My Home by Gita Viswanath

Secrets stashed away in the folds of the clothes

Like pieces of jewellery to escape a thief’s eye

Vows imprinted on the walls

Alongside photo frames and stains of sweet and sour soup

Intrigues hatched behind doors

While at a game of hide and seek

Tears spurting out like water from municipal taps

When brother betrays you to mother

Laughter rising like dust and departing from the window

To the rhythms of father’s stale jokes

Anger stamped hard into the floor

As the maid pounds fiery-hot red chillies

Gossip whispered in the corners of one room

only to be retched out on the floor of another

Forgiveness rolled out like a Yoga mat

To obey the slogan

Blood is thicker than water.

You are welcome to my home.

I can neither enter nor exit.

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