Three Poems by Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca

 

Advice From a Poet Father

 

It's quite simple, really,
So my poet father said:
Scald the China tea kettle,
Swirl hot water inside.
Toss the water out.
Place tea leaves, fragrant, waiting,
In the scalded teapot.
Pour boiling water over,
Cover with a cozy, simple or fancy.
Leave it to rest
In reverie
In calming solitude for ten minutes.
Allow it to achieve magical fusion.

Meanwhile,

Enter the adjoining room,
Pen in hand,
Craft a poem,
Let words blend like steeping tea.

Return to the brewed serenity,
Sip at the kitchen table or
Stand by the spiral staircase,
Watch the cat, lazily sunning.
Gaze at the lemon tree,
Its leaves lush, green and yellow,
In the garden below.

Tea tastes better this way.
Return to your poem.
Revise line by line.
Tea and poetry, hand in hand,
Flavours mingling with imagery.

Now you have a good poem.
Patience, Poetry, Pottery—
Fine companions, indeed.

 

Anytime Prayer

 

Grandfather was knowledgeable about Nutrition

Much ahead of his time,

He ate raw garlic which had a smell  

He took long walks with long strides

And talked about the benefits of jogging,

‘Chew, Chew, Chew your food

Thoroughly’,

He kept saying

At meal times, that bothered us

Both grandma and me.

 

Lord, in this era of health consciousness

And so much overwhelming information

About what to eat and what not to eat

(Like one day chocolate is good for you and the next day bad)

Help me to remember grandfather,

But send me Manna

From heaven

I’m sure it smells sweeter

Than raw garlic,

And I will not grumble.

Morning Prayer

When will you visit me Lord?

You do not need an appointment

The tea has ginger in it
And I am ready.

Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca - In a career spanning over four decades, Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca has taught English in Indian colleges, AP English in an International School nestled in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in India, and French and Spanish in private schools in Canada. Her poems are featured in various journals and anthologies, including the Journal Of Indian Literature published by the Sahitya Akademi and the Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English. Kavita has authored two collections of poetry, ‘Family Sunday and Other Poems’ and ‘Light of The Sabbath.’ Her poem ‘How To Light Up a Poem,’ was nominated for a Pushcart prize in 2020. Kavita is the daughter of the late poet Nissim Ezekiel. Her name Kavita means poem in Sanskrit. She was born and raised in Bombay, India, and currently lives in Calgary, Canada. Many of her poems celebrate the city of her birth and her Indian Jewish heritage.