Pauses

The Sun was out, distributing perplexity. He took out a complacent, unconvincing smile from his bag.
She looked left-wards and then right, quickly checking whether a new thought was on its way to her. It wasn't so. In the rolling up and down of her sleeves, she sought consolation next. The question remained. It had made the air heavy, the moment unbearable. Time must be travelling somewhere...she kept tracing it on her wrist.


The grass died last week. Another day goes to bed. Another year burns itself out. Bewilderment has multiplied. So has discomfort. Questions choke conversation and anxiety robs the present of all joy. The effort of breathing under the same roof seems to be drowning their lives. The Sun stands by today too. The Fuel and the Fire.


They now breathe more wisely. But, the first trees of Promise are dead. The Sun is harsher and supreme. Several years have gone mute. Cynicism now ascends to the throne. They sit unperturbed under mock-trees, servants of the cynical empire. Dreams do not come. They never order for them.
Live on, they tell. Sing song, they say. We are rational beings- forever learning, forever calm, forever hopeful, forever in dismay.

At Dusk

Familiarity is a reprieve if not a comfort. And sometimes, it startles by being both.

There is generosity in the bewildered breeze dancing at Sunset. And love in the babbling of the coconut trees. A tea-cup is happily emptied in their company...in a series dedicated to similar emptying of tea-cups on many hope-filled dusks. I think the Sun has been grimacing in the same manner over here all these years. It doesn't change. It doesn't let the Sky change. Not even the people and pets.

I have learnt to walk here with eyes closed. I know where the old flowers are. I know where the birds sit. I know this trickling of the water from the droopy tap. I know the number of steps to the broken seat. I know it all!

So do the birds. They have watched my fumblings all these years. I am sure they saw while they ate and drank calmly....From the corners of their small eyes, while pretending to nod in affirmation of my decisions. Wise folks!

I see they have plastered the peeling walls. Covered the cracks. Tended to the rusty windows and coloured all things gone bleak and inglorious. Home stands. Wrapped in peace. In recovery and salvation?

Life though is reluctant still..

Bitter, Hither

Frigid, Rigid,
Us.
Annointed?
Disappointed?
Fooled,
You were over-ruled!
Sigh, i say
Double sigh!
Fooling, Drooling,
Waves break,
Waves surge,
Passion's promises,
Gone to dust!
Sigh, sigh!
I say fie! fie!
Haloed, mellowed,
Thunderstruck,
Lessons-gulped,
Well schooled,
You were over-ruled!
Sigh i say,
Double sigh!
Frigid, Rigid,
Us.