Hiroshi’s Hunger

There are nights
of all nights
when the sky turns crimson red
and the wind hollow. And on moon like this
Chiyuki’s Hiroshi wails for her sea-sucked breasts.
Hunger mounts and the neighbours’ laughter
mounts higher still. Steady as a bat
with her drum like fingers. She plays.
The soft- mint like smile
cripples his hunger and he chews
his thumb to pieces.

Chiyuki’s drum like fingers
hold the liquid in the cup
and slowly she swallows
her baby’s crimson red hunger.

Wails subside.
Hunger subsides.
Chiyuki’s music subsides.
And by morning
her drum like fingers turn splotchy red.
And eyes wicked as stone.

*

This poem has been published in Ranu Uniyal’s first book of poems Across the Divide.