"Transhumanist" by Padm Nabh Trivedi

Each Diwali,

Amma would light up

Small earthen lamps

From a big one,

And ask us to place at

Everywhere we have a connection with:

The alcoves, the drain, the handpump,

The manure mound, the hay-cutting machine,

The tractor, bike, pumping set,

The tethers where we tie cattle,

And all the places and things that we own and use...

As a child,

I never understood the ritual,

It was just a fun time to do it.

But now,

When I ride the Royal Enfield two wheeler

For hundreds of kilometres,

And it doesn’t betray me,

I feel a gratitude for it,

I feel a humane respect,

And adoration for it,

Now, I deeply understand

The ritual of placing earthen lamps

Everywhere and on everything we own.

Maybe that is how,

We feel for the things beyond humans.

Padm Nabh Trivedi is a Lecturer in Govt. Girls' Polytechnic, Saharanpur and a research scholar in the dept of HSS, IIT Roorkee, India. He writes both in English and Hindi languages. His English poems have been accepted in Loftbooks (London), Dreich (Scotland) and Hindi short Stories in Setu (USA) magazines.

You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @tpadmanabh