--
“Give me a motivation to get up.”
“Don’t start the day thinking like that.”
--That’s how the day started.
“This is one of those days we will look back to 5 years from now and wish we could have it just one more time.”
“(sigh)Yeah.”
--That’s how it ended.
And in between…
A sea-side breakfast; watermelon, eggs, and waffles with maple syrup.
A home-made lunch; Aloo-Mutter, Patta Gobhi, and steaming rice.
An awesome movie; French food, women, and more food.
A long ride southwards; an afternoon wind, October sun, and Sunday roads.
A traffic constable; some haggling, a small bribe, and a guilt-ridden gesture.
A holy shrine; peacock feathers, myriad mirrors, and a religious crowd.
A search for a banyan tree; a wrong turn, new roads, and a city discovered.
A park on reclaimed land; a winter sunset, crimson sea, and reflective silhouettes.
Another wrong turn; winding roads, narrow streets, and another discovery.
A holy tank; temple bells, gaggles of geese, and an urban-village life.
An orgasmic dinner; Vatana Vada, Biscuit-Bakhri, and finger-licking Khichdi.
A reluctant ride back; city lights, a full moon, and truck-driver songs.
And conversations all along.
Happy!
--
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Under a new moon
--
We were holding hands,
walking-
feeling the sand between our toes,
the waves-
helping our silence.
Our pasts-
were coming back;
infringing,
threatening,
changing what we had.
I felt your hand tighten.
I ran-
splashing water,
you; close behind-
picked me up and spun me around;
darkness twirled around me.
I pushed my thoughts
into that nothingness,
and our laughter
rhymed with the waves.
You put me down
and touched my smile.
Standing by the sea-
we hugged-
looking into the night.
We hugged-
under a new moon.
The past can wait.
--
We were holding hands,
walking-
feeling the sand between our toes,
the waves-
helping our silence.
Our pasts-
were coming back;
infringing,
threatening,
changing what we had.
I felt your hand tighten.
I ran-
splashing water,
you; close behind-
picked me up and spun me around;
darkness twirled around me.
I pushed my thoughts
into that nothingness,
and our laughter
rhymed with the waves.
You put me down
and touched my smile.
Standing by the sea-
we hugged-
looking into the night.
We hugged-
under a new moon.
The past can wait.
--
Monday, August 10, 2009
Airport
--
I stand waiting.
feet-
restless
eyes-
searching
beyond the sliding doors-
looking through strange faces
asking
wondering
"what’s their story?"
a silhouette-
in the distance
familiar
like home
a smile-
shared
recognized
arms extended
an embrace
"you are here!"
--
I stand waiting.
feet-
restless
eyes-
searching
beyond the sliding doors-
looking through strange faces
asking
wondering
"what’s their story?"
a silhouette-
in the distance
familiar
like home
a smile-
shared
recognized
arms extended
an embrace
"you are here!"
--
Monday, August 3, 2009
zard manzar
--
hum wahshat, zameen. par gire
un tukkdon. ko dekh rahe the;
tabhee ek sili see hawaa ka jhon.kaa
ek peele patte ko apne saath lekar aayaa
woh patta aakar un tukdon. par kuchh
is taraah se giraah, be sakhtah kaan.ch ke
woh saare tukkde peele lagne lage.
woh hawaa kaa jhon.kaa jaate hue
khidki ko yun. halke se hilaa kar gayaa
jaise koi dulhan, apne khiyaaban. ko
ek aakhir baar mudkar alwidaah kah rahee ho.
phir uss khuli khidki se aftaab ki kirne
un zard tukkdon. me yoon. gul gayeen.
jaise hamare wahshat ko mitaane
peele kapdon. me koi dulhan hee aayee ho.
--
hum wahshat, zameen. par gire
un tukkdon. ko dekh rahe the;
tabhee ek sili see hawaa ka jhon.kaa
ek peele patte ko apne saath lekar aayaa
woh patta aakar un tukdon. par kuchh
is taraah se giraah, be sakhtah kaan.ch ke
woh saare tukkde peele lagne lage.
woh hawaa kaa jhon.kaa jaate hue
khidki ko yun. halke se hilaa kar gayaa
jaise koi dulhan, apne khiyaaban. ko
ek aakhir baar mudkar alwidaah kah rahee ho.
phir uss khuli khidki se aftaab ki kirne
un zard tukkdon. me yoon. gul gayeen.
jaise hamare wahshat ko mitaane
peele kapdon. me koi dulhan hee aayee ho.
