Karthikei

(1) A month of the Tamil calendar.
This month, in fact,
but what is a month without a moon?

(2) Karthikei Theepam, a festival of lights held in the aforementioned month.
Although, in low-power mode
I cannot light lamps

(3) Karthikei pū, the Gloriosa lily.
They’ll be in glorious flame-coloured flower
marking our annual remembrance of the war dead

(4) A name for the six stars—the Pleiades—who raised Karthikeyan (Lord Murukan).
In the absence of flowers and fires
they accompany me from afar

(5) Subramaniam Karthikeya, or “K” to colleagues who decide this name has too many syllables.
Named for a god, or flame, or flower
The ‘Inter-’ in the First International Martian Expedition

Chevvāi

(1) Mars, from chivappu—red; vāi—mouth.
Do you see it shining bright?

The earth back home, also iron-rich red,
blew dusty across the yard
coated bare feet
becoming a river of thick mud in monsoon
The rains fall there now
in that land regrowing from loss

Nīr

(1) Water. We know of none on Chevvāi
except what we bring
There is nothing to regrow here
nor can this red ground, infertile,
nourish new crops like that of my beloved home

Though it could as well stain
with invisible blood

(2) You. More than half your body
is comprised of water
You will learn: mouths
do not create their own nourishment

A mouth is a hole, not a homeland.
The role of a red mouth
of a lonely red screaming dry mouth

is to devour.

© 2023 Tehnuka