I FAIL LIKE THE JACKFRUIT THAT HAS NO PAST IN YOUR TIME

Malavika S Udayan

Shred a golden layer of the fruit, soft and slow,
a thin transparent wafer off the new wrap.
I shake my head, wobble it and fight,

I prefer a blank page. Alright, a single piece of jackfruit flesh
in its golden yellow, shines like the first page-
‘To my beloved’ ‘To Noorie’ ‘To Susan’.

I raise the fruit for you to watch-
the creases are perfect in its bright folds.
Pages flutter and light rains in squares,

The flesh is fresh. I frown and complain
“these letters are too small” there is a child I lose
in the pages of a book with small fonts- and her name is now.

Ummm.. I savour it like Eve would have
if Adam shared the apple. The letters criss-cross,

and strike out chapters I did not read to you.

When I lost today, I looked for you to read-
We ate well a piece of jackfruit,
like a sin you gifted me to share

I did hope you would stop by the crater hole to read
where you planted me when I was sin,
like a wilful seed that just wouldn’t sprout for gold- and I fail.