PO ETR Y INDIA

P O E T R Y IN D IA

VO IC ES O F HO PE

Edited by

H .K . K AU L

T h e P o e try S o c ie ty (In d ia )

N ew D elh i

© 2006 B rit is h H ig h C om m iss io n , B rit is h C oun c il, In d ia

a n d T he P oe try S o c ie ty (In d ia )

Published by

T he P oe try S o c ie ty (In d ia )

L -6 7 A , M a lv iy a N aga r,

N ew D e lh i 1 1 0 017

w w w .in d ia n p oe try .o rg

Printed In India by

R achna P rin te rs , 1 8 1 1 -A , (I s t f lo o r) G ia n i B a za r,

K o tla M uba ra kp u r, N ew D e lh i- II 0 0 0 3 T e l.: 9 3 1 22 40080

Contents

F o rew o rd 7

P re face 9

IT ish an i D o sh i T h e D ay W e W en t to th e S ea 15

IIS am p u m a C ha tta r1 i S a lt 19

IIIN elson J .S . S an tho sh M id sum m er M adness 23

M ina i S a ro sh A L iza rd 's T a il 24

IVP rayas A bh in av C lea r W indow s L ike W ate rfa lls 29

M .K .A jay F ace on th e M irro r 30

M .K . A jay P ick ing Y e llow B ead s

a t K onchery 31

U jja l C hak raba rty T erm s o f E ndea rm en t 33

D ebash ree D a tta ray S igh ts and Sound s 34

T ishan i D osh i Janua ry M use 36

T ishan i D osh i S un rise a t S anch i S tupa 38

R eva thy G opa l R edam ation 39

R eva thy G opa l D y ing M usic 41

A n il G u rtoo D ream 43

A n il G u rtoo T he D ream ing S to rk 44

K ennedy H y lchoo G uarda la luna 45

Subuh i J iw an i U rban L egend 46

M eena K andasam y L ove L e tte r to a W arrio r 47

VO ICES O F HO PE 5

M een a K an d asam y

P a llav i K au stu b h Jay ak a r

G o p ik rish n an K o tto o r

A n ja li K rish an

m od K rIshnan

A d iti P au la M achado

A sh im M alho tra

A sh im M alho tra

A sh im M alho tra

S a i K um ar M enon

S a i K um ar M enon

M . M ohankum ar

In am H ussa in M u llick

In am H ussa in M u llick

In am H ussa in M u llick

In am H ussa in M u llick

In am H ussa in M u llick

A n thony N ag

Sw eth a R aghuna th an

Sowm ya R a jend ran

L a ta R am asw am y

N elson J .S . S an tho sh

S au rabh S arm adh ik a ri

S udeep S en

Sudeep S en

N ived ita S ub ram an iam

A rundha ti S ub ram anyam

A arab i V eera raghavan

M u llig a taw ny D ream s

Sm oke and D ream

S im ilia S im ilibu s C u ran te r

M ee ting G od

L eaves

C hances A re

C ap tiv ity

C herry T om atoes

T he B ridge and th e R ive r

T he K arnava r 's F a rew e ll

T ha ravad L ost

(R oo ts D estroyed )

P oem

D ria in th e S tree ts o f B lu e

F ee r in R ed B ag s

G hosts in th e Ja r

T he R ed N oose

T he S tone Song

V is itin g O ne 's O ld S choo l

T ran sla tion

G u ilt

M o th

M adu ra i C h ron ic le s

P re face Aw aiting C onc lu s ion

A ria 's F oo tp rin t

E a ting R ice and F ish

A tlan tis

L a i1 aha il A llah H u

T he D ream C atche r

49

50

52

54

55

56

58

59

60

62

It is a g rea t tim e to b e a w rite r an d read e r in B rita in .

T he m illenn ium hera ld ed a flou rish ing o f c rea tiv ity a round th e

p resen ta tion and pub lish ing o f lite ra tu re and poe try , boo sted by a

75 per cen t fund ing in c rease fo r lite ra tu re w o rk fo r th e A rts C ounc il

o f E ng land in 200 1 . W ebsite s su ch as th e BBC 's P oe tree

(w ww .bbc .co .uk ) encou rage asp iring poe ts to D IY , w h ils t p re sen t-

ing th em w ith oppo rtun itie s to hea r es tab lish ed poe ts su ch as

B en jam in Z ephan iah pe rfo rm the ir w o rk ; th e L ondon U nderg round

is ado rn ed w ith cho ices from over "1000 Y ears o f P oe try in

E ng lish " , w h ils t th e A n im a ted E ng lish p ro jec t en cou raged young

peop le to c rea te poem s th a t th e s tuden ts th en m ade in to an im a ted

film s. T he Poe try S oc ie ty (w ww .poe try so c ie ty .o rg .uk ) c rea ted a

schem e , s till o ngo ing , to reach a new aud ience o f ch ild ren aged

be tw een 7 and 11 yea rs o f age , each te rm se lec ting th e best n ew ly

pub lish ed poe try and d is tribu ting it th rough m em ber schoo ls , a long

w ith fu rth e r educa tiona l re sou rces .

M eanw h ile ac ro ss th e coun try , a rts o rg an isa tion s su ch as

M ancheste r 's A pp les & Snakes (w ww .app lesand snakes .o rg ) h ave

stim u la ted a ho st o f c lub n igh ts , p e rfo rm ances and fes tiv a ls fo r

p e rfo rm ance poe ts ; a s an exam p le , a one -tim e on ly even t, PoetryChoralesaw A pp les & Snakes b ring toge th e r a cho ra l g roup m ade

up o f es tab lish ed poe ts and new ly em erg ing peop le on th e h ip hop

scene . T he p iece w as pe rfo rm ed on bu ses to and from C lapham

Junc tion in L ondon ta rg e ting ea rly m o rn ing com m u te rs , schoo l

rou te s hom e and n igh t bu ses . O th e r o rg an isa tion s su ch as W rite O u t

L oud (w ww .w riteou tloud .n e t) try to encou rage budd ing poe ts

from acro ss th e coun try (and som e in F rance too ) to s tep up in fron t

o f friend s to sh a re th e ir though ts ; e s tab lish ed to p rom o te poe try

pe rfo rm ance by o rd in a ry poe ts , po e try o f th e peop le , by th e

peop le .

T he pe rfo rm ance o f poe try is no t, o f cou rse , in itse lf a

n ew concep t; th e P oe try A rch iv e 's Historic Archive

(www .poetryarchive.org) is where you 'll find recordings by

some of the giants of 20th-century poetry including W . H . Auden,

T .S . E liot, Sylvia Plath, W .B . Yeats, E lizabeth B ishop and Dylan

Thomas, as well as, incredibly, Tennyson, K ipling and Browning

from the 19th century. S ince the earliest experim ental recordings

on wax cylinders in the late 19th century, m any thousands of

recordings have been made of poets reading their work.

In India, the B ritish Council has worked in literature consistently

over decades, bring countless w riters together from India and the

UK , promoting the publication of B ritish literature, but also the

creative expression of India 's own literary community in particular

via the auspices of the Council's partnership w ith the Charles

W allace India Trust, which annually supports creative w riters in

residence in Stirling University , a place for a young w riter on the

Scottish Universities International Summer Schools and a translator

in residence at East Anglia University . Over the last few years, the

Coundt has worked closely w ith Apples & Snakes t() develop a

programme of live literature in India (www .britishcouncil.org/

india) as well as supporting the voices of women w riters in India

through its website www .womenw riters.org.asite which has its own

poetry editor. This work, sim ilar to that taking place in B ritain , aim s

to democratise literature by taking it to far greater and different

audiences using new venues and programm ing styles as well as new

technologies.

The Council has worked w ith the A ll India Poetry Society for

m any years and is honoured to do so again by supporting B ritish

poet John Agard (form erly W riter in Residence at the South Bank

Centre, London, and Poet in Residence at the BBC in London) to

take part in the judging of the 2005 /06 subm issions. This rich

volume demonstrates vividly the fact that India has one of the most

vibrant w riting and reading cultures in the world and we are

delighted, as always, to engage w ith it.

