Write Your Name Only – Anish Vohra

Master, write—

Write your name only.

I tell the truth, I swear on Mumbai,

You write–

Look at the coils of his hair, master.

So much like a cobra hood, no?…

He is a gift of God, …God

Master, when the earth heats up

Then it becomes, like, ripe.

But without putting the plough,

And sowing the seed,

Does the tree grow?

Does it? Tell!

Then how will my name do for father’s name?

If the father is not there then how did

This boy happen?

Don’t write the name of any God

Only of a man…

What have the Gods done?

They have not filled my stomach…

Write your name only.

Don’t ask his caste.

We are not any one man’s wife,

Master,

We are not women of the hearth

Who has that much luck?

His birth is of here only,

In this dawn he was born,

When my stomach slipped down,

No midwife, or anyone was there,

My heart was troubled, …but it was

Excited.

Touch boy

Touch the feet

Touch his feet

But write your name only.

∼ Anish Vohra