Domestic Shades 1

1 As early from bed I rise So early the electricity dies Accustomed hands paint blind shades Then a lit candle lights the house Unwilling to break a tradition I go on the kolam expedition Custom unlocks the portico With water and quartz I go Dawn is Mahalakshmi's time prime So dark, also stealer's time crime I'm warned to be back inside My hubby is in fear's stride I let him keep shouting Safe then is my feeling I finish haphazardly Cursing the power-failure highly 2 When she was wide and deep in bulk She came oceanic in force We had overflowing sumps All houses all time Old by age Slow sometimes Slower sometimes The slowest this day Making me wait ear-sharpened For her falling utterance... Not even incontinent this tap Hissing for a wink and then dead Thamiraparani is weak and wormy Meeting us on fourth or fifth day weekly Worming through the pipeline And we, the patient waiters