I USED TO SMILE WITH SWEAT GREASING MY FACE
There was a wetness in the air
Humidity drenching into his t-shirt
It wasn’t sweat
He hadn’t moved all day
It was the wind playing with his head
Look at me it said
Swishing back and forth
Watch me play and sweat
Like you used to
Only now it is just me
He looked longingly outside
Through the bars of his window
Like he was jailed
Or maybe not
Maybe it is the earth that is jailed
All the window grills
Of his house and every other in the world
They had jailed earth
For the earth had committed the crime of treason
It helped the mothers give birth to us
While it was bearing a child of its own
Called it the corona virus
And sent it to play among the children of the mothers
Earth had committed the crime of treason
For it laced the air
With his mischievous child
While letting him play earth slept for months
Now earth was imprisoned
And the boy saw through the grills
Its been months and months
The boy had stayed home
Playing and drawing
Chess and ludo
He kept checking his arms
Pinching it sometimes
Hoping they would shed the tears of happiness
That was called sweat
For the times he ran outside
His sweat was his smile
Now he couldn’t find it
His mind bogged with clouds
His shoulders and eyes hurt
From being put inside a house
While the air teased
As it drenched him in humidity
The boy looked out longingly
And thought
Why is it that
The prison cell of earth
Holds my smile
I want to run around more
To sweat and smile
Inside I am
Separated from the treacherous earth
By walls and grills
Waiting for his son
The corona virus to get his death sentence
But what do we do?
When the judges can’t find the man to kill
What do I do?
Why do I feel imprisoned?
In the heat of the day, I sweat
But it no longer makes me smile.
Nandhitha Babuji is a 18-year-old aspiring poet from Tamil Nadu, passionate about using her words to show solidarity against children’s issues.
