Friday, March 28, 2025

don't let the one with the coconuts tell the story

Three traders set out, board the boat,
eager and dreaming of success
each with a sack of their wares
upright in the restless breeze
by their feet

it is a completely ordinary journey
their chat common, dealing 
in bargains and markets... 
until the storm bursts
until the boat floods 

Uppulu
Aiiyo! I've lost everything
weeps the trader whose sack was full of salt...
as all the salt slips away in rivulets 
of milky wetness beneath their feet
and the sack empties into nothing

Poppulu
Aiiyo! I've lost everything
weeps the trader whose sack was full of lentils...
though really, some lentils are soaked through
puffy as flowers ready for the pot this evening
but the rest may survive to sell after an airing

Koppulu 
Aiiyo! I've lost everything
weeps the trader whose sack was full of coconuts...
though the coconuts look fresh as children just bathed 
What? Say the others. No, you haven't lost anything!
Your coconuts look like they got a free wash. Shut up.
____________________
Note: From a story my ayah told me in Telugu to illustrate how the well-to-do love to complain about their misfortune even when it doesn't really compare or isn't really a misfortune. (I wonder now if there was something that prompted it--like if she'd had some argument with my parents who would have seemed well-to-do to her.) I came up with the retort to the coconut trader and the subheadings (salt, lentils, coconuts in Telugu) because they so neatly nearly rhyme. And I gender neutralized the characters without losing the plot.
______________________
Pic: The beautiful spring view from RS's window at book club today. There was more resistance talk and organizing than book discussion, which was ok with me. Especially since I'd read You Think It, I'll Say It literally years ago and forgotten many of its finer details.

13 comments:

Lisa's Yarns said...

That is a really powerful story. I love stories told through metaphors.

Your book club sounded delightful. I am going to miss the next couple of book club which makes me sad but my work travel has shifted around so now I’m traveling during the weeks when I usually don’t travel. My club shifted our schedule to the first week of the month for me so I feel especially bad to miss meetings!! :(

Gillian said...

Funny.

Nicole said...

What a perfect story and illustration! Thanks for sharing this, Maya.

Anonymous said...

Nice fable.

Nance said...

I really like this; it's quite powerful, especially when you think of the salt dissolving into the water becoming tears.

NGS said...

Do you remember during the pandemic when everyone was talking about being the same boat? I was so upset by this metaphor. Yeah, some people were on a sailboat on a calm lake and others were in a dingy in the middle of a stormy ocean. *sigh* That's what this reminded me of.

Jenny said...

Great story! And, yes to Engie's comment above. We are NOT all in the same boat!

maya said...

Thanks, Lisa! I'm sorry to hear about your book club and work travel conflicts...

maya said...

Thanks, Nicole!

maya said...

Thanks, Steph :)!

maya said...

Nance--that is powerful! Now a revision with an acknowledgement to you becomes necessary...

maya said...

Wow, Engie--I like your escalation of thinking we're really not even in the same boat...

maya said...

Thanks, Jenny! (And agree!)

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