Reason For Calling Poem by Prathibha Nandakumar

Burnt seasoning, calling bell, son screaming for towel
from bathroom, TV competing with him, neighbour wants
something urgent, its an emergency,
laundrywalah wants to settle the account right away,
reminder alarm goes, poem half posted,
a glimpse of a tired self and hanging breasts in the glass,

forgotten while taking the call,
half an hour into the conversation yet
nothing specific, not definite even after replacing
the receiver, don't know why he had called

a minute to compose the fluttering heart and back to
the seasoning, towel, TV, neighbour, laundry, alarm....