My Mother Gives a Conservation Speech

Jayant Kashyap

 

“Good coffee doesn’t want too much sugar.” Do not take too much water to only wash 8 t-shirts and a pair of jeans. Extra weight makes the buckets angry and tired. The fabric like chicken or chickpea needs marinating and that does the trick. I’m not telling you to stop. I’m only saying don’t be too rash. Everything needs water. Even perfume. Everything doesn’t need the same amount of everything. Take a walk sometimes. Avoid soda and the bottles — the litter. The rum was okay in the snow. Your brother’s lover is almost alright. Love is almost alright. Know that rice needs dal— lentils, gram, or even chickpea. Both need water. I’m not telling you to stop; only don’t be too rash.

 

Photo: Anshika Sarin

Jayant Kashyap (he/him/ecopoet) is the author of two pamphlets and a zine, Water (Skear Zines, 2021). His work appears in Magma, Anthropocene, Arc Poetry Magazine and elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

Back to Table of Contents for Parents | Poetry Edition

Back←◊→Next