At Tajpur Beach

Dawn broke over the East

With nary a release of colour.

Dull grey clay mingled with sand

Fell away at my feet.

Striations, of where the sea had left the shore, marked the ground all around me.

No soul save our party occupied the beach.

As the waves crashed against the land,

My friends busied themselves with clicking pictures.

Mist hung over the horizon

And blurred the distinction between sky and sea. 

My heart must be taught, Habibi,

To stop yearning for your love.

We danced with no music and sipped on hot tea.

We laughed and reminisced about the shenanigans of the previous night.

This is my second chance at life.

I want to forget you, sunshine, and love again.

Poem #11: Winter Heart

 

Winter Heart

 

Grey clouds herald dawn,

Branches of the coconut tree sway,

I sit by my window and brood,

Summer is still far away.

 

I’ve pushed everyone out of my life,

I’m afraid to be hurt again.

My heart is stone cold, and it chokes my breath,

But I won’t have it any other way.

 

In the last days it was predicted,

That warm hearts would grow cold,

Winter comes but twice a year,

And my indifference won’t break its hold.

 

I am waiting for someone to change my mind,

And make me believe in the force of true love,

Until then, let my life be frozen in time,

Like the grey ashes of a burned-out flame.

Poem #010: Time out

 

Time out

May I lean against you until I feel better?

I promise not to take up too much of your time.

I just want to hear your heartbeat thunder,

Because it tells me we're going to be fine.

 

I know I'm being selfish by keeping you out,

I've never told you where these scars come from,

But please let me stay next to you until I'm warm,

Before the sun comes up I've got to get down to the war.

 

You're the person I come to in a time out,

I am safest when I'm close to you,

But I can't let you battle the world on my behalf,

I've got to vanquish it and come through.

 

I can take my armor off at your door,

I don't have to be strong, because I'm not,

You own the blueprints to my soul,

So you know when I'm falling apart.

 

Let me lay my head to rest on your shoulder.

Let us watch the stars silently go down.

We're both battle weary and aching within,

This is just a momentary respite from the storm.

Poem #009: Love Poem

Love Poem

I tried very hard to describe,

What love is, was, and ought to be. 

I could think of no definition, monkey,

except your name.

I wanted to find a place where,

I could always be free.

No place came to mind, Baboo,

Except your embrace.

I tried to find love in other places,

And each time I wandered away,

You drew me back with a tender  voice,

And restored me to you again.

Poem #008: Cloud Face 2

 

Cloud Face 2

 

Old friend is talking to new friend,

Says—"Now we're just friends,

It was so long ago."

All pretend to believe that.

 

New friend smiles stoically,

But secretly wants to hurt.

Old friend is way prettier than her.

Old friend is ecstatic at creating this jealousy.

 

"Do you still love her?"

Asks new friend when,

Old friend has flounced off.

The future depends on this answer.

 

Yes. And I always will.

I want to point out that,

I will extend to her the same courtesy.

Instead, I say, " I don't know."

 

New friend scowls at me.

This could get ugly.

Wish old friend would disappear,

As only old friend knows how to.

 

"Why did she leave you?"

We were never on the same page.

I was cruising along but she,

Said I was dragging her down.

 

Why are you feeling so vulnerable?

I love you.

Just ask CloudFace-

What it feels like to be stuck in the past.

 

I promised to love not hate.

Don't want to stop just because,

I don't see her every day.

Only CloudFace weeps for what he can't change.

Poem #007: Horizon and View

 

Horizon and View

 

Horizon dragged View by her hair,

And went off to kill Nowhere,

Because he’d cheated on her.

The people cried after her—"Stop!"

But she wouldn't stop walking.

 

The Sky and the Earth laughed,

"Horizon, forget the lout!"

But she madly strove on,

Dragging View behind her,

Weeping for the pain caused.

 

The Sun watched this scene sadly,

Nowhere fleeing before Horizon,

And View trailing after,

"Horizon! Stop! You will go round and round!

Forgive him, love, and come to me."

 

"I know where you lie  at night,

In the home of the Sea,

So the love you  offer is not for me!"

So she keeps chasing after Nowhere,

Dragging View behind her.

