By the Window on an Iktara 

by Nivedita N

her earlobes carried the weight of the gold plated earrings

that touched her shoulder bone 

folding her knee, she straightened her back, 

and pulled her cotton red saree 

over her ankles; 

she picked her iktara and plucked the strings; her audience were the clouds 

that passed by, the gleaming sun 

that left its mark on her feet and 

a parrot that strolled on the electric wire

bravely. 

the breeze whispered its compliments in her curly hair;

she carefully put the displaced strand behind her ear. She plucked the iktara.. humming to her self..

the audience was every living being that draped in her melody