Outrun

I wear flowers in the buttonholethey wither away leaving a fragranceto work as an appliqueto conceal un-darned, damaged fabricof my once celebrated existence I wear smiles to ease interactionsbut the bobbin that held me togetherseems to be running out of threadfresh supplies have dried upin absence of meaningful contacts I will accept my place in … Continue reading Outrun

Narasimha (Man-Lion)

Neither man nor beast,by day or by night,no weapon nor bombcould end his reign. A wish fulfilledgranted by an anti-god,penance twisted, purpose obscene,insanity made divine. The monster lived with no fear of Death. Then from a stone pillar emerged a creature:half-man, half-beast, at twilight’s edge.Claws like razors,sharp enough to strip life from sin itself. And … Continue reading Narasimha (Man-Lion)

Make Sense of Life

Numbers measure my days,the clock ticks, calendars get spentthe steps I count to the market.They help me make sense of life,each digit a rung on the laddertoward meaning. Yet infinity waits,a horizon I cannot touch,a silence beyond calculation. So I compare, because comparison is comfort:my 8 against the neighbor's 6,a small victory, a proof that … Continue reading Make Sense of Life

So, this is Pune…

The banyan trees lean wide, their roots whispering into sidewalks,while gulmohur petals scatter like forgotten notes of a poet’s song. In quiet cafés, pens scratch, keyboards matchvoices rise in debatewriters, painters, dreamersstitching together the city’s pulse. Once, it was a place of rest,retired afternoons, drifting in gardens,the hush of old bungalowswhere time slowed to a … Continue reading So, this is Pune…

Fractured Pivot

The car—at the door.Headlights breathing.Suitcase— packed,swollen with departure. Her hand—on the knob.Not turning.Not yet. Fear— unnamed,a shadow without face,presses against her ribs. She almost— steps.She almost— goes.But the pivot—fractures. The moment— slips.The car hums away,its promise dissolving into night. She stays. Rooted. Silent.Bound not by chains,but by the ghost of a choicenever made. Poetics at … Continue reading Fractured Pivot

Incongruence

Help me, help me be humanWhen the context is lostI look for a human hand and brainbehind the machine logic that drives my lifeBut I am not sure of the proportion Is there a minuscule being shaped like mescreaming somewherethat he has not done itFrankenstein developed a life of its ownIt cannot be deemed artificialafter … Continue reading Incongruence

It is smoky outside

the whimper of the last firecrackercuts through sleepy windowsas tired revellers go to bed A hazy smog challenges visionwhat’s coming next-appreciation for hospitalityinsufficient to last a seasonor credit card debt? I check the heatingtear off dry-cleaning labelsfrom last year’s laundry-The wedding season startsI need a warm wardrobe readyto look my bestwith well-moisturised skinand a colourful … Continue reading It is smoky outside

Examples that fire

Beats get louder, split concrete veinsSound storms in fluorescent skies Faster, faster…. yells the trainerMomentum does wondersYou saw the headless bikeron a machine running on built-in power The music stopped with a thudThe doors opened with a bangRhythms gallopedlike hoofbeats on polished floorsand soon, he faced an empty gym I need to give examples betterto … Continue reading Examples that fire

October

the soil breathesparched a littlebut devoid of wetness-So does my dogas he prances around carefreekicking his feetand moving in circles I like wearing sunglassesumbrellas are back in drawerswith the cloudsand here comes alongwarnings and a red alertthe drawers vibrate with a rumbling soundin an attempt to regain life Cyclone Shakti is on the waycan keep … Continue reading October

Paddle fights

I bow in gratitude to the silent skill of the paddle in cutting through the currents. I admire its strength in going against the stream and taking the boat ahead. paddle fightssteering aspirantsbeyond nightsdark to dawnDestinations stretch to meetdetermination It teaches us how to navigate life when we face resistance. It takes a will to … Continue reading Paddle fights