Iteration (October 2022)

Instructions from Hakara, Issue 17: repetition, guest edited by Purvi Rajpuria.

Note by Ashutosh Potdar, Editor, हाकारा । hākārā

***

$7.86

six cents for each word
weighed and measured
to fit this poem

six cents for each word
crafted and considered
— held under your skin

six cents for each word
swirled across your tongue
— set     between your teeth

no cents for the words
you spat out
in distaste or disgust

no cents for those words
you are afraid to write
or the ones you cannot speak

six cents for each word
carefully lifted
from the dictionary

and placed
here
on this page

a cent for learning to speak
another for learning to read
and a third for learning to write

add in your two cents worth
which leaves you just one cent
to say

what you never wanted to say
what you never meant to say
what you always hoped to hear

***