Remembering Christmas past
In Vallamkulam and Trichur, Kerala
Seventies, eighties, nineties
The joyless carols that
Nevertheless brought a cheer
Handmade star lantern inside,
And the drums “Boom, boom, tikitikitiki…”
The paper cards that arrived
With handwritten notes
Remembering, some bring a tear –
The hands that wrote lovingly!
Cribs, songs, churches and,
Of course the cakes and stew.
And later we became illiterate of the hands
And redefined simple words like ‘friend’
Paper disappeared, and plastic took over
Littered everywhere
Friendship disappeared and advice took over
Littered everywhere – videos, texts
At Christmas time in Kerala and everywhere
The day after tomorrow, 2017
Chathoth family, Vallamkulam, Kerala, India 