Strange that words
like ships and people
reach distant alien shores
Bearing Witness
From the dark wooden staircase worn down under five generations of footfall
from Teen Batti, Saat rasta, Kaala Chowki, Lalbaug and Shivdi
to the ST bus depots at Bombay Central, Parel and Dadar running
extra services during April, September and October
The Secret
Knee deep in water
legs wide and firm
bent double all day
planting a swaying emerald carpet
up to the horizon
Bending, bending, bending
Drought
Cobalt curtains hide a barren sky spewing fire
His lowered lids hide arid eyes lost before the specter
Parched fields are the only ones that look up for an answer
To a silent sky that banished the clouds forever.
When the Moon is Full
When the moon is full
and bloated with the sins of men
And with the lies that they speak
Then she puts on a jaundiced halo
All Said and Done
After
all that
could have been said
was said.
And
all that
needn’t have been
was also said.
anjaliwrites 