THIS PLACE, THIS DAY

by Antonio Gomes, MD

i.

This place called Govapuri, before Pearl of the Orient
Where Shivalinga-Dharalinga oozed sapient water

Where dancing Mahalakshimi was Satvika
Before Siddharta's followers brought Buddha

Where Hindus were sacked by Islamic invaders
Before Albuquerque walked in the footsteps of Gama

Where the Jesuits brought Xavier, who brought Christianity
Before the Portuguese brought the Inquisition

Where West met East like ocean met land, spice met
Bland, life met death, intermingled and drew apart.

This place, my home, Tomb of Saint Francis Xavier
Arabian Sea embraces white sand, red rock and wind

Noon absorbed in sun, lazy sleepy and sosegad
Sky transparent glass studded with stars and ragas

Over crimson and purple colored women, saris tucked
Under fertile loins with round buttocks above

Glass bangled legs, gold bangled arms with copper
Tumblers on heads as they carry the moon in sun

Fathers and veiled mothers with their children attend
Sunday Mass at the Church with Baroque facade

Adorned with white bougainvillea, browned by sun
Nights of guitars, fado and mando for lovers

Manguesh, Nagesh, Ganesh, Saptakotes'dancing
To the beat of drums amid the fire-throwers

Cows, dogs, crows, snakes, monkeys, mango, man
Caju feni, delirium e c s t a s y m a d n e s s.

ii.

This day, bleeding and dying, never finished with death
Of her who was of this land I arrive, I land to walk

The path, the narrow river where I bathe and shower
And drown in memories, accompanied by the silent

Footsteps on dusty roads, on paddy fields, rock and sand
A room, a photograph, a tamarind tree, a coconut groove,

A sister, a cousin, a friend, a distant voice in the darkness
Spill and overflow, drown and expand, fold and unfold

Walk over a buried temple, a grave of childhood,
Of adolescence when lips touched lips, hand held hand

There is no mirror, no reflection in the water, no grain of
Sand, only a boat adrift without ores seeks its origin in silence

Notes: Govapuri is original name for Goa, India; Daralinga is faceted
linga (translation from the Sanskrit); Satvika is goddess with linga
as head dress (translation from the Sanskrit); sosegad is easy going
(translation from the Konkani); Fado is a Portuguese love song; Mando
is a Goan love song; Mangesh, Nagesh, Ganesh, Saptakotes' are
incarnations of the god Shiva; caju feni is a local liquor made from
the caju fruit.