 

 

Poem #006: Serengeti

 

SERENGETI

Lion cub sleeps after his noontime meal,

Lioness climbs up their kopje home,

In the acacia tree Leopard hides his veal,

While Cheetah cat the vast plain roams.

 

Serval springs up on birds in flight,

While Wild Dogs rip a Springbok apart,

Vulture swoops down from a towering height,

But old Hyena has made off with the heart.

 

The Clown of the Plains prances around,

Agile Gazelle stots in Cheetah's face,

Nervous Impala flees in leaps and bounds,

Only Enkai knows who will survive the race.

 

Okavango Water Buck wins the chase,

For Lioness won’t wet her feet,

He’s safest in the green swampy place,

Because Crocodile won’t him eat.

 

Ox-pecker keeps Giraffe’s coat neat,

Skulking Leopard is wary of Zebra’s kick.

Hippo in a pool, cools off from the heat,

If threatened, Porcupine curls up double quick!

 

Mighty Elephant trumpets like a usurper king,

Two horned Rhino scatters his dung,

Foolish Ostrich ran and lost the use of her wings,

While Tsetse Fly's song of death has been sung.

 

When the rainclouds leave, the Wildebeest will follow,

The herds in their migration to the north,

Drought, death, and starvation, bring sorrow,

But the worst will befall them at Grumeti's froth.

 

Grumeti Crocodiles lie in wait underwater,

For one Gnu calf to come a-drinking,

Then up they jump from their hiding place in the water,

And in one gulp finish off the suckling.

 

The dust rises from the grasslands of the savannah,

Kilimanjaro watches between half-closed eyes,

The hunters will always go for the jugular,

And the hunted shall scatter like brushed-off flies.

Poem #002: Blue Ticks

 

Blue Ticks

I wish you were like everyone else with a cell phone,

I wish you checked your messages at night.

Then blue ticks would appear beside your name,

To show that my messages had caught your sight

 

I wish you were like everyone else with a house,

A door bell and knocker was all it took,

To enter, come, and talk to you,

About everything, and see if you understood.

 

I wish you were like everyone else with a friend,

I wish you held hands, laughed, and talked,

Or simply ran amok in the fields,

Or lustily cooed back when the cuckoo bird called

 

I wish you were like everyone else with a plan,

I wish you would let me in on it,

So I’d know what was expected of me,

Then all the pieces of the puzzle could fit.

Poem #001 : Thirteen Verses on Murder

THIRTEEN VERSES ON MURDER

Who is it that I see there,

Supine, on the flagged floor

Gore all about him,

Bleeding through every pore?

 

Who is it that I see there,

Cassock rent in two,

A silver dagger through his heart,

His face a bluish hue?

 

Who is it that I see there?

Motionless – eyes open wide,

Garrotted by his girdle,

Is that the Friar who has died?

 

Who would kill the Friar?

A man so kind and good,

And shed his blood in the cathedral,

Who is the dog that would!

 

Who plays at the organ?

Choral music fast and quick,

Each note sharp and pellucid,

Distinct, as the tower clock’s tick!

 

Who bangs the cathedral windows?

Dear wind, is that you?

Quieten down, I beseech!

My nerves might snap in two!

 

Who opens the Book on the lectern?

And reads from the pages where,

Judas betrayed the Holy One,

With a kiss and silver to spare.

 

Who lights the seven candles?

Up there on the altar high!

Which lonely choirboy sings

The dirge for those who die?

 

Whose footsteps sound in the side chapel?

Who pours wine into a glass?

And holds it to my trembling lips,

While chanting the Confessional Mass

 

Awaken monks! Awaken!

A terrible deed’s been done,

The cloister doors creak open,

Rub your eyes! Oh be quick and run!

 

Who is the murderer amongst us?

Which face betrays no sleep?

Who has plotted all night

With Evil to commit this deed?

 

Whose is that glassy apparition?

That walks on the cold stone floor.

Why does it look like the Friar?

With large eyes full of sorrow!

 

Can the spectre speak?

Then all will know what I’ve done!

Oh sweet, sweet, gentle Friar,

Hold your incriminating tongue!