MIGRAINE-English poem

At first you say, if I lie here, eyes
closed, not moving at all,
it will go away. Surely I can beat it.
It’s only a twinge of headache.

It laughs. Showing only a tawny tail
the beast awaits, making you think, hopeful,
of aspros, codeins and cool drinks.
Then smiling slowly it shows itself.

Placing its paws carefully about your temple
begins to press. You rage and pretend you’re dead.
But it’s clever, goes on – until, tears streaming
from pain-destroyed face, mouthing
long, inarticulate screams your body
heaves up its very guts and you lie
reduced to sweat-drenched, shivering,
whimpering lump of agony, smelling of sickness
and vomit, humiliation.

Dizzily dragging yourself on pulpy haunches
you collapse on the white tiles below
the basin, half-blind with pain – it is the only
reality. What help now? Not love,
not medicine, not gods and ancestors. None.

Only your total humility and surrender
to this fact of pain.
It will retreat in the night for a month or two,
You can resume human disguise till its next advent
and masquerade as person, sane, intelligent,
loved and desirable. Till the next time then.

                                                              - Gauri Deshpande