If by Jared Angira, The Full Poem and Analysis

 The Poem

a squirrel crosses my way

while on a trip then luck is mine

but when it's a cheetah

or wild cat that crosses there I turn and back

 

 

I knock my right foot on stone

while on a trip 1 melt in joy

since I shall be overfed but when it's the left

I turn and go back.

 

I slip in my shirt

the inside coming out

I jump in merriment

for I shall be overfed.

 

 

the first being

I meet in the feeble dawn

is an old woman

I turn to my blanket

it's all ill luck.

 

 

 

I dream my relative dead

I wake in joy

knowing he's overfed

in midst of sweet slumbers for growing an inch.

the previous night and if I dream I am dead

I rejoice

and if I dream

of my ideal girl

then I lose hope

the answer is no.

 

 

I wake up in the morning

And find my teeth shaking

And loose

they went eating excreta

while soul courted in fairyland.

 

 

A hen crows

it must be killed bad omen

dog bowl howls

Instead of barking

the village owner

Is at death's door

and if I walk on my head

then I am dead.

 

Stanza by Stanza Analysis

The poem is a collection of superstitious beliefs and practices of an individual. Each stanza presents a different scenario where the person encounters a particular situation, and the outcome depends on specific signs or symbols that are considered lucky or unlucky.

The first stanza talks about encountering animals while on a trip. The person considers it good luck to see a squirrel but bad luck to see a cheetah or wild cat. The second stanza talks about knocking the right or left foot on a stone while on a trip. The person believes that knocking the right foot brings joy, while knocking the left foot is a bad omen.

The third stanza talks about slipping in a shirt and the inside coming out. The person believes that this is a sign of being overfed, which brings joy. The fourth stanza talks about meeting an old woman in the feeble dawn. The person believes that this is a bad omen and turns back.

The fifth stanza talks about dreaming about a relative's death. The person is happy because they believe that the relative is overfed and has grown an inch. However, dreaming about one's own death brings joy, and dreaming about an ideal girl means losing hope.

The final stanza talks about different omens, such as a crowing hen, a howling dog bowl, and walking on one's head. The person believes that these are all signs of bad luck or impending death.

Overall, the poem presents a superstitious worldview where events and outcomes are determined by signs and symbols. The language used is straightforward, and the poem has a conversational tone, making it easy to understand the beliefs and practices of the person presented in the poem.

 

 

 

 

Themes

 

The themes in this poem are superstition, luck, and belief in signs and symbols. The speaker of the poem believes that certain events, encounters, and dreams can bring good or bad luck, and that signs and symbols can predict future outcomes. The poem explores how the speaker's beliefs shape their thoughts and actions, and how they respond to different situations based on their superstitious beliefs. The poem also touches on the themes of mortality and the afterlife, as the speaker mentions dreaming about death and believing that deceased loved ones are "overfed" and growing in the afterlife.

 

The poem is filled with examples of the speaker's superstitions and how they impact their actions and thoughts. For instance, the speaker believes that seeing a squirrel on a trip brings good luck, but encountering a cheetah or wild cat is a bad omen, and they will turn back. Similarly, knocking their right foot on a stone is considered good luck, but if it's the left foot, they will go back. These beliefs suggest that the speaker feels they can control their destiny by interpreting the signs and symbols that they encounter.

In addition to signs and symbols, dreams also play a significant role in the speaker's superstitious beliefs. For example, dreaming about a deceased relative brings joy to the speaker because they believe that the relative is well-fed and growing in the afterlife. However, dreaming of one's own death brings joy, suggesting that the speaker is not afraid of death or perhaps believes in an afterlife. The speaker also mentions that dreaming of their ideal girl means losing hope, which may suggest that the speaker is superstitious about finding love or relationships.

Finally, the poem touches on the themes of mortality and the afterlife. The speaker's belief that deceased loved ones are "overfed" and growing in the afterlife implies a belief in an afterlife, where souls continue to grow and thrive. The speaker's reaction to their loose teeth, which they attribute to eating excreta while their soul "courted in fairyland," suggests that they believe in some form of connection between the physical body and the soul. These beliefs may provide comfort to the speaker, who seems to be unafraid of death and instead sees it as a natural part of life.