Haiku by Kavita Ratna
marigolds
on the altar
sun dried memories
-Kavita Ratna (she/her)
Bangalore, India
A sturdy table, repurposed from grandmother’s house, now bedecked in marigolds and incense. The ancestral mementos intermingling with bronzen statuettes. The warm stream of sunlight blasting through the window, just right, everyday at noon— reminding us that we are not forgotten. The incense smoke dances in the golden-orange glow, and for a split moment, the altar comes alive. Our ancestors are not gone, they are here. In the all-enveloping smoke, in the warm glow, in the present. They are reminding us, that we are not forgotten.
The beauty of haiku is being able to express a perfect second in time, to anyone, anywhere. This is what this haiku invokes for us. We envision our own ancestors, hands chapped from manual labour, lighting candles and incense for their ancestors— reminding them that no matter how busy, they were not forgotten. As two people who practise ancestor veneration, there is something truly special about connecting with beloved mementos or pictures of those who have come before you. It feels timeless. An infinite loop of human experience, so intimate, that time itself seems pointless. We are able to connect with anyone, anywhere, in a perfect moment in time— like haiku itself.