--
Thursday, July 2, 2009
We went to Town
--
We took the 2.41 train to CST. You went in the general and I in the ladies'. You were 3 compartments behind mine. You stood at the door and so did I. The train took a left curve and I turned to look behind. I knew I would see you standing there. And I knew you didn't like my standing there. You always cared. You were brushing your hair. You always did.
I smiled at you and you smiled back. We looked at each other for a while longer till the train straightened again. We got down and I waited for you to walk three compartment lengths. I saw you through the strange faces and saw your eyes searching for me. You spotted me and your hands went to your hair again.
You came close and patted my back. You always did that. I smiled and winked. I always did that. We came out and caught a cab to Regal. I don't remember which movie we went to. I don't remember if we even went to a movie. I remember walking on the footpath outside the Wales museum. And stopping by the guys that make pencil portraits. I wanted to get one. You wanted me to get one. You patted and I winked.
I took my place. I wanted to keep my cap on. You thought that was crazy. But that's why you liked me. I sat there looking at nothing. You stood in front of me behind the artist. You kept smiling. Passers by got interested. We had a crowd around us. You liked the attention I was getting and I liked the look on your face. You paid for the sketch. You loved the sketch. I thought I looked better.
We went to the Wales museum. You didn't like that we had to leave our phones at the security. You frowned at the stupidity. I smiled at your temper. I don't remember much of what we saw. I only remember we enjoyed ourselves. We laughed a lot. We went to the Jehangir art gallery. We loved some of the paintings. We were uninitiated about the rest. We had opinions though.
I don't remember much of after that. Movie? Play? Dinner? I don't remember. I remember taking the train back. This time in the same compartment. This time we sat. I took the window seat. I always did. You came all the way home to drop me. You always did. I sometimes didn't like it. You knew it. But you always did. You always cared.
I was tired. I didn't sleep. I waited for you to reach home and call me. You called. We wouldn't hang up.
You waited till I fell asleep. You always did.
--
We took the 2.41 train to CST. You went in the general and I in the ladies'. You were 3 compartments behind mine. You stood at the door and so did I. The train took a left curve and I turned to look behind. I knew I would see you standing there. And I knew you didn't like my standing there. You always cared. You were brushing your hair. You always did.
I smiled at you and you smiled back. We looked at each other for a while longer till the train straightened again. We got down and I waited for you to walk three compartment lengths. I saw you through the strange faces and saw your eyes searching for me. You spotted me and your hands went to your hair again.
You came close and patted my back. You always did that. I smiled and winked. I always did that. We came out and caught a cab to Regal. I don't remember which movie we went to. I don't remember if we even went to a movie. I remember walking on the footpath outside the Wales museum. And stopping by the guys that make pencil portraits. I wanted to get one. You wanted me to get one. You patted and I winked.
I took my place. I wanted to keep my cap on. You thought that was crazy. But that's why you liked me. I sat there looking at nothing. You stood in front of me behind the artist. You kept smiling. Passers by got interested. We had a crowd around us. You liked the attention I was getting and I liked the look on your face. You paid for the sketch. You loved the sketch. I thought I looked better.
We went to the Wales museum. You didn't like that we had to leave our phones at the security. You frowned at the stupidity. I smiled at your temper. I don't remember much of what we saw. I only remember we enjoyed ourselves. We laughed a lot. We went to the Jehangir art gallery. We loved some of the paintings. We were uninitiated about the rest. We had opinions though.
I don't remember much of after that. Movie? Play? Dinner? I don't remember. I remember taking the train back. This time in the same compartment. This time we sat. I took the window seat. I always did. You came all the way home to drop me. You always did. I sometimes didn't like it. You knew it. But you always did. You always cared.
I was tired. I didn't sleep. I waited for you to reach home and call me. You called. We wouldn't hang up.
You waited till I fell asleep. You always did.
--
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Travel
--
There are different reasons why people travel, and there are different ways in which one can express why travelling means so much to them. This, is just one of the ways.
**
The insatiable need for a
different place.
