Auditory Cortex / April 2018 (Issue 39)


How to Complete a Family Portrait

by Shobhana Kumar

Please to meet you madam.
Street dog not very good choice madam,
Not looking good at all. Very thin and will keep barking madam.
Today, best breed is only siberian Husky madam.
Or the Saint bernard. I am also getting Tibetan Mastiff madam.
Excellent buy madam and I guarantee
Good breeding also next year, madam.
You can make money madam. 40000 for six-week puppy.
Best is trial offer madam. You keep this Rocko for one week, madam.
I come back. You will like very much madam.
Next week prices going up madam.
Madam, madam, one more thing I am telling only you madam,
Please help me achieve this month target madam.
Just now sold four puppies madam
One more and I get some bonus.
Madam, no need special care madam, little ac enough.
Otherwise, just fan.
Okay madam, I coming tomorrow?
If you want, I bring Saint Bernard madam?
You choose madam.
I not recommend to everyone, madam.
You will be nice family picture madam. You, Saar, childrens and the Rocko.
Thank you madam. Okay madam. Good day madam.


 Highly recommended:
"How to Complete a Family Portrait" by Shobhana Kumar (India)

Lian-Hee Wee's commentary: The poem is much like a soliloquy and animatedly performed by the poet. By artful portrayal of an eager salesperson, the poet presents before the reader an unconvinced buyer and a rather mindless and heartless industry of animal trade. Here we see how the struggles of a lowly stationed human being are played off against the even more exploited lives of animals sold as pets, as breeding slaves and objects that have been readily discarded when they are no longer fashionable or profitable. The title of the poem itself underlines this cruel irony as the completion of the family portrait is predicated on a profit-oriented and status-pursuing purchase of a life.
[Read other Auditory Cortex poems.]

 
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