​Poems by Shoba Narayan

Brahms Lullaby 

Nobody knows 
how animal paws came into my handbag 
Nobody knows
how the Brahms lullaby escaped Novak’s tennis racquet  
Nobody knows 
how waves throw salt and sand at golden froth coloring the sky 
Nobody knows 
how my grandmother who parted the Red Sea sent her husband to jail 
Nobody knows 
how the pedophile prostituting marmalade in India garage became a jazz song 
Nobody knows
how my Dad became the daughter of a math problem that mountains couldn’t solve


The wounded drummer boy 

hiding behind 
the cosmic sky 
and his father’s fly 
tells his friend 
that he needs 
to go to the US 
to get an injection 
or he will die

Two men
his father and uncle 
pose against 
their vintage car  
all curves and buff 
in beige suits 
shy smiles 
dangling cigarettes 
sunglasses
against the 
autumn sky

That was before 
they watched her 
their beloved 
speak to the priest 
about Godzilla’s hold 

That was before 
their son went to 
Commander Green 
and asked the tarot cards 
when his mother would 
get out of his brain 
so he could take her 
scuba diving 
in the South China Sea 
before smothering her


​

Shoba Narayan​ is a bilingual Indian-American poet who identifies as a woman of color.  Her poetry has been published or forthcoming from The Wild Umbrella, La Piccioletta Barca, Mukoli: the magazine of peace, The Stillwater Review, The Mantelpiece, Madras Courier, Indian Literature, The Seraphic Review, Rogue Agent, Humans of the World, Lucky Jefferson and others. She has published six books. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Condenast Traveler, The Guardian, and Gourmet, winning her a James Beard award and Pulitzer Fellowship. She hosts the Bird Podcast.

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