Mother's Dream

‘A sixty year old dream Recurred last night, ' She just shared with me After her routine puja A lump formed in my throat Seeing her eighty year body In a tremor and a forgotten quiver In her otherwise passive voice ‘Do you remember the room We used to sleep in? Can you recall a small dark niche? There I found a baby ivory elephant When Ramakka was a toddler... Now I found hoards of baby elephants Ivory in colour and closely guarded by the mothers, ' She went on, ‘and then I found Sardar Vallabhai visiting us For some reason I didn't know I followed him Only to find myself lost and loitering till I sighed in relief Sighting some people busy at construction...' She paused... ‘once again to find hoards of elephants! ' And she walked to the table for lunch...