Nanima at the village well and 2 other poems
Nanimas quiet strength, an anchor of Memory, defies castes generational violence, asserting…
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From ULR
Issue 6 – Freedom
Ignorant Agariyo
A child's stolen youth, bent to brutal salt labor, questioning a mother's fateful, harsh choice.
December 1, 2021
Ignorant Agariyo
My mother, why did you
give me away to the agariyo
He makes me dig the salt well ,
He makes me build the salt pan
He bids me work day and night
My mother, why did you
give me away to the agariyo
He smokes ganja and drinks alcohol
Drinks English all the time
My mother, why did you
give me away to the agariyo
He makes me lift loads
He makes me pull down loads
He makes me pull down the saltpan bank
My mother, why did you
give me away to the agariyo
He makes me count the canals
He makes me build the steps into the well
He makes me build the banks
My mother, why did you
give me away to the agariyo
He breaks the pot of water
And flings down his turban
He drinks all day long
My mother, why did you
give me away to the agariyo
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PART OF A COLLECTIONAgariya and 1 other poem
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Gopika Jadeja
Gopika Jadeja is a bi-lingual poet and translator from India, writing in English and Gujarati. Gopika is working on a literary project that deals with archival materials—de-centring and challenging colonial epistemologies. She has also been working on English translations of poetry from Gujarat. Her literary writing and translations have been published widely. She currently lives and works in Singapore.