SIVATHARINI

 Her shyness moulded her face
To a solemn look
For my first photo.

Teased, her shyness
Could not prevent the escape of her giggles
From fingers over her lips.

She was exhibit A;
Exhibit B, a cancer report; exhibit C,
The newspaper account of her need.

How often - in nine of her twelve years -
Had she shyly sat
While elders and betters talked over her head?

They gave me cake and a biscuit
As we discussed her.  Then shyly
She leaned forward to brush the crumbs from my knee.

9 September 2019

Sivatharini