Herb of the Sun
The pain comes plucked from a field
in garlands of sunlight.
So many women weave aches into strings
of marigolds, with bent backs from children,
livelihoods of pouring orange petals, scents
of sweet incense and the sunlight is strung
up on trains from Silguri hills to all
the holy places in those northern mountains.
My aunt sends me a picture of marigolds,
to remember my blessing. We’re both aging
and far flung. I’m a sticky-neck garish
thing, she says always the bright flower,
cheerful blossom, a fiery little immigrant.
Jessica Mookherjee is a British poet of Bengali heritage and grew up in Wales and London, now lives in Kent. She has been published in many print and online journals and anthologies and was twice highly commended for best single poem in the Forward Prize 2017 and 2021. Author of three full collections, her second collection Tigress (Nine Arches Press) was shortlisted for the Ledbury Munthe Prize in 2021. Her most recent books are Notes from a Shipwreck (Nine Arches Press 2022) and Desire Lines (Broken Sleep Books 2023). Jessica also works full time as a Consultant in Public Health.