A hot day to seek
that perfect ride
in the fair,
but since all are spread
within my head
I drag my younger self
that perfect ride
in the fair,
but since all are spread
within my head
I drag my younger self
When I look into your eyes, I know you are an introvert guy
Your heart is burning with pain, the flames are shivering, and I
Can covertly see your eyes, full of introvert tears
Tell me whatever you want, for you I am all ears
Your heart is burning with pain, the flames are shivering, and I
Can covertly see your eyes, full of introvert tears
Tell me whatever you want, for you I am all ears
Look for it
Not on to the stage,
Not in costumes or make-up
Not in props or sets
Not in the electric light,
Not in the sound system,
Not on to the stage,
Not in costumes or make-up
Not in props or sets
Not in the electric light,
Not in the sound system,
A new bride has come, the palanquin has left.
Those who’ve come late — the old viewers: grim.
Brittle-finger mothers measure the skin
of the girl. Her ornaments' weight. Hair. Teeth.
The onlookers grow. This new girl’s laugh —
Those who’ve come late — the old viewers: grim.
Brittle-finger mothers measure the skin
of the girl. Her ornaments' weight. Hair. Teeth.
The onlookers grow. This new girl’s laugh —
The kingfisher’s daydream: rivers under the sun –
rain has crept up the daydream like an ant.
The kingfisher bites raindrops: it will rain fishes soon.
rain has crept up the daydream like an ant.
The kingfisher bites raindrops: it will rain fishes soon.
Staring at the thumbless hands,
Ekalavya sits in silence.
Gratitude, grief, sacrifice...
are possibilities only in a poet’s imagination.
Ekalavya sits in silence.
Gratitude, grief, sacrifice...
are possibilities only in a poet’s imagination.
In my city, I am surrounded by constant cries
of the dying, burning pyres heaving
under burden of wood, smoke and bones —
wailing summed up by sonic notes of Om.
Civilisation’s first sound—Sanskrit syllable
echoing a conch shell’s harmonic mapping —
Indivisible unity, Parvati and Shiva forever entwined
Women and men interdependent, infused with traits of each other
A softer left lineament draped in finery, a muscular right stretched over taut skin
Artistry overlaying a deep philosophy of a shared destiny
Women and men interdependent, infused with traits of each other
A softer left lineament draped in finery, a muscular right stretched over taut skin
Artistry overlaying a deep philosophy of a shared destiny
When I miss you in English
You are missing from me in French,
Like the last syllable of the free verse
That always eludes subconscious rhyming.
You are missing from me in French,
Like the last syllable of the free verse
That always eludes subconscious rhyming.
As the unnamed flowers burn in the deep forest
And their crimson petals disappear into the sky,
We rear our kids at home
Wondering if they will die one afternoon
With their ears open to the summer blues.
And their crimson petals disappear into the sky,
We rear our kids at home
Wondering if they will die one afternoon
With their ears open to the summer blues.
Footwear
is what we are;
While Mother Earth, bearing us, lies nonchalantly under every foot,
we are not embarrassed at being trampled on again and again.
Though there is one on the left and another on the right,
is what we are;
While Mother Earth, bearing us, lies nonchalantly under every foot,
we are not embarrassed at being trampled on again and again.
Though there is one on the left and another on the right,
The house is unswept.
Never mind whoever comes
Bamboo leaves scraping the floor
My friends are of a different sort
If you see a fly
Do not lift your white hand, my love,
Never mind whoever comes
Bamboo leaves scraping the floor
My friends are of a different sort
If you see a fly
Do not lift your white hand, my love,