Say No to Fake

In Rousseau’s painted jungle,a rabbit sat quietly,his fur brushed by the artist’s dream.Collectors gathered,their eyes glittering with hungerfor ownership, not understanding. The auctioneer raised his gavel,and the rabbit found a voice:“These carrots are false,these leaves are shadows.Do not feed me illusions,for I am alive in truth.” The hall trembled with laughter.“Paintings do not speak,” they … Continue reading Say No to Fake

What lends meaning to life

These I have loveddroplets from the sky falling on my facesteam rising from a coffee mugthe aroma of cheese on a pizza slicearomatics in boiling water on the stovethe petal of a rose that falls on my handpuppies on the balcony watching rainquieter than usual; lost in thoughtsthey cast an absent-minded glance at mewag their … Continue reading What lends meaning to life

True Blue

glass wingsstained with blue paintbalance natural lightdangling between the sky and art'svisionbutterflies pause for a brief breakflowers on window sillsbloom with a smileWelcome Poetics: A Tale of Two Images

The Straggler Daisy

The calendar says Sundayonly an intern hanging aroundno doctors will visitthe tubes look relaxedwanting to leave me I stop looking at the white ceilingwith trapped yellow lightsand whirring white fansand look out of the windowA bed on this corner is a boon,but I don’t rememberwhen I stopped counting good A tiny Straggler Daisyhas found its … Continue reading The Straggler Daisy

Dancing Demons

I’m alone but it’s neither loneliness norsolitudethose shadows dance around my handsscream in my earscall it sarcasm or criticismthey cross boundaries all the time I hit the air with a closed fistchop a tomato to see it bleedpromise the shadows a rendezvousdisguised as an animalcompressed as a virusempowered as a weaponto watch them writhe in … Continue reading Dancing Demons

Let them, let me …

Let them hold on to their beliefs about meLet me evolve quietly, beyond their reach Let them salvage their egos by blamingLet me live with my truth, without naming Let them find relevance in limited thoughtLet me break ceilings, bring opinions to nought Let them speak free in lanes and townhallsLet my silence invite the … Continue reading Let them, let me …

Intent matters

intent matterswhen you hold me up to the worldTrust shatterswith the littlest sleight of hand I know the differencebetween stardom in the skyand being a puppethelpless in the stratosphere What is closenessif not a gamble,a wager on tendernessagainst the weight of change? I’ll let go of your handbefore the crack widensshed flowers in springbut let … Continue reading Intent matters

Tangled World

The tangled world belowmakes them restlessNo surrender plansYet clouds drift on white wingsacross a clear blue sky,releasing turbulence. They rain on an unsuspecting, parched Earth. Unseasonal rains, or artificial rains,in pursuit of something other than Peace,distort predictions,fracture farmers’ income. And somewhere,behind the curtain of weather,a hand unseen rewrites the scriptnot of rain, but of fate. … Continue reading Tangled World

Turtlemoves

For how long has he livedlonger than rivers remember,longer than the starsthat fell into the first ocean’s cradle.He survived the weight of worlds,carrying experience like continentsbalanced on his sturdy back. Why does he move so slow?Because each step is a prayer,each pause a meditationon the burden of memory.The grim expression tells mehe is an empath,absorbing … Continue reading Turtlemoves

Patriarchal Societies

Gerard sekoto- woman with downcast eyes

Your beautiful eyescarry a shame – it’s not yours Mirrors do not show flawsso accusing fingers can’t see theirs-it will take your eyes to seeand your courage to speakto tell themthey are tainted Whatever venom they spewThe underlying instinct is the sameYou dared to stay out of the chorussing their tunefollow their instructions they don’t … Continue reading Patriarchal Societies