Rod Pryde

D irector

B ritish Council India

The first A ll India Poetry Competition was organised by the

Poetry Society (India) in 1988 in collaboration w ith the B ritish

Council D ivision, B ritish H igh Comm ission. It w as a successful

event M ore thaR 6,500 entries were received from 2,400

poets living in different parts of India. This competition

revealed for the first tim e in India that poetry in English was

being w ritten in different parts of the country by a cross-section

of professionals and non-professionals. Tbis trend continued

thereafter. From 1988 to 2000 nine poetry competitions

were arganised and the shortlisted poem s resulted in separate

poetry anthologies. W ell-known British poets came to 'India

and participated as chairpersons of the panels of judges. They

include A lan Brownjohn, Anthony Thwaite, Peter Forbes,

Law rence Sail, M ichael Hulse, )0 Shapcott, S tephen Knight,

V icki Fever and Paul Farley. A s a resuk, the series Poetry

India emerged and the follow ing anthologies of shortlisted

poem s were published:

V o ices in the M ak ing ( 1989 )

N ew V o ices (/990 )

E m e rg ing V o ices (/992)

V o ices fo r the Fu tu re ( 1993 )

V o i£es in T im e (/994 )

V o ices from W ith in ( /996)

V o ices o f S ilence (/998)

V o ices o f M any W orld s (1999 )

M illenn ium V o ices (2000 )

These competitions and their corresponding publications

m ade us understand that poets pass through diverse experiences

that give rise to inner resistance. It is im portant that there is

an outlet for such feelings. It is the medium of poetry that

re su lts in a c rea tive and use fu l outlet The ir feelings,

articulations and reactions, expressed by them in verse need

a g rea t dea l o f ed iting in te rm s o f the use of sym bo ls , rh y thm ,

rhyme and the English language itself.

In India the quality of poetry w ritten in English, in general,

has to improve considerably. M ost of the poem s entered in the

competitions are prosaic statem ents w ithout evocative and

clear im ages. W e need centres in India that can teach the craft

of w riting poetry. T raining through the Internet can also help.

In the poetic process, the influences of successful poets do

leave an impact on some of the younger poets. It is therefore

necessary for the upcom ing poets to read some of the best

poetic works. In spite of learning the craft and reading the

best poetic works it is necessary that the poets are blessed w ith

inner poetic sensibilities. I am sure we have many such talents

in this country.

W ith this background in m ind, we have requested the

B ritish Council D ivision to jointly organise the tenth A ll India

Poetry Competition. A fter a gap of five years, M r. Edmund

M arsden, M inister (Cultural A ffairs), B ritish Council, India

agreed to organise the tenth poetry competition in 2005.

The judging of the entries of the A ll India Poetry

Competition 2005 was completed on February 15, 2006.

The follow ing comprised the panel of judges:

C ha innan :

Members:

Mr. John Agard

M s. G race N ichols, D r. ]. P . Das,

M s. Anna Sujatha M athai, M r. ]eet

Thayil, and D r. H . K . Kaul, ex-officio

m ember.

In the A ll India Poetry Com petition 2005, we received

1996 entries from 721 poets from different pam of India.

The panel of judges selected the follow ing poets for the awards:

Ms. T ishani Doshi

Chennai

fo r th e p o e m The Day W e W ent

to the Sea

M s. Sam puma Chattarji fo r th e p o e m Salt

Thane

1. M r. Nelson ]s. Santosh fo r th e p o e m M idsummer M adness

Cochin

2. M s. M inai Sarosh

Ahmedabad

The shortlisted poem s have been presented in four sections.

The first prize and second prize-w inning poem s have been

presented in the first two sections. The poem s awarded

commendation prizes are presented in the third section. The

rem aining shortlisted poem s have been included in the fourth

section in alphabetical order according to the names of poets.

This anthology presents various themes that have been

worked on by the shortlisted poets. Some of the im ages and

themes included in the collection such as bridges of hope, blood

feuds, captivity , clouds, colours, dream s, fences, ghosts, God,

guilt, languages, m irrors, moths, music, nature, rain , recla-

mation, songs, streets of blue, sunrise, trees, Tsunam i, war-

riors, w ater splattering, w indows, women, yellow beads,

weave tapestries of complex lifestyles being lived these days.

It is worth know ing how life moves and how poets portray it

through their poem s.

I would like to thank M r. Edmund M arsden, the form er

D irector of the B ritish Council D ivision for organising the

competitioQ after an interval of five years. M y thanks are also

due to M r. Rod Pryde, the present D irector and M r. Les

Dangerfield , the Deputy D irector for their help and advice.

T h e d a y w e w e n t to th e s e a

M o th e r s in M a d r a s w e r e m in in g

T h e M a r in a f o r m is s in g c h ild r e n .

T h a tc h f le w in th e s k y , p r is o n e r s

R a n f r e e , h o u s e s d a n c e d lik e d a n g e r

I n th e w in d . I s a w a w o m a n h o ld

T h e ta tte r e d e d g e o f th e w o r ld

I n h e r h a n d , lo o k p a s t th e te m p le

W h ic h w a s s ta n d in g , a s s h e w a s -

O f g a u d y s o u th I n d ia n s u n .

W h e n s h e m o v e d h e r o th e r h a n d

A c r o s s h e r b r o w - a s in g le a r c in g

S w e e p o f g r a c e ; it w a s a s if s h e a lo n e

C o u ld a lte r th in g s , b r in g u s

T o th e w o r d le s s s a f e ty o f o u r b e d s .

II

S a lt

o f th e e a rth ,

a ll s u b tle ty d ie s

w ith a p in c h to o m u c h .

Y o u ta s te fre e d o m ,

th e k n ife -e d g e o n y o u r te e th .

F a c e le s sm e n e a t s a ltle s s fo o d

in a n o rth -w e s te rn fro n tie r to w n .

Y o u c a n n o t e a t th e s a lt o f a m a n

y o u m ig h t o n e d a y n e e d

to k ill.

A b lo o d -fe u d b u rs ts ,

fro th a t th e c o rn e r o f y o u r m o u th .

It k ills y o u o n e g ra in a t a tim e .

Y o u c ra v e it c o ld

c ru s te d o n a g la s s

a le e c h o f le m o n o n y o u r lip .

In h a rd tim e s a b ite o f c h illi a n d s a lt.

In g o o d tim e s a b ite o f c h illi. A n d s a lt.

T h e n o n e d a y ,

tire d o f d o m e s tic ity

y o u tu rn in to a p illa r.

N o lo o k in g b a c k n o w .

Y o u r s a lin e g a z e fills o c e a n s .

Y o u m e lt in to te a rs

w a rm a n d s a lt o n m y to n g u e .

III

A p ril is a lw a y s th e c ru e le s t m o n th

w h e n w o m e n le a v e m e n

fo r o th e r m e n a n d it is th u s

th a t y o u a re le ft w ith n o w a y o u t

e x c e p t to s e ll th e o ld N e ru d a a n th o lo g ie s ,

th e le a th e rb o u n d S h a k e s p e a re s ,

a n d th e s m a ll b ro n z e N a ta ra ja

to p o o l to g e th e r a s m a ll fo rtu n e

a n d b u y a c ra te o f s tro n g K a ly a n i b e e r

w ith o n ly a b ro w n L a b ra d o r fo r c o m p a n y

a n d s o y o u m a k e it d r in k b e e r

b y n o t fe e d in g it a n y th in g e ls e fo r 4 d a y s

a n d a d ru n k e n g a m e o f ta g fo llo w s

d u rin g th e z ig -z a g c o u rs e o f w h ic h

s illy J im m y ju m p s o u t

o f th e 4th

f lo o r w in d o w a fte r th e F ris b e e

a n d a s illie r y o u fo llo w , w a n tin g

a lo n g s ip o f th e a fte rn o o n h e a t,

a c le a r lo o k a t th e e n d le s s b lu e s k y ,

a n d to re s t y o u r s p in n in g h e a d

o n th e flu ffy w h ite c lo u d s

th a t a lw a y s d o t th e h o riz o n in A p r il .

I h a v e suddenly g r o w n

a n e w to n g u e .

I t lo o k s a w k w a r d ,

o u t o f p la c e ,

in m y m o u th a n d

heavily a c c e n te d .

