I found a sleeveless sweater today
Hidden away in a rusty trunk,
It was knit by my late grandfather
(Grandmas don't have a monopoly
Over knitting sweaters and mufflers)
Let me dissect the ingredients-
Spools of wool- thirty rupees a piece,
Long needles bought in wholesale bundles,
Ability to thread the needle
Cost a seven K cataract op
And love and time ( What do they cost?)
As naked and pure as my body-
When I first wore that bright brown sweater
In tandem with the trash-lit bon fire
And a warmth warmer than the sweater.
I wore it proudly over nude skin,
I'll wear it over my tuxedo,
On sherwanis and Nehru jackets,
Raymond whites or local t-shirts,
I'll wear it over my skin-lid heart...
~Ajay
7/10/17
