Giving in Silence

The ride is bumpy and rattles the bones,
and the burden of memories, curdles the mind.
The landscape passes by in a blur.
Then, the taxi stops suddenly, near a grove
and the driver gets off to feed the monkeys.
Dozens of fresh yellow plantains had been stacked in the boot,
but he had made no mention of this, during the long journey.
He had only spoken of his sister who was crippled
and how she would cook a hot meal, when he reached home late.
They were old and merry friends, the driver and the monkeys.
At last, I reach the farm and the caretaker surprisingly
asks no awkward questions as to why I have come, suddenly alone.
She says, the lemon tree is now free of bugs,
as a mere spray of neem oil has driven them away.