Incarnation

I.C. :
my desk buddy
in kindi
 
He whispers in my ear
makes me giggle
 
He shares colours with me
hugs me when I'm sad
 
I.C. holds my hand
when I'm afraid and
takes the blame
when teacher scolds my name
 
When relief teachers enter
we switch desk tags and bags
And I feel so happy
to be called the same
 
Ishvara and I are inseperable
We elbow each other a lot... sometimes step
on each other's toes
 
I get mad
at other kids but
I.C. calms me down
 
Except if someone
speaks over the top of me
when I am asking teacher
for help, or
steals my eraser;
 
then he gets angry too
though he never bullies or taunts
 
I don't know why I do it--
I have the best
desk buddy ever--but
 
still I do stupid things
like break one of his markers, deliberately colour-
in his activity sheets
with the wrong colours, or
 
dab some sticky paste
on his side of the desk
 
Poking is ok but worst
is when I pinch him hard, and
in a fit of rage one time I
attacked him with my scissors,
 
even though master Christ
had done no wrong
 
If I am the good friend
that I say I am
why do I do things
I.C. doesn't like?
 
When I get like that
Ishvara don't speak to me
for a while
 
but he never leaves
 
He has promised to sit with me
till graduation day