I cautiously d r a g it a c r o s s

d e lic a te c u p s

o f v o w e ls a n d s a u c e r

c o n s o n a n ts ,

in th e c r o c k e r y s h o w c a s e .

I t c o u ld b e y e t a n o th e r

to n g u e I h a v e g r o w n .

N o t Cujarat~ th e to n g u e

I w a s b o r n w ith ,

n o r Telugu m y f a th e r 's to n g u e ,

w ith w h ic h I c lin g u p s id e d o w n

o n th e c e ilin g .

S c a r e d e v e r y w o r d

m ig h t tu m b le d o w n o u t o f p la c e .

N o r Marath~ m y n e ig h b o u r 's

to n g u e , w h ic h I s n a tc h u p

lik e a n o v e r s iz e d b e e tle .

But u n a b le to s w a llo w ,

it c h o k e s m y th r o a t

q u a r r e llin g o v e r

th e p r ic e o f o n io n s .

A n d c r a w lin g f r o m r o o m to r o o m

b e i t , GujJrJti o r Telugu,

MJrJthi o r Hindi,

I h a v e c u t m y to n g u e ,

m a n y tim e s ,

b e tw e e n m a n y d o o r s ,

lik e a liz a r d 's ta ll .

Surprisingly, e v e r y tim e

I f o u n d E n g lis h

g r o w in g in its p la c e .

IV

W h o e v e r s a id

th e w in d o w s o n c e s ta in e d ,

w ill n o t b e c le a r a g a in ?

S h e is a b o u t to a s k h im

fo r a fa v o u r, b u t th e re

is n o tim e .

B e e s a re fly in g

a ro u n d th e h o u s e ,

le a v in g n o th in g to c h a n c e .

Y o u a lw a y s s u g g e s te d

d is s o lu tio n , le a d in g m y d re a m s

a s tra y . Y o u r g lo v e s

lie o n th e s o fa . Y o u b o u n c e

a b a ll

in th e b a s e m e n t.

I b r u s h e d th e g la z e d f a ~ a d e

th a t lo o k e d in to m e m o u r n f u lly -

e y e f o r a n e y e ;

th e lu s tr e I p e r c e iv e le ts m y u n iv e r s e

in to a d r e s s in g ta b le 's v a n ity .

B e h in d th e m ir r o r

a r e d e c e p tio n s , a s e lf

tr ic k in g its e lf , p r e te n d in g th a t f le s h

h a s h id d e n th e d is m a y

in s id e th e s k u ll 's r e p til ia n g r o tto - f ig m e n ts ,

r e f le c tio n s o f o u r b r ie f s u r v iv a l

a s m e n s e t f r e e b e y o n d th e ir b id d in g .

T h e r e is th u n d e r o u ts id e a n d lig h tn in g

th a t b r a v e s n e w m o o n d a r k n e s s , it 's c le a r

th a t 'g r a n d f a th e r 's b e a r d s ' h a v e f lo a te d

a n d d is a p p e a r e d w ith th e c lo u d s

in to th e e v e n in g 's lin g e r in g u n e a s e .

O n ly s ile n c e c a n s u m u p th is im p r e c is e n e s s

a s c lu s te r s o f lig h t s e ttle o n s ilv e r y s m o o th n e s s

a n d w e lo o k in to o u r le s s th a n tr a n q u il f a c e s

b u s ily c o n to r tin g a p r o f o u n d f e a r .

T h e m ir r o r h a s its m o m e n ts o f c la r ity to o

w h e n th e f e a r it c r e a te s in u s

r e tr ie v e s a lo s t im p u ls e , in te g r ity

o f a p p e a r a n c e n o t ju d g e d b y th e w o r ld

a n d its m u n d a n e ir r e le v a n c e .

B e tw e e n th e f a c e 's a lo n e n e s s

a n d its u n f la tte r in g im a g e

w e in s p e c t th e m ir r o r -

e y e f o r a n e y e -

a r g u in g w ith its c o n tr a d ic tio n s , p e r p le x e d

a n d a lo n e .

T h e t r u th h a s a lw a y s b e e n s u s p e n d e d in c lo u d s

a b o v e th o s e c o n f in e s th a t h i l l o c k s b u i l t .

N o t q u i t e h a n g in g th e r e

l i k e v a p o u r s , o r h o p in g

f o r r a in th a t w a s h e s d o w n

o u r s u m m e r a f t e r n o o n s , b u t

ju s t a n e e r i e c o n t in u a t io n ,

a f l i c k e r in g to n g u e

th a t y o u k n o w c a n ta lk , b u t d o e s n 't ,

c h o o s in g to in t im id a t e in s t e a d .

T h e in f e r e n c e s w o r k e d o u t th r o u g h a g e s

o f s l e e p l i e o n o u r f e e t n o w .

Y o u s e e a s p e c t r e , a n d th e w h ip

o f In d r a c r a c k l in g a m o n g m a n g o le a v e s

a n d w i th i t c o m e s a w e t d u c k 's w a lk ,

s h a t t e r e d s h r u b s o f n a n d ia r va tta m

c r u s h e d tw ig s , a th u n d e r 's f i n a l a u th o r i t y .

B u t th e t r u th d o e s n o t m a t t e r

o r h u r t u s in t im a te ly .

I t i s t h e w a i t i n g th a t m u s t b e w a tc h e d -

th e g l id e o f th e B r a h m in y k i t e

a lo n g th e r id g e s o f t im e

d e f y in g g r a v i ty ,

a n d th e b e l a b o u r e d v o y a g e o f r a in d r o p s

in to th e e a r th 's f o r c e d h u n g e r .

A r o u n d th e c r e s t o f th e s u n 's

d i f f i d e n t r e a c h in th e s k y

i s a c lo u d in l im b o ,

a w h i t e , h e a d l e s s a n im a l .

••Tu!Jvarsham" * ~ y o u c a l l o u t .

P e r c h e d o n y o u r v o ic e , a d r e a d f u l t r u th

th a t d r a w s a t t e n t io n l ik e a s c a r e c r o w .

W e w a tc h th e s k y d a r k e n th e m a r ig o ld s ,

a s w e c o l l e c t y e l l o w b e a d s

p i c k e d lo n g a g o

in o u r g r a n d m o th e r 's g a r d e n .

In th is w h ite lig h t o f m idday

the fences seem to d isso lve in the d is tance

as if they no longe r be long to th is house ,

the haze sh imm ers -in the ga rden

in the trees you p lan ted las t yea r.

A fte r so m any yea rs you r absence

runs m e dow n

s tuck in a noon tim e vo id , w ithou t des ire .

T h is d rag o f vacan t hou rs

no t g iv ing up any sec re t

no r le tting up

on ly the s tilln ess sp reads

tha t b reaks m e ,

and th is ba rreness

leaves no th ing to look fo r,

bum s w h ite in the open po rtico .

I tu rn to the ha lf open book

on the tab le ,

the penc il-no tes in the m a rg in

in you r handw riting

as a lw ays ,

on the bed the c rum p led bed cove r,

the ro lled up tou r m aps s till ly ing on the floo r.

P e rhaps you w ou ld have se t them righ t.

In th is g row ing s ilence in noon tim e hea t

they do b reak free

to te ll m e now o f you r p resence he re

in these m y lone ly hou rs

un fo rg iv ing .

I t 's s i x o 'c lo c k in th e m o r n in g a n d i t 's r a in in g o n c e m o r e

I a w a k e f r o m d r e a m le s s s l e e p a n d tu r n o n th e P C

N e v e r a lo v e r o f n a tu r e , I s e e k f r o m m y 1 0 ' b y 3 ' b a l c o n y

F o r b i r d s , t h a t c o m e n o t , i n t r e e s I n e v e r p l a n t e d

T h e s o u n d o f r a in f a l l s o n m y e a r s l i k e w a te r s p l a t t e r i n g

F r o m th e d r a in - p ip e s o n th e t in n e d r o o f o f th e o u th o u s e .

