Four gold bangles (and an steel kada)

When mother was carted away
in a net of tubes
hanging all over
alien
scary
beeping heartbeats
they pressed
four gold bangles
and a steel kada
on her palm.
warm and
well worn bereft of
the wrist
that held them

misshapen
and bruised
from thousands
of hours of
atta kneading
shoe polishing
clothes washing
hair combing

A mammoth
of maternal care
being carted away
in ignominy
and anonymity.

fear and abandon
gnawing at
the pit of the
stomach

hot tears
falling on cold metal.