What Her Girlfriend Said (to him)

[thechasingiamb]

Sir,

not that we did not hear the noise
        you made trying to open the bolted doors
       a robust bull elephant
       stirring in the night
       of everyone's sleep

we did. But as we fluttered inside
      like a peacock in the net
      crest broken, tail feathers flying

our good mother held us close
      in her innocence
      thinking to quell our fears

Kannan
Kuruntokai 244

Translated by AK Ramanujan