Pari
On the street the word is
that you are supposed to atone
that you can’t go back to Paradise
until you’ve made amends
again with the acts of mischief
again with the trouble-making
again with the disguises
covering the truth of you.
The djinn and shayatin are still
trash talking
they say you have a pretty face
they say a little moral ambivalence
is no reason to take yourself
so seriously
and maybe you fought against
the demon army
but who really knows if all the stories
you like to tell
are the real deal.
I’ve heard
that the daeva have it out for you
they want to lock you
in a cage of iron
if you won’t join their rebellion
and stop it with the relationships
with humans which are doomed to failure
because the humans don’t trust you
because you keep abducting them
for your social events
or because you keep
getting your wings back
and flying away.
Pari detail from Pari holding a unique animal. 19th cent. Rajput style Bhopal museum (cropped)
