aCKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To the few who cheered me while I doubted myself.

To the one who critiqued me with her silence,
and another who asked —
“Is it necessary?” “What are you trying to convey?” —
and who sent me books across seas.

To the one who said he liked everything I wrote,
even though “his English not too good.”

And to the one who cuddled with me,
sat on my lap,
and waited for my work to unfold
(I suspect he did it for extra treats).

For all this, and for love in its quietest forms — thank you.

⸻

To Leena

My friend, my sister, a godsend.
You make the air lighter,
and my heart even more.

Your beauty radiates
further than my eyes can see —
it travels to the ends of the earth,
then reflects back to me.

Remember this, dear friend:
if you ever live more than I do,
I’ll still be dropping in
(as a ghost) — for our heart-to-heart rendezvous.

— With all my love.

⸻

To Kuttu

Words fall short to express how I feel
for the silent nudges and gentle critiques.
My friend, my brother,
thank you for you —
my quiet cheerleader I never knew.

— With my best and love to you,
my dear Kuttu.

⸻

To Zoxo

For sending me a thumbs-up for everything I wrote.
For sorting my work — and therefore, my mind.
For uncluttering my space so I could convey
my thoughts, my feelings,
until I had nothing left to say.

Your English may not be too good, dear Zoxo,
but your tolerance certainly was.

Thank you — with all of my heart.

⸻

Finally, to my Babycatty

Thank you for just existing —
and for being so fabulously you.
That’s all. 🐾