From ULR
Issue 6 – Freedom
A Stillbirth
A master's violent kick on the pregnant belly extinguishes a messianic light.
December 1, 2021
The master’s manly hairs
hovered between her sun and stars.
Blessed Virgin!
The Messiah will tread on the earth a second time,
had rejoiced the maimed and the broken.
The diabolic pseudo-doyen, splayed across M’s faint shadow, veiling
the womb cradled by Muse, watched over by Poesy,
lullabied by the Ancient bards!
The serpentine hiss parked on his tongue,
he vigorously stomped his feet on the pregnant belly.
This time, the Pilate did not waste time searching for the Truth.
Judas was saved.
Peter and the cock did not appear on stage.
The Calvary was spared a cross,
and Joseph did not have to hunt for a vacant tomb.
Salvation called off,
in a single, powerful kick.
📖
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Nithya Mariam John
Nithya Mariam John is a poet, teacher and translator. A fortnightly columnist in a national daily, she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, was semifinalist at Sundress Poetry Broadside Contest and shortlisted for The Brown Critique Poetry Prize. Her latest collection of verses is titled Kitchen Poems. Her scribblings have found space(s) in journals and newspapers including Sahitya Akademi Indian Literature, Malayalam Literary Survey, The Year Book of Indian Poetry, The New Indian Express, Times of India, Last Leaves, Muddy River Review, Qissa and the Alipore Post, among the others.