No. 10 – The Jewelry Belt

By Nandhini G. Natarajan

 

We dread moon-lit nights.

They always bring the bombers.

This is the third time tonight

we are running into the bomb shelter.

My skin around my stomach is chaffed

because of the heavy jewel belt.

It is bleeding in places.

 

When the war begins

The first thing I do

is protect the gold jewelry,

the only reliable security.

I stitch a sturdy belt with pockets

to hold the jewels.

During air-raids, it is easy to tie the belt

around my waist and

run into the air shelter

with my family.

 

Now I ask my husband

if he can wear the belt

during the next air raid.

It is still night when

the sirens sound

for the fourth time.

Wearily we get up

and trudge into the shelter.

 

The all-clear sounds, we crawl out.

Something is awry with my husband.

I look closely and am horrified.

My husband has slept with the belt

around his waist.

Half asleep,

he thinks he’s wearing the sarong.

He is standing stark naked

under the bright moonlight,

with only the jewelry belt.

 

Fortunately, the war ends soon after.

At every air raid,

our children look at their father

and collapse with laughter,

regardless of the falling bombs.