grandmother

beautiful gold bangles
circle your thin wrists
and jingle when you
turn in your sleep
i can hear you

large diamond studs
adorn your
soft large earlobes
your white hair
silky till the very end

twice a day
you carefully smeared
vibhuti on
your forehead, asking me
if it looked okay

you saw me off
every morning
wishing me a good day
at college
when i went to office

i will miss your
sweet grandmother fragrance
of mysore sandal
and your delighted smile
when you were offered a sweet

you pampered me
i pampered you
i will miss that
avva, like most grandparents,
you were truly grand.