CHOPSTICK NIRVANA

 

An ocean rolls on your tongue.

Its buttery smoothness surprises

you before the umami of salt

comes on and a mini tsunami

of horseradish punch lashes

the roof of your mouth and takes

your head on a spin around the universe.

You'd waited for this moment.

Sushi initiation with your

current beau, soon-to-be husband

at a South Delhi mall is heady

in more ways than one.

Years later, at your favourite

Japanese restaurant, you pick up

chopsticks from the table with the 

faith and tentativeness of the devout. 

This is a return to childhood. 

Training your fingers motor skills they 

never knew. The sticks wobble between 

the webbing of your thumb and index finger. 

Slowly they enclasp a nori roll. 

You dip it into the soy-wasabi mix 

and take a bite. The pungency shoots 

up to the top of your head. You smile 

at this full-circle attainment of nirvana