T h e s w e e t n eem l e a v e s m y m o th e r p u t s in th e c u r r y

M a k e lo v e , f r a g i l e l i k e m y f e l i c i t y in N a tu r e

T h e c l e a n in g m a n i s o n t im e , I w a tc h a s

H e b r o o m s o u t th e sh iu li s c a t t e r e d o n th e c o n c r e t e

T h e s o u n d o f r a in f a l l s o n m y e a r s l i k e w a te r s p l a t t e r i n g

F r o m th e d r a in - p ip e s o n th e t in n e d r o o f o f th e o u th o u s e .

B e h in d th e c o n to u r s o f th e b u i ld in g , t h e s k y p e e p s o u t

I t 's t h e s h a d e o f th e n e w h o u s e n e x t d o o r , I i n f e r

T w o s i s t e r s in p in k r a in c o a t s a r e r e a d y f o r s c h o o l

T h e i r m o th e r h a g g le s f o r a f a i r p r i c e w i th th e r ic ksh a w

w a lla h

T h e s o u n d o f r a in f a l l s o n m y e a r s l i k e w a te r s p l a t t e r i n g

F r o m th e d r a in - p ip e s o n th e t in n e d r o o f o f th e o u th o u s e .

T h e g u lli i s w a s h e d c l e a n a n d th e p i t c h e d r o a d s a r e s i l v e r

A h a p p y c o n t r a s t t o th e b a n a n a s in th e f r u i t v e n d o r 's

b a s k e t

H e p a s s e s b y o u r h o u s e , h i s c r y r h y m in g w i th th e l i n g e r in g

r a in

I f e e l a l i t t l e s i l l y w i th n o r h y m e in m e ; th e r a in h a s lo n g

c e a s e d

The o n ly r e m n a n t o f th e r a in i s w a te r s p l a t t e r i n g

F ''( ) ! l 1 t h e d r a in - p ip e s o n t h e r iM e d roo f o f t i l e o u th o u s e .

I ta ke the uneven tfu l jou rney from the ba lcony to m y room

The N e t te lls a d iffe ren t s to ry , 'J&K m is taken iden tity : 3 boys

k illed '

T he w ea the r fo recas t speaks o f ra in , too

A n un ru ly sun invades m y n iche

The on ly rem nan t o f the ra in is the w a te r sp la tte ring

F rom the d ra in -p ipes on the tinned roo f o f the ou thouse .

A l l m o r n in g , t h e t r a n s i s to r n e x t d o o r h a s b e e n s in g in g

W i th th e w e ig h t o f j a d e d c i ty s t a r s .

T h e w o m a n f r o m th e b u i ld in g f a m i ly i s a w a k e to o ,

B e a t in g h e r r e t a r d e d b o y f o r s m o k in g c ig a r e t t e s

W i th th e s t r a y e n d o f a c o c o n u t b r a n c h . I t i s a l l r a w n e s s ,

G u t tu r a l a b u s e , t h e b l a r e o f T a m i l f i lm m u s ic ,

H e r m is s in g h u s b a n d , h i s well-versed belt.

S o m e m o r n in g s , i t i s o n ly h e r v o ic e

L i f t i n g o u t o f th e v io l e n c e o f m y d r e a m s

L ik e a g r e a t w in d o f u n g u a r d e d s o r r o w , w r a p p e d

A r o u n d h e r n e c k l ik e th e b o y 's p l a s t i c w h i s t l e .

A l l d a y h e c l im b s s t a i r s , s i t s o n w a l l s ,

B lo w s o u t th e d u s ty s o n g in h i s h e a d

W h i t e th e o th e r s w o r k , m o v e b r i c k a n d m o r t a r

L ik e d i s s e n t in g m u s ic i a n s in c r a g g y s t a c c a to .

B y J u n e i t w i l l b e c o m p le t e - th i s s ix s to r e y b le m is h .

T h e b u i ld in g f a m i ly w i l l m o v e a n d o th e r s w i l l a r r i v e .

F a m i l i e s o n s c o o te r s , p o s t a l w o r k e r s a n d c l e r k s

W h o s l e e p in th e c o i l e d d a r k n e s s o f th e i r f o r lo r n b e d s ,

M o th e r s - to - b e g lo w in g l ik e s u m m e r f i r e f l i e s

O n th e v e r a n d a s o f th e i r n e w l iv e s ,

C h i ld r e n a f r a id o f th e n ig h t , f l a s h in g to r c h e s

A g a in s t w in d o w s in c o d e s , s e c r e t a n d o u t l a w e d .

T i l l t h e n , w e m u s t s i t d o w n to f a c e e a c h o th e r f o r m e a l s

T h r o u g h th e k i t c h e n s h u t t e r s o p e n to th e f a l l e n h e a t .

W a tc h , a s th e i r m u d d y f in g e r s m a k e s o f t

C i r c l e s o f p l e a s u r e in th e i r m o u n d s o f r i c e .

W h e n th e b o y g o e s a r o u n d to c o l l e c t t h e p l a t e s ,

T h e m e n w i l l s w in g a t h i s c r o t c h , c a l l h im ,

Little e u n u c h / u n t i l s h e a p p e a r s , r i s i n g

L ik e th e m o r n in g m is t , b a r e ly a b l e to c o n c e a l h e r l i f e .

"0 fire, thou art the son of heaven by the body of earth .••

-Rig Veda

W e were s itting ou ts ide the s tupa tha 't morning when thesun shone dow n

L ike a w om an sw eep ing c lea r roads o f dus t and d ream s

M ak ing m e w onde r if lo ve can find its w ay like th is -

th rough b roken va lle ys

P as t sha tte red edge o f b ram b le tho rn and b ru ised

Founda tion o f m onas te ry - A ll conque ring love doesn 't s tir

in the da rk

To ta lk to gua rds doesn 't have the qu ie tness o f cow s

D oesn 't run w ith in censed rage ac ross the bouga inv illaea

fringe o f th€ w o rld -

I f lo ve w e re rea lly bo rn o f fire w e 'd bu ild g ian t dom es

O f sky a round ou r goss ip ing pas ts and s ilence them w ith

b its o f too th o r g ra ft

O f hoa ry na il - w e 'd le t the road consum e ou r s teps

O u r co lum ns o f des ire and w hen m orn ing b roke the sca t-

te ring ea rth

W ith b lood red po in ts o f ligh t - a ll the d is tances

O f n igh t w ou ld b rush us by as the unde rg row th o f ou r

un fin ished lives

B u g j u i c e

T h a t 's w h a t w e c a n e d i t ,

a n d f e l l a b o u t l a u g h in g

a s y o u lu r e d u n s u s p e c t in g

g u e s t s to t r y th e f in e r p o in t s

o f th e s a r s a p a r i l l a r o o t s p i c k l e d in b r in e .

T a s t i n g i t a t a f r i e n d 's d in n e r - t a b l e

I f a l l b a c k th r o u g h a t im e - h o le

in to c h i ld h o o d , e x a c t ly l i k e P r o u s t 's r e m e m b r a n c e

u n v e i l e d b y th o s e m a d e le in e s .

Y o u s p u n th r e a d

a s G a n d h i d id ,

a n d s to o d o n y o u r h e a d e v e r y m o r n in g ,

a n d y o u h a d a h i s to r y

w e k n e w n o th in g a b o u t , s o p r o f o u n d

w a s y o u r r e t i c e n c e .

I s t i l l h a v e th e tw e e d c o a t

y o u w o r e o n a t r i p to E n g la n d .

I h a d h o p e d o n e o f th e b o y s

w o u ld f i t i n to i t ,

b u t i t d o e s n 't l o o k r ig h t

o n e i th e r . I f I h o ld i t c lo s e ,

I c a t c h a w h i f f

o f c a m p h o r a n d a lm o s t , a lm o s t

th e f e e l o f y o u a t th e e n d .

H a r d to im a g in e th e n , a s I l e n t

m y s h o u ld e r to y o u r e n f e e b l e d s t e p ,

t h a t t h e r e w e r e e p i c jo u r n e y s

y o u m a d e , q u i t e c a s u a l ly ;

t h o s e i c y H im a la y a n p a th s y o u w a lk e d ,

a n d s u n - b a k e d M o h e n jo -D a r o ,

c i r c l i n g th e S h w e -D a g o n , a n d y e a r s l a t e r ,

t h e P y r a m id s .

