Mira and Krishna
janine canan
Mira sleeps in her grandfather's palace,
and dreams of marrying Krishna.
Krishna grazes his cows by the flowing river.
Mira dances before his image waving ghee-lights.
Krishna poises on the back
of a gold and black-spotted snake.
Mira eats the meal in-laws serve
with a cup of poison.
Krishna folds his legs in a lotus blossom.
Mira unbraids her hair, marks herself with fiery color.
Krishna gazes under petalled brows,
dark curls on blue shoulders.
Mira takes the temple road,
the palace gates slam shut behind her.
Krishna snaps off a reed, heaves a sigh of relief.
Mira sings, laughing and clapping.
Krishna jumps off the serpent's back
into the deepest waters.
Mira grabs his foot
and spirals into the current.
Krishna's crocodile earring snags her swollen heart.
Mira is a pyre of aloe and sandalwood.
Krishna heats his long cool limbs
in her fragrant flames.
Mira sways in the crowd,
the universe swirling round her ankles.
Krishna sits in motionless contemplation.
Mira's heart is a wide open lily.
Krishna is the dusky breeze
that slashes her petals.
Mira tramps across country, begging and seeking.
Krishna plays his bamboo flute
seated on her head.
Mira thirsts for every drop,
yet suffocates in the aroma.
Krishna is beauty, the dazzling musician.
Mira wraps herself in a crimson sari,
lights incense, and opens her bed.
Krishna winks and vanishes.
Mira gnaws on love, her eyes unclosing.
Krishna is a thorny bush
in the night never ending.
Mira grows proud and angry,
her senses greedy.
Krishna is the bottomless well of rage and grief.
Mira boils with fear, shame, doubt and disgust.
Krishna powders himself
with her soft ashes.
Mira beholds the circular saws
used for beheading.
Krishna's crown is radiant with diamonds and rubies.
Mira hears thunder, pounds her big drum.
Krishna, where are you, the peacock cries,
the lotus lounges in moonlight.
Mira rows through her tears,
her heart grows fat as a mango.
Krishna pours himself into the octopus ocean.
Mira carries a golden pitcher on her head.
Krishna overflows
and floods the earth with green.
Mira hears his footstep
that crushes her heart with joy.
Krishna swings a rosary of perfect tears.
Mira unbolts the door, her white hair flowing.
Krishna's eyes are dark coppery clouds
with lightning.
Mira drenched in love
cries, Darling!
Krishna returns the love everlasting.
Mira takes his hand, and rises out of her body.
Krishna plays a rapturous melody
upon it.
Mira's song emanates
to the farthest corner.
Krishna dances blissfully on the rim of the dark.
