Gun

By Ramesh Karthik Nayak

GUN

It always 
hides metal seeds 
of volcanoes and
new wars inside.

They are as heavy
as human lives. 

The bullets pumped into
the flesh of soil 
tears the tissue of earth 
into pieces as the blood
spreads as roots into the ground. 

Not one seed — 
There are thousands that
yearn for the effigies of
tribal people. 

There won't be 
a reason for
the deluge of bullets
but, they say
It has to be done.

Ramesh Karthik Nayak is the author of three books in Telugu—Balder Bandi (Ox Cart, 2018), a poetry collection, Dhaavlo (Song of Lament, 2021), a short story collection, and co-editor of Kesula (Modugu Flower, 2022), a compilation of Banjara stories. His debut collection of poetry Chakmak is forthcoming from Red River Press.

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