Teesta Review: A
Journal of Poetry, Volume 4, Number 1. May 2021. ISSN: 2581-7094
of chicken and
grandmothers
--- Pralini Naidoo
I watched her kill a hen
once
it had been clucking
around the backyard
knowing the fate
awaiting this plump creature
I was clucking around
too
dramatic and
self-righteous
ava was calm
her hair knotted into a
neat black bun
with her feet planted
firm as a sumo wrestler
she scooped the
unsuspecting bird into her arms and
wrung its neck
eyeing ava with equal
measure of awe and shock
I followed her around
for the rest of the day
wrinkling my nose
as she plucked feathers
and singed hairy chicken flesh
the bird was destined to
become ava's chicken curry
not a bad way to end its
happy life in her garden
sometimes ava visits me
in dreams
as grandmothers do
to bring me a pot of her
curry
and I smell and taste
the freshly ground jeera
dhania and pepper
I look at her, sated
and give her a hug
ava, you do know that
I'm vegetarian, right?
don't worry pethi she says
with her high cheekboned
smile
it's only a dream