little yellow card

For five thousand years, Brahmins
kept Sanskrit guarded in dim-lit caves
on leaves and barks. But we were allowed

sons of kings,
all knowledge
from archery to debauchery


Ext. Present - day

one afternoon,
the wellingtonian sun
was out
Irene had left

Tadasi gave me a small yellow card
with inscription
as old as time
printed in modern inks