“Charlatan! Mountebank! Rogue!” Angry arrows of spittle punctuated each word. Like some fearsome avenging Statue of Liberty, the woman waved her bag held aloft at the roadside fortune teller.
Kali’s Fortunes
A Reliable Sign
Saudamini squinted at the cloudless sky, trying to divine its hidden messages.
“Bring in the clothes, Amini!” she called to her daughter-in-law.
“Why, Amma? The sun’s shining!” Amini’s voice floated thinly from the small, bare kitchen at the far end of the house.
“Rain is coming.” Saudamini rubbed at her aching knees.
Premonition
I left my baby lying there, lying there
I left my wee one lying there
I left my wee one lying there
A crying and alone
The moon she saw me flying there, flying there
The moon she saw me flying there
To the lake all on my own
The wind he heard me crying there, crying there
The wind he heard me crying there
And now my baby’s gone
“And now my baby’s go-.”
The last syllable of the lullaby entwined with a sob in Revathi’s throat. She fell into silence, still gripping the edge of the crib.
Sun Salutation
Om
Aruna sat as cross-legged as she could on the narrow strip of foam optimistically passing for a yoga mat. This was her first time in this group.
Inhale
Oh-exhale-mmm. Rise into mountain pose.
Aruna scrambled to her feet, hands still palms together in front of her.
Arms pointing to the sky. Stretch your fingers to the ceiling and your tailbone to the floor. Continue reading “Sun Salutation”
Orange skin
“Mama, Mama, look!”
Little chubby hands grabbed at the hem of her skirt. She smiled and reached for the child. She’d never imagined her heart could be so full.
“What, baby? What do you have there?” she asked, settling him on her hip.