I t 's a s i f I a m b o u n d in s o m e w a y ,

to k e e p th e h o u r s , t o im a g in e

w h a t I d o n o t k n o w f o r c e r t a in .

F r o m th e c o m e r o f m y e y e , I c a t c h

y o u r u n n in g th r o u g h f i e ld s , h a n d s c lu t c h in g

s to l e n g r e e n g u a v a s , a n d th e n a t th e l a s t ,

m e m o r y b e c o m e s m y in h e r i t a n c e .

There Jre nine different words in Maya for the colour blue in {hec o m p r e h e n s ive P o r r /u a S p a n is h - M a ya D ic tio n a ~ b u t ju s t th r e e

S p a n is h tr a n s la tio n s - le a vin g s ix b u tte r flie s th a t c a n b e s e e n o n ly b y th e

M a ya / p r o vin g b e yo n d d o u b t th a t w h e n a la n g u a g e d ie s / s ix b u tte r flie s

d is a p p e a r fr o m th e c o n s c io u s n e s s o f th e e a r th .

- F r o m ' T h e L a s t W o r d ' b y E a r lS h o r d s

so u n d s h o ve r and qu ive r

in the a ir be fo re m e

I open m y m ou th w ide

and sw ak llow

and they fill m y be lly

like a w edd ing feas t...

I d ive in

so deep tha t sounds

like d rum bea ts

th rob in the sk in

I live w ith in ,

and d row n w ith m e ...

the m us ic I hea r

com es ring ing from eve ry tree

I c lim b , the s tones I tread

and the w o rds com e

b low n on the gus ts o f w ind

from the fa r com e rs o f th is ea rth

s to rie s com e in song and m em ory

like the goodess

in a ra in o f fire and sm oke

from the heavens

i f I c l o s e m y e y e s , I h e a r t h e d r u m s

a n d t h e y a r e t h e r e a g a i n ,

t h e b r i g h t g o d s o f t h e d a n c e ,

a n d t h e m o o n - f a c e d g i r l s

w e c o u r t e d i n t h e w a r m d a r k n e s s

A w o k e

fr o m a fr o s t e n c r u s te d s le e p

d r e a m s h a n g lik e ic ic le s

s ilv e r y - b lu e m o o n lig h t

c o m e s s tr e a m in g in .

O u ts id e

p a r t c le a r , p a r t c lo u d

th e flic k e r a n d fla r e

o f a m illio n s ta r s

a d a n c e o f f ir e f lie s

u p o n a w in d o w p a n e

d a r k e n e d b y s le e p

b e y o n d w h ic h

E v e r e s t s ta r e s ,

m o o n lig h t u p o n

th e s u m m it a n d its r id g e .

I d r o w n in th is m o m e n t

th e m o m e n t d r o w n s in m e .

A n d a ll a r o u n d ,

s n o w fla k e s s t ir

s p a r k lin g in th e m o o n

a m illio n d r u n k e n m o th s

a w a k e n e d b y a d r e a m .

T e a g a r d e n s

G r e e n c a s c a d e s

h a n g

t h r o u g h t h i c k e n i n g a n d t h i n n i n g m i s t s

p a d d y f i e l d s u n d e r t h e s u n

c u t g l a s s g r e e n s

a m o s a i c o f t i m e

w h e r e t h e p a i n t e d s t o r k

s t a n d s

p o i s e d s o l i t a r y

u p o n i t s r e f l e c t i o n

i m m o b i l i s e d a s i f n o t s u r e

t o w h i c h w o r l d i t b e l o n g s :

t h e s t o r k d r e a m i n g w a t e r ?

t h e w a t e r d r e a m i n g s t o r k ?

A e o n s h a v e f l o w e d

t h r o u g h t h i s s t a t i o n a r y m o m e n t

t h e s t o r k

t r a n s f i x e d

u p o n i t s o w n r e f l e c t i o n

s p i n n i n g

b l u e s i l k t h r e a d s ,

m a k i n g

t h e w h o l e s k y

p a s s

t h r o u g h t h e s i g n e t r i n g

o f i t s c o p p e r y d r e a m .

b la n c h e d b y th e m o o n

b e n e a th th e s ta r e a te n s h e e t

I 'l l b r e a k th e b r e a d a n d d r in k m y fill

a m o n g th e w in d - w h is p e r e d tr e e s

w a r m e d b y m e m o r ie s o f y o u

fo r to n ig h t I 'm a h e a th e n

a m o n g b e lie v e r s

c o n d e m n e d fo r m y b lie f

le t m e d ie a s w e e t d e a th

s o a k e d w ith life I 'v e liv e d a lo n g th e w a y ...

A h e a d r e a c h e s t h e s h o r e :

d e c a p i t a t i o n a r r i v e s w i t h o u t a s c r e e c h .

I t h a s t r a v e l l e d h i g h s e a s a n d

f l o a t e d w i t h t h e h e a d s o f l o n g d e a d p i r a t e s .

I t 's k i c k e d a r o u n d b y b o y s u n c o n c e r n e d

w i t h i t s e x p r e s s i o n o r w h y i t w a s s e v e r e d .

M o t i o n , t h e phach o f w a t e r a g a i n s t r u b b e r s n e a k e r s ,

t h e m u d d y w e t n e s s t h a t d r i e s b e c o m e s

M o t i o n , t h e t h u d o f h e a d a g a i n s t s n e a k e r s ,

t h e c r u m m y m a r o o n o f d r i e d b l o o d .

A h u m a n b a l l g a m e i s i n t e r r u p t e d a s a n o l d m a n w a v e s

h i s w a l k i n g s t i c k d i s p a r a g i n g l y : G r a n d p a f o r g e t s

r e g r e s s i o n , t h e phach o f b e a t i n g s , t h e c a n e t r e m b l i n g .

r e g r e s s i o n , t h e s m a c k o f h u m a n i t y , o u r s h a m e .

c o m e ,

c o lo n is e m e .

c r e e p in to th e h o llo w s

o f m y la n d s c a p e - m y e y e s c lic k lo c k :

n o m o r e th e d r a w in g o f th e g a te s ,

s e t u p y o u r h o m e , y o u r o ff ic e

th e w r it in g d e s k a n d th e tr a d in g p o s t.

J g n o r e th e s a n d - b r o w n

o f m y s k in - a w ill in g b lin d

i'l l n e v e r k n o w b la c k fr o m w h ite .

ta k e m e a n d ta lk o f y o u r f in e r f in is h

s tu n n e d i y ie ld , s o s c r ip t y o u r s to r ie s h e r e .

in v a d e

th is in n e r - s p a c e .

a d ju s t th e p a c e a n d p u ls e

o f m a r c h in g a r m ie s - a n d h o u s e

y o u r m a c h in e g u n s , its m a n u a ls .

p o p u la te m e w ith a n th e m s

th e s o n g s o f w r a th a n d th o s e o f w a r .

d r a ft w o r d s th a t e c h o

o f g u n fir e , to a c c o m p a n y

m y lo n e d a n c e o f s u b m is s io n .

th o u g h p r o s e m a d a n d p o w e r c r a z y , y o u

c o n q u e r m e , n e v e r w ith m a lic e o r m a n h o o d .

c a p tu r e .

e v e r y te r r ito r y .

f i l l u p a l l m y b l a n k s k i n

t o r e s o u n d w i t h t h e s t r i k e o f s c i m i t a r s ,

t h e s a d n e s s o f s u c c e s s .

h a v e a l l y o u r b a t t l e s w a g e d , o r w o n ,

c h r o n i c l e d a c r o s s m y l i n e o f d o w n .

anaconda. candy. cash. catamaran. cheroot. coolie. corondum. curry. ginger. mango.

mulligatawny. pariah. patchou/~ poppadom. rice. tatty. teak. vetiver.

