Water as Caste
Learning the WorldI dived
into the clear pond
the water
cocooned me in its skin of silk
the water that came
as rain from one heaven
for defiling
what belonged to
those boys
of higher caste
for submerging myself
in what
was not mine to claim
forever
the water or the stones
or my mother
teaching me my place
an untouchable in the world.
I was four years old
a young girl learning to read
I went to town
with my mother
in the square
were two bubblers
one of black porcelain
one of white
and I was beginning to read
it is your choice
Two very powerful pieces, Gail. The role of the mother teaching children their place in the world: one perpetuating the status quo, the other disolving it.
ReplyDeleteYes, beautiful counterpoint. I particularly like that we aren't told which one the girl drank from, because it is truly irrelevant.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your comments Barbara and Rosemary. What intrigues me that two different treatments lead to a same result. Both children became activists for racial equality.
ReplyDelete