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Udayan Vajpeyi
Arrival
Set up the house for a semblance of prosperity. She said or
perhaps I heard. Fever me and the day had worn her out.
Darkness came over her brow and the rain. There wasn't one
morning the guests who hadn't seen us fight. Set up the house
for a semblance of prosperity. She would continue the refrain.
Water kept boiling uselessly on the stove. It wasn't yet time
for the train to arrive. Drunkards were mumbling away on the
road. Beggars had already slept on the grimy fringe of the
city. The spider wove night on the dark neem. Her voice
arose from the kitchen. Look ! the dead lizard runs on the
wall ! Up, up — our walls are still covered with dust and
webs.
Return
Father sat at the other end of the table. In the courtyard
there were two moons — one red, the other yellow. I reached
there running. Brother sat at this end of the table. Exactly
twelve years after his death he visited the house now in
shambles. I knew where we were, it wasn't. He wasn't
transparent before death. For twelve years we had sought him
in the hills. He did not seek us. He ate not, spoke not, was
not. He returned to the old house as though it wasn't
destroyed and he not dead. I ran towards him. My brother
vanished. I'm running towards him. he towards me. My brother
returns from the skyway with his touch.
And he has returned by the skyroute.
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