I d r e a m o f a n e n g l i s h

f u l l o f t h e w o r d s o f m y l a n g u a g e .

a n e n g l i s h i n s m a l l l e t t e r s

a n e n g l i s h t h a t s h a l l t i r e a w h i t e m a n 's t o n g u e

a n e n g l i s h w h e r e s m a l l c h i l d r e n p r a c t i s e .

w i t h s m o o t h r o u n d p e b b l e s i n t h e i r m o u t h t o t h e s p e l l t h e r i g h t

z h a

a n e n g l i s h w h e r e a p r e g n a n t w o m a n i s s i m p l y s t o m a c h - c h i l d - l a d y

a n e n g l i s h w h e r e t h e m a g i c o f b l a c k e y e s a n d b r o w n b o d i e s

r e p l a c e s t h e g l a m o u r o f e y e s i n d i s h w a t e r b l u e s h a d e s

a n d t h e a i r b r u s h r o m a n c e o f p i n k - w h i t e c h e r r y - b l o s s o m s k i n s

a n e n g l i s h w h e r e l o v e m e a n s

o n l y t h e s t r a n g e f r e n z y b e t w e e n a m a n a n d h i s b e l o v e d .

n o t b e t w e e n h i m a n d h i s c a r

a n e n g l i s h w i t h o u t t h e p r i v a c y o f i t s m a n y r o o m s

a n e n g l i s h w i t h s u f f i x e s f o r r e s p e c t

a n e n g l i s h w i t h m o r e t h a n t h i r t y - s i x w o r d s t o c a l l t h e s e a

a n e n g l i s h t h a t d o e s n 't b e l i t t l e t h e b r o w n a n d b l a c k m e n a n d

w o m e n

a n e n g l i s h o f t a s t i n g w i t h f i v e f i n g e r s

a n e n g l i s h o f t a l k i n g l o v e w i t h e y e s a l o n e

a n d I d r e a m o f a n e n g l i s h

w h e r e m e n

o f t h a t s p i k y , c r u n c h y t o n g u e

b u y f l o w e r - g a r l a n d s o f j a s m i n e

t o t a k e h o m e t o t h e i r c o y w i v e s

f o r t h e s i l e n t d e m a n d o f a n i g h t o f w o r d l e s s w h i s p e r e d l o v e . . .

F u n e r a l s a r e n o t m a d e o f s i l e n c e s :

T h e y a r e m a d e o f sm a l l b lo b s o f d e ja v u s -

d o ld s ta l e r e f r ig e r a te d ty p e s ,

l e f to v e r s y o u h a te to th r o w ,

b e c a u s e th e y ta s t e a n d sm e l l o f th e l iv in g

y o u d o n o t w a n t to le t g o .

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in to a ta n g le o f g a r b le d im a g e s ;

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f l i c k e r o n th e w a l l ,

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l a s t n ig h t 's f a i r y ta l e o n th e sm o k y s p i r a l o f a g a r b a t t i s .

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o n m y g lo s s y b r o w n s k in th r e a d s o f f m id w a y

to th e s i l e n t a w a k e n in g o f a p r a y e r ,

in s id e m y b u d d in g b e l ly .

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a n d s c r a tc h th e e th e r :

the bright red mole on your left shoulder.!

e x o r c i s e d w i th d e s i r e , s t a r c l ip s a p a s t o n th e m i r r o r .

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T e n d e r ly a s c o lo s t r u m .

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r u m o u r e d g u r u

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w i th P a r a c h u te c o c o n u t o i l .

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r e d s y n th e t i c sm i le , l a u g h s

H e b e c k o n s m e f o rw a r d a s I t r y to m o v e f u r th e r b e h in d m y

m o th e r .

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f a c e b e tw e e n a s h y f o r e f in g e r a n d th u m b .

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a n d lo o k a t m y m o th e r f r o m th e c o r n e r o f a n e y e .

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w id e a s c u t m a n g o e s ,

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G o d , in te r v e n e s , h e r f in g e r s

O n m y a rm , h e r v o ic e in h i s e a r s .

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a n d a s k s w h a t 's th e m a t t e r ?

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t im e m y m o th e r a n d I

h a v e g a th e r e d o u r c h a p p a l s a n d le f t .

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T h e y h u n g a g a in s t e a c h sw ip e o f a s to rm , b r a n c h e s b e n t ,

T o d a y i s b r u s h e d w i th s u n . T h e le a v e s a r e w a rm .

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W h e n w i l l th e p r id e o f th e s e le a v e s e n d ?

P e r s i s t e n c e i s th e i r n a tu r e , e v e n a s th e y a r e u n d o n e ,

F r o m th e i r b r a n c h e s , th e y f a l l w i th p r id e .

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B e lo n g to th e e n d a n d b e g in n in g o f a l l th in g s ,

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A n d to d a y , e a s e in to th e s ig h t o f n o o n e , y e t a d d a to u c h ,

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B y th e i r o w n b r o th e r ly r o o t s , w h o f e d th e m o n c e ,

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B r o th e r h o o d o f e y e a n d le a f , in s p i r e s m e ,

L e a v in g m e u n a f r a id in th e s ig h t o f o th e r s ,

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T h a t i s m y o w n , n o t m o c k e d b y th i s w o r ld ,

L o r d s o f p r id e ! I n o w k n o w th a t I a m w o r th y ,

N o r iv a l 's a i r s h a l l c h o k e m e f u r th e r , n o m o r e b r o k e n

t im e s ,

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G o o d t im e s c o m e in sm a l l p r o p o r t io n s .

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c h a n c e s a r e y o u ' l l f i n d

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a n d f a m e d r e c i p e f o r m a r z i p a n ) .

c h a n c e s a r e w e ' l l d i e

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s e c r e t s t o t a k e t o o u r g r a v e s .

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a n d t h r o w i n t h o s e

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' h o w m u c h o f l o v e

i s p r e t e n c e a n y w a y ? '

a n d t h e o n e i n t h e g r a v e

w i l l s m i l e w i c k e d l y

a n d c r y -

' a l l o f i t . E v e r y l a s t b i t o f i t . '

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b e t w e e n m e t a l p l a t e s

t i g h t - h e l d , t a u t , c a t a l e p t i c

t o a f i l i g r e e .

T h e i r s k i n c r a c k l e s l i k e t o t e m i c a n t o j i t o s ,

s k i l l e t w a r m e d f o r a b r e a k f a s t m o r n i n g ,

s a l t y , c r i s p , b u t t e r - f l a v o u r e d .

P e e l i n g t h e s k i n , t h e s t a r c h y u n d e r n e a t h i s v a g u e p r o m i s e ,

l i k e a n u n q u a l i f i e d a d j e c t i v e .

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l i k e u n e a t e n P o m p e i i a s h p l u m s .

A r r e s t e d n o w i n t h i s m o m e n t ,

t h e r e i s n o f r e e d o m .

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l i n g e r i n g i n t h e m a t r i x o f c o l o u r , t h e v e r y s t u f f o f i t .

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B lo t c h e s a n d b lip s m a r k it s s id e s a s it p la y s

A lm o s t t h e 4 0 's h o m e v id e o in c o lo u r .

T a t t e r e d f i l ig r e e - l ik e o ld p a r c h m e n t ,

a m e llo w a m b e r 's s t r e t c h e d o n it s s o u l;

c o m p r e s s e d m e m o r ie s p e e k - a - b o o .

E y e s f o llo w t h e c a m e r a h a n d :

s h o r t w in d in g d r iv e - in , r o s e w o o d d o o r ,

a b r a s s k n o c k e r , u n o p e n e d b o x e s in t h e liv in g r o o m ,

lin e n , o u r u n m a d e b e d , a n d u s

a s le e p , s k in t o s k in ;

f a n a ir s o f t ly p la y in g a r o u n d m e t r o n o m e ,

s h a d o w s a n d b o n e s ,

o n h a lf - e a t e n p lu m s ,

p u r p le s k in h o ld in g p it h ily t h e f le s h b e n e a t h .

W id e - a n g le , t h r o u g h h a lf - p a r t e d c u r t a in s :

t h e c e n t r e o f t h e c o b b le d b a c k y a r d ,

w it h c h e r r y t o m a t o e s

g r e e n a n d le a f y a m id w h it e g a r d e n s t o n e s

a n d c lo t h in g d r y in g o n t h e lin e .

T h e s u n h a s w a r m e d t h e c h e r r y t o m a t o e s ,

B a k e d t h e m t o a c r im s o n .

