A Song 173

10-old Kutta
cycles homes
with a washed, fed cow
on the back seat,
assuring fresh milk
for appumas and appupas;
unloads football news from
Bhoomi and Manorama
to stares and nods.
Vijayan,
Messi,
Xavi,
Barca,
make his rosary.
At wide padams,
dribbles a part-football
past scampering coconuts,
standing tapiocas,
whistling bananas;
a drumstick,
Kutta smiles wide as padams,
lapping all,
eyes shimmer as the deep
well at the corner of
a tiled home.
A dear
at school, shops and streets.
When parents call from Gulf,
pleads for spiked boots,
Messi jerseys,
a regular football.
At Dubai airport,
parents pick up Kutta demands,
board the first flight home,
having lost their jobs.
7 is Kutta jersey number;
Football is Cool,
says the jersey,
once worn by the coach.