DIWALI

Oblivious to the
dust rising from
the busy road

and all the
other real and imaginary malice
that kids inside the cars
are made to be scared of

she dips her small muddy fingers
in the rice pot
to quickly push
the cold lump
down her throat

she'll have to sell
a lot of earthen lamps
to make the next meal happen

its Diwali
in a few days.