T h e ir b o d ie s , f u ll a n d b u r s t in g

b e n d t h e v in e s ,

r e a d y f o r t h e p lu c k in g .

W i t h e y e s o p e n , I l a p s e i n t o d r e a m . T h e r e i s a r i v e r , a

b r i d g e , a n d r a i n .

O f t h i s m u c h I a m c e r t a i n . T h e r e s t I e x p l o r e .

S w i t c h o n t h e l i g h t s . A m a l o n e , w i t h j u s t t h e s p i d e r o n t h e

w a l l f o r c o m p a n y . T h e c o l d , b l i n d n i g h t b r i n g s w i t h h e r ,

g h o s t s o f m e m o r i e s .

T h e r i v e r b e l o w i s c o o l a n d i n e x p l i c a b l y d e e p .

N o t a s t h e o c e a n , b u t t h i c k , l i k e t h e s p a c e b e t w e e n u s .

Y o u c o u l d c u t i t w i t h a k n i f e .

I t f l o w s , l a y e r s u p o n l a y e r s , f r i c t i o n l e s s , r u n n y , s w i f t ,

I n t h e w o m b o f t h e n i g h t , i t i s a w r i t h i n g s n a k e , o f h i d e o u s

b e a u t y .

A w o m a n w i t h g r e y h a i r a n d g u m m y - t o o t h e d s e c r e t s

o f l o v e r s p a s t .

I t s t e x t u r e f a s c i n a t e s m e : c a l m f l o w i n g , s i l k y p e a r l ,

e g g s h a m p o o .

T h e b r i d g e i s w e t a n d g l i s t e n s i n t h e s o f t , f a l l i n g r a i n ;

v i n e s , a n i g h t l y b l a c k - g r e e n o n d a m p , d a r k w o o d .

I r o n - n a i l s j u t o u t l i k e u n i n v i t e d r e m e m b r a n c e s .

I t a r c h e s ,

b e n t b a c k w a r d s t o t o u c h t h e m a d f l o w i n g t h i n g u n d e r n e a t h .

T h e c e n t r e i s a l m o s t b l a c k . S m a l l l i c h e n s g r o w , l i k e m o l e s

o n a g i n g s k i n .

G r a m p s h a d t h e m t o o . C h e c k e d t h e m f o r c a n c e r e v e r y

n i g h t b e f o r e b e d .

N o m o r n i n g e v e r c a m e f o r h e r .

T h e b r i d g e s t a n d s o b l i v i o u s o f m o r t a l i t y , n i g h t v i n e s p r e s s -

i n g h e a v i l y o n i t .

R i v e r d r e a m s i n i t s s l e e p y e y e s . U n d e r m y f e e t i t m a k e s

s m a l l l o v e n o i s e s .

H i s m o r n i n g w a l k , a n u n h u r r i e d r i t u a l

a l w a y s a t e a r l y d a w n f o r f i f t y y e a r s o r m o r e .

T h e d a y b r e a k l u k e w a r m m u g g y ,

f o r e w o r d t o t h e s t e a m o f a n o t h e r s u m m e r d a y ,

G l a s s y g i a n t s a i m e d s u n w a r d t h r o u g h a t h i n h a z e ,

b o x y a d d - o n s l i k e c a n c e r o u s l u m p s o n t h e i r f l a n k s

t o c o o l t h e i r i n s i d e s ,

h u m m i n g , c h u r n i n g w i t h o u t r e s t ,

e v e r y p a s s i n g m o m e n t a d d i n g t o t h e t o x i n .

A r o u n d a s m a l l f i e l d ,

f r e s h l y d u g l a t e r i t e l a y h e a p e d ,

w a i t i n g f o r n e w g l a s s y g i a n t s t o a r i s e

w h e r e o n c e b l o o m e d g i a n t s o f a n o t h e r h u e ,

s o o t h i n g t o t h e e y e .

L e a f y m o t h e r s n u r s i n g v i t a l e l e m e n t s

a n d s u s t e n a n c e t o l i f e .

B e n i g n g o l i a t h s c a r e l e s s l y m u r d e r e d ,

t h e i r c o r p o s e s c a r v e d a n d e m b a l m e d b y s k i l l e d m o r t i c i a n s

t o d e c o r a t e t h e c h a m b e r s o f t h e g l a s s y o n e s .

P a s t a n e x t i n c t m a n g r o v e

w h e r e s t o r k , h e r o n a n d t e a l h a d m a d e n o i s y l o v e

u n d e r m u t e d s u n l i g h t s e e p i n g t h r o u g h l e a f y m o s a i c ,

n o w a w a s t e l a n d o f p l a s t i c f i l t h

a n d s c r o u n g i n g c r o w s p e c k i n g w i t h g u s t o .

A l o n g a s m a l l c a n a l w h e r e h e h a d b a t h e d h i s y o u n g f r a m e ,

t h e w a t e r s c l e a n o n l y i n m e m o r y ,

t u r n e d a s e w e r o f f a e c e s

d i s c h a r g e d f r o m t h e b o w e l s o f t h o s e g l a s s y g i a n t s .

T h e K a r n a v a r l a y u n m o v i n g , f e l l e d b y s t r o k e

a s b l o o d c l o t t e d i n w o r n a r t e r y ,

c o n t e n t , l e a v i n g a n e a r t h h e c o u l d c o n c u r w i t h n o m o r e .

T h ir t y y e a r s a g o

t h e h o u s e w a s f u ll

o f a g e d m e n a n d w o m e n ,

c o p p e r v e s s e ls , c o c o n u t o il a r o m a

o f f r ie d y a m a n d b a n a n a c h ip s .

T h ir t y y e a r s a g o

t h e y c o o k e d a n d b a t h e d

a n d s le p t a n d c h a n t e d p r a y e r s

in t h e c o m m u n a l h o m e .

M u f f le d t h u d s o f b r ic k a n d m o r t a r b e in g d e s t r o y e d ,

p r o n o u n c e d t h e d e a t h o f m y o id a b o d e .

T h e p r o u d p il la r s o n w h ic h I s w u n g ,

a s k in n y s c h o o lb o y w it h m y c o u s in s a n d f r ie n d s

o n f u n - f i l le d h o lid a y s ,

n o w ju s t v a n q u is h e d s t u m p s .

C lin k s o f c h is e l a n d h a m m e r in t h e c o o l h a ll

w h e r e w e h a d la in o n b a m b o o m a t s ,

a t p e a c e in h u m id s u m m e r .

T h e f a d in g t e r r a c o t t a f lo o r t o m ,

m y f a n t a s y a r e n a o f m a n y a h e a lt - s t o p p in g m a t c h .

R a g g e d h o le s t h a t o n c e w e r e w in d o w s

g la r e d a t t h e r e m a in s o f ja c k f r u it a n d m a n g o t r e e s o u t s id e ,

b u t c h e r e d b y t h r o t t l in g n e e d .

T h e e n d o f f r u it - p ic k in g a f t e r n o o n s u n d e r le a f y s h a d o w s . .

T h e s a g g in g g a t e b y t h e r a il l in e ,

w it n e s s t o c o u n t le s s f a r e w e lls

t o lo v e d o n e s s p e e d in g b y o n t r a in s a s w e g a t h e r e d t h e r e ,

h e a r i n g t h e w h e e z e o f t h e e n g i n e i n c h i n g u p t h e i n c l i n e ,

c a r r y i n g a w a y h u n d r e d s t o t h e i r d e s t i n a t i o n .

I w a l k e d a w a y t o c a t c h m y t r a i n ,

a p a s s e r - b y ,

m y r o o t s f o r e v e r l o s t .

I t i s n ~ t a s a r i , b u t a p o e m o n y o u

A n a d v e r t i s e m e n t i n C h e n n a i c i t y .

I h a v e b e e n a t it f o r d a y s , w e a v in g

A n d u n w e a v in g , l ik e P e n e lo p e , b u t o n ly

T o im p r o v e , h a v in g g o n e f a r a f ie ld t o g e t

T h e b e s t s t u f f I c o u ld , h a v in g d y e d a n d

S t a r c h e d w it h lo v in g c a r e , w o r k in g in

T h e m o t if s a n d t h e g o ld - t h r e a d e d b o r d e r ,

K e e p in g y o u r t a s t e in m in d . I h a v e w o v e n

W it h lo v e a n d s ilk e n t h r e a d s . I n p a s t e l

C o lo u r , a s y o u w o u ld h a v e lik e d . S o m e m a y

S n e e r a t it a s a b o t c h e d t h in g , s o m e m a y

F a u lt t h e c o u n t , t h e t e x t u r e a n d t h e f in is h .

