Rachna’s Brother

jute fray near his knee

danced in the air

dripping water from side to side

15 years old

Rachna’s brother

sweating in a line of men

pulling boats into port

he waves as she passes by

pretending to enjoy it

at least he made it

to the capital, Dhaka

Rachna watched them as they pulled

older man behind Sharad

a strange resemblance in his eyes

that horrible labor, she thought

but only for a while

jute fray moving

side to side

Rachna waved goodbye

Sharad, her brother missed her wave

but her brother’s ghost

The old man’s eyes

smile in a line

of sweating men

side to side

dripping water

the jute fray

far from his knee

dancing freely

in the air