A Green Earring

By Anu Karippal

I have been thinking about a green ear ring 

A gift from a dear friend

That I broke into two- two months ago

I have been thinking of it-

As I walk back home from bus

When I’m about to sleep

When I pour the first mug of water down my hair.

I close my eyes lest water enter and hurt my eyes,

I stand there gently.

And think of the green earring I broke.

Breaking it was so easy.

Loosen the metal ring,

An extra hook on the split babies.

I wore them each to office, without a thought.

And now I think everyday-

What a violent thing to do

To break a piece of beauty, of friendship

So I can have two earrings

When and where did we begin to be obsessed with maximum again?

To make two out of one.

So I took the two broken ear rings

Twins separated so far

And glued them together.

---

This poem was firstly published as part of the Surreal Print Issue 2020.