The milkman Mr. Vanniyan
Promptly comes he to
my doorsteps at 5-00 AM
Alighting from his bicycle,
he shouts ' Amma '
ringing his temple bell, ( 5 )
roped to his Victorian vehicle.
My family visitor every morning
and afternoon
wakes me up at siesta time.
Unique in his wake-up calls. ( 10 )
Long back in 70's ,
got convicted for first degree murder,
spent 14 years in prison,
returned back later,
to start his own dairy, (15 )
to pour milk into
every vessel in Brahmin ghettos.
More precise than our home alarm clock,
precision in duty.
From a tall standing aluminium vessel, ( 20 )
he pours his ' milk of human kindness '
to make our morning filter coffee.
Gets paid on the 1 st of every month.
In our ' agrahaara ' his arrival
considered auspicious. ( 25 )
He arrived forth just facing me,
as I departed for distant lands,
in the greed to make hot cash.
He partook on all occasions,
pleasant or unpleasant, ( 30 )
a visitor on all occasions,
a loveable person,
a rich rustic from Kammapatti village
that supplied ' watery milk '
to my entire Srivilliputtur town . ( 35 )
A popular gossip went around,
that alleged Vanniyan adulterated milk,
with water drawn ' liberally ' from Temple
Hath you got ' adulterated ' successors , my friend
to inherit your ' liquidated business ' ? ( 40 )
Yet, pour forth your ' so-called milk '
And keep on pouring
( till the entire Temple
Glossary :
agrahaara ---- A Brahmin ghetto
No comments:
Post a Comment