Rain exhausts over Assam
A poem in reaction to the film "Village Rockstars 2" by Rima Das
(for Rima Das and the women of Kalardiya)
when flood comesthe river lives in our house for a whilethe bed gets wetthe grain drowns
I only cry when I'm alone,says the motherI want to be small again,says the daughter
men want to buy the landheavy machines will carve cracks into the landscapeasphalt will pour over the fieldsmoney will change hands
mother and daughter know:there was once a forest herethere once was a river
tree bleeds, resin drips
trees will be felledbikes will rustsongs will be sungthe field will remain ours



