Thursday, 3 July 2014

Red Velvet

My first view of the red velvet gilt-edged diary
Was of its opening page, of a declaration in my newly-wed aunt’s hand
On my uncle’s behalf
Saying he will never hit her again
Signed by my uncle, with love.

In the bottommost shelf of her almirah
I saw the book again today
When her teenaged daughter was rummaging for a favourite top.

Skipping several blank pages after the first one
I saw my aunt’s grocery lists
And miniscule digits secured in ovals
That showed how much she had managed to save.


First published in Muse India, Jul-Aug 2014. Subsequently published in Califragile, 23 Jan 2018.



2 comments:

probe said...

You must surely know, how well you have closed this.

ankita said...

One is never quite sure, really, until readers reassure. In this case I do wish there could have been a different closure.

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