None
DE
Indigo
['Heera Kumar Is A Writer', 'Poet Whose Work Maps The Indian Landscape Onto The Visceral Mechanics Of Memory', 'Family', 'Survival. He Blends Realism With The Slipstream To Uncover The Mythic Within The Mundane.', 'Indigo', 'Is His First Publication With']
Strange Horizons
Content warning:Show warnings This page contains: Death/dyingAll winter the bears have been coming downfrom the higher forest.
One stood upright last night,sniffing the smoke from our chimney,I could have called the forest guard,and they’d scold me for feeding it.
But I remember how he looked –thin and confused and likemy grandfather begging for warmththe winter he died by the stove.
The white ring on its neck - yes, that scar,the same one my brother had from shrapnel.
[Editor’s Note: Publication of this poem was made possible by a gift from Abigail Boyle Smith during our annual fundraiser.]