Yesha Shah

Mizuko Kuyo

"At just a little over four weeks, these should be effective," she says after a sonographic examination. The pills are small, round, seemingly harmless.

They do their job.

"It is all clear now," she says a week later with the same nonchalance.

all night rain
the thunder alternates
with a pup’s yelps

In Buddhism, they mourn for their dead children, born or unborn, by placing and worshipping Jizo statues in gardens. It is believed to bring solace to the departed soul and serve as an act of redemption or coming-to-terms for the living.

Our advanced medical centers have crisp acronyms for the entire procedure. I wonder if the personnel know of these rituals, if at all they categorize abortions as ‘sins’ which require repentance. Or if they would consider giving cherubic Jizo dolls at the reception along with their medical-case folder, discreetly to each such patient.

monsoon ground
centipedes lie flattened
on my tire tracks