untitled 35

rains over many days
turned tamarind, mango,
peepal, banyans jittery.
the old man on the kerb
-- chintamani
-- wiped their trunks with
fresh newspapers.
the rains stopped,
residents chopped the tree
tops.
flying fox,
egrets,
cormorants,
fled with their nests.
the sun shines on nothing.