Dr Jyothsnaphanija was born in 1990 in Kaikalur, Andhra Pradesh. She is a gold medallist from Marris Stella College, Vijayawada, where she topped her BA examinations in English Literature. She went on to complete her MA and Ph.D. in the same subject from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Jyothsnaphanija has written research articles, short stories and poetry, which has appeared in print and online literary magazines. She is also trained in Carnatic classical music and has performed on television and radio programmes. Being visually challenged herself, she extensively advocates for the rights of Persons With Disabilities through presentations, panel discussions, awareness walks and workshops. She is Assistant Professor of English at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, University of Delhi.

Teaser:

Across a Palm Tree

Those leaves have silver wings,
To insert our homes in.
We paint the sand,
The pot gets something to drink.
The pastry, they refrigerate.
They don’t like its black, burning smell.
Sugarcane tall spirals,
Basket spicy corn soup.
Sour-sweet jiggery, grandmother stocks
Bitter dates.
We fold the cushion dolls,
Blow for the Sunday meals.

Nights are freaky with the elementary conversations.
Thunder too warms their phrases.
They talk of ghosts in rain.
Stretching their hands to stop the sky.
Snow for fire wounds, lime juice in vinegar,
Children for the maroon cottage.
I wake in anesthetic wood.
“My ellipsis … my italics”

Overheard
Somewhere from school books.