The ceaseless urge to take a
road unexplored.
To breathe-
a different air.
To gaze-
at a new horizon.
The seductive pleasure in leaving the
familiar behind.
The glorious freedom of being
on your own.
To dance-
to a music unheard.
To drown-
in the silence of the unknown.
The increasing quest for the
stories untold.
The mystifying life of the
people met.
To be lost-
in the wild.
To find-
yourself.
**
The first line of the above is taken from a poem by Anindita Sengupta.This single line set me on writing this one. http://aninditasengupta.wordpress.com/
--
There are different reasons why people travel, and there are different ways in which one can express why travelling means so much to them. This, is just one of the ways.
**
The insatiable need for a
different place.
The ceaseless urge to take a
road unexplored.
To breathe-
a different air.
To gaze-
at a new horizon.
The seductive pleasure in leaving the
familiar behind.
The glorious freedom of being
on your own.
To dance-
to a music unheard.
To drown-
in the silence of the unknown.
The increasing quest for the
stories untold.
The mystifying life of the
people met.
To be lost-
in the wild.
To find-
yourself.
**
The first line of the above is taken from a poem by Anindita Sengupta.This single line set me on writing this one. http://aninditasengupta.wordpress.com/
--
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I can't think of a title, WTH
--
I am staring at the phone
waiting for its red screen to blink
I wait an expectant minute,
WTH
I pick it up and type you a message,
I read it again, I re-type, read, re-type
So much to tell you,
So much to write you,
I am going to write it all,
In this moment words don’t fail me.
Wait a minute!
No, I am not sending them,
Minutes of pretended diversion,
And then
Stare, wait, pick, WTH, words, type, End.
Emotions filling up the heart,
(ah! Not so much drama)
Words forming in the head,
Fingers typing them out on the red screen,
the same fingers pressing the red button.
Stare, wait, pick, WTH, words, type, End.
Who wants the words?
Forget the words, erase the words,
Who cares about grammar?
Throw the keyboard out.
We love our silence, don’t we?
between us, it speaks a thousand,
(Avoid clichés! Avoid clichés!)
But we are about them, the words,
We can’t do without them,
We won’t last an hour without them
WTH
I am going out to look for the keyboard,
I am glad I didn’t burn it.
It’s been very long, 16 hours to be precise.
I feel like a carton after someone sucked out the last drop.
(Couldn’t think of anything better?? stop dramatizing, now!)
Actually, I feel like a balloon that can’t take more Helium.
(yeah, that’s heavier than Hydrogen)
Words have been filling since morning,
Words with meanings,
Sentences with meaningless words.
Some said already a thousand times over, (clichéd again!)
Some still craving for their meanings (ah! this is original)
WTH
WTH
WTH
Pick, WTH, words, type, End.
End
End
End.
--
I am staring at the phone
waiting for its red screen to blink
I wait an expectant minute,
WTH
I pick it up and type you a message,
I read it again, I re-type, read, re-type
So much to tell you,
So much to write you,
I am going to write it all,
In this moment words don’t fail me.
Wait a minute!
No, I am not sending them,
Minutes of pretended diversion,
And then
Stare, wait, pick, WTH, words, type, End.
Emotions filling up the heart,
(ah! Not so much drama)
Words forming in the head,
Fingers typing them out on the red screen,
the same fingers pressing the red button.
Stare, wait, pick, WTH, words, type, End.
Who wants the words?
Forget the words, erase the words,
Who cares about grammar?
Throw the keyboard out.
We love our silence, don’t we?
between us, it speaks a thousand,
(Avoid clichés! Avoid clichés!)
But we are about them, the words,
We can’t do without them,
We won’t last an hour without them
WTH
I am going out to look for the keyboard,
I am glad I didn’t burn it.
It’s been very long, 16 hours to be precise.
I feel like a carton after someone sucked out the last drop.
(Couldn’t think of anything better?? stop dramatizing, now!)
Actually, I feel like a balloon that can’t take more Helium.
(yeah, that’s heavier than Hydrogen)
Words have been filling since morning,
Words with meanings,
Sentences with meaningless words.
Some said already a thousand times over, (clichéd again!)
Some still craving for their meanings (ah! this is original)
WTH
WTH
WTH
Pick, WTH, words, type, End.
End
End
End.
--
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