Three Strains

Arab
mongol
tartar
three strains
go to make
this jade
dragging the jutka
grazing the tarmac
of Madras streets.

Three sangams
and twice three
go to make this
Tamil language
I handle
and speak
and manhandle
and teach
derived
from of old.

The strains are weak,
wearing out;
arab or mongol
or tartar elements
are rarely
to be recognized
in this
tottering
but willing
jade.

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