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400 sampan+
carrying soldiers
made shore at Panjan island
only a few fishermen appeared in front of
their armed adversaries, the rest having fled
the mangrove trees
flourished in such tropical balm
hidden in their density
an unfinished Ganesha
a scattering of chisels lay near
its curling trunk
‘Spit on it!’ someone ordered
‘Touch its trunk, it has no sakti!’^
nervously, they touched the statue
nervously, they knocked it down
cold to the touch abandoned just a lump of stone
Ganesha
heaved rolled pushed
through the brambles & roots of the swampland
up a small hill &
out to sea
it took a long time
