I
i learned to hold ground for my feet today.
Very untoward is my feet to the ways of the terrain beneath
but
i learned to hold feet for my earth today.
II
While traversing the incurvations of this land-
a Mathrubhumi of rubber trees
somewhere in the verdigris of Kerala-
my family and i was constantly met with crests and indentations of the
turf
small and large shallow
and deep
And inside me moves the rise and dip of fear-
my fear for heightened surfaces
my fear for depression surfaces
Fear traversing like slivers of smoke inside me,
s p r e a d i n g i t s s c
e n t
holding me
in its strange allure
and in response, my feet cower like curlicued claws
III
Rubber trees:
tall spare leaning sideways be-holding me
almost silver to look at
against the opaline sky
like the luminous tresses of an elder woman
i continue the ascend, my arduous feet
upon Bhumi’s russet ebullient ways
Shedding copal amber leaves glide from rubber trees
displaying how even death Is grace
IV
I now reach another point of elevation my fear arrives in tides
i wait to harvest will and courage to take bounds and leaps like the child
i fail utterly and instead I pray while my
body squats to meet the earth, borrowing anchor
My fingers and palms hold steadfastly to the
surging serpentine roots
my palms caressed by a recently rain sighed ochre coarse soil
And thus i make the mount to join my family-
And thus i become root bound.
"Trust the earth, Trust your feet.”
whisperings of a rumour
“Trust your earth, Trust the feet."
Another Slope
Downward.
Fall
?
V
i stand rooted at the arc of the earth mound.
Cumulus clouds deepen in libidinous dark-grey above
Everywhere were the architecture of eyes seeing me
“Trust your earth. Trust your feet”
my body must be earth-like if i ever were to meet earth.
Unbridling myself seeping all that I
weigh into its cacao mud body
my breath : a scaffolder of grace releasing the burden of
fear
i plunge: i land : i spring : i arrive at
the arms of my awaiting beloved.
This is how i sculpted faith from silence
