A Quiver Full Of Fragrance Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

Five decades ago, middle of June
Torrential rains for the nth day
No recess, whatsoever,
Damp cold creeps up my legs.

In my machakam I sit
reading a book new
I hear the ring of padasaram
I lift my head to see her!

Blame it on the book I was reading
but, it was lust at first sight
I extend my hands to hug her
'Ugh! ' she turns to leave my room.

'Hey! ' I call her, unable to utter another word
She turns back to my hands still extended,
Takes my hand in both her hands with a smile
And plants a kiss on my hand held in hers.

In a moment, I draw her into a strong embrace
She looks into my eyes with a twinkle in hers
I take her sweet face in my shivering hands
and we kiss, her arms winding around me.

A bunch of arrows of chuuta flowers hit us both,
Their sweet intoxicating fragrance filling the air!
When love blooms, so do Kama's darts
Be it June or December.


Words:
1. Machakam: room with wooden ceiling in the upper floors of a traditional house in Kerala
2. Padasaram: ornament worn by girls on their ankle. Mostly of gold.
3. Chuuta flowers: Flowers of Mango tree.
4. Kama's Darts: In the Indian mythology and legends, Kamadeva is the God of love. He is armed with a bow of sugarcane stalk and arrows of flowers to make people fall in love. He has darts of five flowers in his quiver, namely Blue Lotus, White Lotus, Ashoka tree flowers, Mango tree flowers and Jasmine flowers.