Degrees
by Maithreyi Karnoor
Grandfather had a degree in English
Which he used to teach
Sonnets and soliloquies
To unsuspecting young men
And women who wanted
Degrees in English;
He died of a broken heart
When grandmother whom
He kept under lock and key
To his bosom and other things,
Died. Mother keeps his degree
And a picture of him posing with it
Along with his death certificate
In a locker with her trinkets.
She has a degree in Math.
Maithreyi Karnoor was born in Hubli, India. Her poems, translations, and reviews have been published in national literary journals and publications such as Indian Literature, Muse India, The Hindu, and as part of an anthology by HarperCollins. She is currently translating a Kannada novel into English and is putting together her first collection of poetry. She has an MA in Literary and Cultural Studies. She lives in Goa.