Three Poems by Priyanka Aravind

1. The Maddening Scent of Love

Below, a maddening scent

fills the woman.

Above, the sprays

of the paala tree

close their eyes,

in envy and despair.

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Paala- The milkwood tree also known as the blackboard tree and devil’s tree. It is believed to be the abode of Gandharvas (celestial beings considered the gods of Love) and yakshis in Indian/ Malayalam folklore and legends.

2. A song finds new home

A song finds new home

In the heart

Of her mistress’s beloved.

Now she woos her at nights

With her endless melodies.

3. While you Sleep

You sleep

As if the world never existed,

fists closed,

as if holding on to a dream.

Those four tiny teeth,

little moons of secret in your mouth.

Each tiny yawn

Released the scent of warm milk.

Your limbs still learning

What they are meant to be.

You sleep clinging to me,

Trust heavy as your body on my chest.

The soft and silky brown hair,

I gently touch,

Careful not to wake

the miracle of your rest.

I see you, and I forget

The long hours, and ache in my bones;

The caring, carrying,

Staying awake,

And the weight of the days that blur.

Watching you breathe;

The rise, the fall,

I believe,

This is what joy looks like

When it’s free of all trappings.

You still suckle in your sleep,

A remembering,

A promise that I am home.

Your body knows its mother,

Before language ever will.

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