Heart of Ruin by Arun Kolatkar

It’s enough to strike terror in the heart of a dung beetle

Heart of Ruin

by Arun Kolatkar¹

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The roof comes down on Maruti’s head.
Nobody seems to mind.

Least of all Maruti himself
May be he likes a temple better this way.

A mongrel bitch has found a place
for herself and her puppies

in the heart of the ruin.
May be she likes a temple better this way.

The bitch looks at you guardedly
Past a doorway cluttered with broken tiles.

The pariah puppies tumble over her.
May be they like a temple better this way.

The black eared puppy has gone a little too far.
A tile clicks under its foot.

It’s enough to strike terror in the heart
of a dung beetle

and send him running for cover
to the safety of the broken collection box

that never did get a chance to get out
from under the crushing weight of the roof beam.

No more a place of worship this place
is nothing less than the house of god.

1. Source: pratikshamangalekar.wordpress.com (February 2, 2018)