On a full-moon night
that would have meant nothing to us
he turns up late at night
to pick me up, as a surprise,
and wants to know if I’ve fasted.

I think,
“I’ve done all sorts of things for love
but no,
I certainly haven’t fasted yet.”

I don’t fast, I tell him.
He says, well, he doesn’t either
but we feel like children who’ve missed a birthday celebration.

Love. Ideology. Happiness.

I then wonder if a private, little circus
could bring us anything
but happiness
because now, he wants to know
if I would fast for my father.

Author : Jaiwantika Dutta Dhupkar

Jaiwantika Dutta Dhupkar is a filmmaker, writer and artist based in Hyderabad, India. She runs a wedding and maternity film company and also makes documentaries. She has dabbled in journalism, radio jockeying and illustration prior to taking up film-making seriously. Writing poetry is a serious passion for her. She believes poetry is proof of man’s genius and should be promoted