Mama!

You always have to get somewhere, somewhere important

Somewhere where there is maybe a steaming hot or a sedately cold pot of rice for you

But you have to get there

And I had a place like that to go to

At six in the evening, a winter evening, when everything and everyone likes to sleep earlier than usual

A warm bath for your feet, a soft mattress under your back and a ceiling with cracks that you have christened

Ram, Shyam, Peter, Cause why  not ? Peter too!

I was driving, shabbily, annoying other people.

A stream of vehicles, trying to live through the grind went past me as I did by them

By the half night, half day, confused light that lit my way

I saw on the side of the road, two brown spots from a distance

Mother and puppy when I got closer,

Waiting for the madness to pass, so they could cross

I looked, I loved the sight, it was tender and magical

I could have stopped, who am I kidding, the guy behind me wouldn’t and I would have been dead

But I would have stopped. A mother dog and a puppy crossing the road, in the headlights, not confused.

Very patiently waiting, protecting, all seeing, understanding. I wanted to stop to look at them or to let them cross

That little bit of a dilemma, I leave to the gods.