The A to Z Man

By Saranyan BV

The A to Z man

Kalai claims he is A to Z man.
In my language Kalai means art.
I hear him explain his services are from A to Z,
Covers all that needs to be done, 
He’d come in at the appropriate moment in my life -
I didn’t know such services been on offer until I died,
I look at him through closed eye-lids --
Except for few warts around his nose
And a shiny scar on the forehead,
His bona-fide is not in doubt.
The scar does not trouble me
Anymore, although it starts
From near the tip of the left eyebrow
And travels up till the hairline
Where the left separates from right --
Life is a salad of incongruences,
Now the process of incongruences stopping starts.  
He names the price, Kalai, and lists what A to Z meant,
Though a few things I could do without --
I am un-ritualistic - really. Truly.

Peace comes over my son’s dithered face,
He is left now to grieve
Not bother about the things to do;
He looks at my face for my nod
Grieving is easier done than doing --
Like all dead men, I wish my son to grieve --
Arranging my last trek on the pall
Is left to Kalai, in which I have no say,
The A to Z things.

Saranyan BV is poet and short-story writer, now based out of Bangalore. He came into the realm of literature by mistake, but he loves being there. His works have been published in many Indian and Asian journals. He loves the works of Raymond Carver.

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