear them along the black lines glue them in dreams we cohabit
the wall near my side of the bed. Mother says
once you grow up wish you have a daughter just like yourself
I yell: don't worry I will always have a teddy to play
but you have nothing to do but stew stew and stew
because I am the only toy she had a pop in the head
brat why can't you just die
I figure out at last what it is to re-read
girls with yellow hair rose-pink skin sky-blue eyes
draw beards on them brown the pink hair like mine black
beat back beat back beat back
Nandini Dhar's poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Prick of the Spindle, lingerpost, Palooka, Existere, PANK, Pear Noir, Southern Humanities Review and SOFTBLOW. Her work has also been featured in the anthology The Moment of Change: An Anthology of Feminist Speculative Writing. A Pushcart nominee, Nandini grew up in Kolkata, India. Currently, she is a Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Literature at University of Texas at Austin, and lives in Austin,Texas.
Return to November 2012 Edition
(after Rita Dove)
For a six-year old there was plenty to do
split apart the letters spell out the word
memorize let it brew
climb into the story hornet's nest blurred
like the backyard no lamps secret staircase
But I am not a child anymore – sticking names to everything
the toy monkey Goldilocks writing lines erase erase erase
I read a page in the book tear it up clap done. Stare neighbor-woman breastfeeding
When I get up I leave behind torn pages― countable remains of words accomplished
Grandmother shouts: there is a juju-lady in the kitchen closet. White hairs like jute
nails just like me sharper. Teeth like fangs― eats kids bbbasssss finished
I laugh : you're the witch stupid old hag now listen to a word I have learnt : brute brute brute
I claim : I don't believe in god witches don't exist neither do demons
Now go and do what you're good at : pickling lemons
I am nine continue to tear pages from books when done
make pictures from them – little women, grey rabbits
red hoods brown foxes princess with old lady bun
tear them along the black lines glue them in dreams we cohabit
the wall near my side of the bed. Mother says
once you grow up wish you have a daughter just like yourself
I yell: don't worry I will always have a teddy to play
but you have nothing to do but stew stew and stew
because I am the only toy she had a pop in the head
brat why can't you just die
I figure out at last what it is to re-read
girls with yellow hair rose-pink skin sky-blue eyes
draw beards on them brown the pink hair like mine black
beat back beat back beat back
Nandini Dhar's poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Prick of the Spindle, lingerpost, Palooka, Existere, PANK, Pear Noir, Southern Humanities Review and SOFTBLOW. Her work has also been featured in the anthology The Moment of Change: An Anthology of Feminist Speculative Writing. A Pushcart nominee, Nandini grew up in Kolkata, India. Currently, she is a Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Literature at University of Texas at Austin, and lives in Austin,Texas.
Return to November 2012 Edition