B u t h o w d o e s it m a t t e r t o m e ? F o r I k n o w

Y o u w o u ld h a v e b e e n p le a s e d w it h t h e

L o o k o f it a n d t h e f e e l - t h is p o e m o n y o u .

W it h y o u t o s t a n d b e s id e m e , w il l I c a r e ?

D id I c a r e ? B u t y o u a r e n o w f a r , f a r a w a y . . .

a b l u e a r r o w

f l i e s

i n t o t h e m o u t h

o f t h e n i g h t

S h e h a u n t s

t h e t o b a c c o s t r e e t s

a n d d r o p s a f e a t h e r

i n t o t h e p o s t b o x

D r i a

f i l l s t h e s y r i n g e

w i t h t h e d e a d m a n 's

d r e a m

I a . m .

f e a r o f t h e s k y

I w a l k t h e l i n e

s m e l l s o f D r i a ,

a n d l o n e s o m e a n g e l s

't a p t h e s e a '

D r i a c o m e s

a n d t e l l s a s t o r y

o f t h e u n s e e n c i r c l e

A f r i e n d f l i e s l i k e a h a w k

i n m y d r e a m s ,

h e o p e n s h i s f i s t

a n d I s e e a b o n y f o e t u s

A n d t h e h a r m o n i c a g i r l

L e t s t h e b o y s m e l l

H e r r a i n w e t a r m p i t s

c a s t i n g t h e v o i c e o f t h e m e a d o w s

u p o n t h e r o c k s

o f t h e c a s t l e ,

w h e r e t h e y s t i r r e d t h e s a n d s

a n d s a n g t i l l d a w n

D o y o u r g u n s

m o v e i n m y s l e e p ?

a n d a s I s a w y o u

S q u e e z i n g h i s f i n g e r s ,

S t a n d i n g b e t w e e n

t h e t r i b a l b o d i e s

M a y b e I c o u l d p a i n t

a l a n d

o f d o o r s

s h u t a t t w i l i g h t ,

i f o n ly

I t o o k o f f m y h a t

I t 's a la n d y o u o f t e n p a s s e d

jo u r n e y in g t o t h e c it y ,

a s le e p in t h e t r a in

I c a n n o t s p e a k

a n d I c a n n o t t a k e o f f m y h a t

s o s h e le f t t h e h a n n o n ic a

o n a c o f f e e t a b le

a n d s q u e e z e d h is f in g e r s

a n d a s t h e f e a r l in g e r s

o n t h e b u t t o n

o f y o u r r e d b a g

F l o w e r s f r o m a b r o k e n v a s e

l a y a t t h e f o o t

I n e v e r h e a r d t h o s e d r u m s b e f o r e ,

w e a v e d w i t h a l o n e l y w i f e 's

s o u n d s o f c o o k i n g

I f o l l o w t h e c o c k r o a c h

o n i t s p a t h

t h r o u g h d e m o n w a l l s

S o m e t i m e s I t h i n k

I k n o w t h o s e d r u m s

A s I f I k n o w t h e m f r o m a l a s t b i r t h

S o m e t i m e s I t h i n k

I k n o w t h a t w i f e t o o

S h e t a l k s t o c l o u d s a t s u n s e t

I s a w a l a m p i n t h o s e a r m s o n c e ,

M o v i n g i n t h e s a n d s

S h a k in g t h e d e s e r t ,

L ik e t h e c lu s t e r o f ja s m in e . . .

I h e ld t h o s e a r m s

L ik e I w o u ld h o ld t h e d u s k

w h ic h c lin g s t o t h e t h r o a t o f P e n e lo p e

I s t it c h a b lu e c o s m o s

B e t w e e n t h e s p in e

a n d t h e ju n g le s k in o f t h e d r u m s

T h e w if e lo o k s a t h e r s u n b u r n t s k in ,

T e ll in g t h e c lo u d

O f h e r in s e c t f r ie n d s . . .

J a s m in e in h e r a r m s

A n d b o n e s o n t h e d r u m s

A n d w h ile I d r in k

d r e a m in g , w h is t l in g

a t s u n s e t

A b r o k e n b r e a t h

a m o n g t h e a n c i e n t s w o r d s

T h e l a k e i s c o v e r e d w i t h a l g a e ,

a n d t o u c h i n g t h e d a r k l a y e r

H e r e m e m b e r s

a w a l k

a l o n g t h e s l e e p y g a l a x y

o n l y t h e w a r n i n g

o n t h e r a d i o

I g n o r e

t h e t e n s i o n

o n t h e s t r i n g

D y i n g i n a p i t ,

d r e a m i n g a r i t h m e t i c ,

H e f o r g o t m y n a m e

T h e g i r l s t i l l r u n s

F r o m t h e r i b s o f d e a d t r e e s

a n d w h e n d i d y o u

l a s t s w a l l o w s t o n e s ,

l o o k i n g f o r h i s t o n g u e . . .

T h e s ta tic o n th e ra d io

a n d a d in n e r

o f s te a k a n d b a d w in e

S h e h a d lo o k e d

o u t o f th e b lu e g la s s

a t th e fa c e s o f c o tto n c h ild re n

T h e g a la x y s n o re s

L ik e n o te s o n a lo w e r o c ta v e

T h e re d n o o s e s tru c k o u r e y e s

o n a b a c k g ro u n d o f s n o w ,

I w o n d e re d

if th e th ie f w o u ld b e h a n g e d

w h o b ro k e in to th e c h ild 's s le e p

Y o u p a in t a d a rk ro o m

o f p e n d u lu m s

Is s h e a p o e t

o r a c h ild h o o d g h o s t?

h id e th e n ig h t

a m o n g th e ro c k s

b y th e s e a

H e rid in g a h o rs e

to s a y th e p ra y e r

a t h is o w n d e a th r ite

h e w h o a s k e d ,

'T h e b o d y o r I,

w h ic h is re a l? '

y o u r h a n d s

tre m b le u p o n th e e k ta ra

c a llin g d e a th

c o u g h in g in th e w o m b

I c o u ld n o t h e a r th e s to n e s in g

'Y e s , y o u m a y ,

b u t w h a t o f th e g u lm o h a r

y o u p la n te d to d a y ? '

T a lk in g p o e try

b e n e a th

th e w e b o f e le c tr ic v o ic e s

T h e p a in t b u rs ts o u t

o f y o u r n o c tu rn e

lik e s e v e n v a m p ire s

H id in g fro m th e c ro w s ,

y o u s e e

o n ly y o u r fa c e in th e th u n d e r

he

riding a horse...

C ru m b lin g w alls

C atch y o u in a b lan k stare

A s y o u d raw clo ser

T o th e sch o o l-g ate.

T h e ch o ru s o f th e o p en in g so n g

H its y o u lik e an icy b last

A s th o u g h risin g

F ro m th e w o m b o f th e d ev astated p ast.

T h e ch ild ren , tin y th in g s, stan d ro o ted

T o th e h allo w ed g ro u n d w h ere

Y o u sto o d o n ce,

T h eir faces stream in g w ith sw eat

In th e h o t su n .

W h at th ey sin g sears y o u r h eart

W h ich d ro p s sliv ered at y o u r feet.

T h e id ealism it so u g h t to b reed

In y o u o n ce

H as lo n g b een calcified , d ead

L ik e y o u r b o n es

S tick in g o u t at o v erw o rk ed jo in ts.

T h e teach ers, n o w rep laced ,

S tan d g rim , a lo st trib e,

T h eir p u rp o se h av in g w o rn o ff.

Y o u w ith d raw sig h in g ,

A lo o se, sm u d g ed p ag e.

R am u th e ro ad sid e

p o tter

tran slates

m u d in to u tility

Y o u th e co n stan t

co n n o isseu r

tran slate

th e p o t in to art

I b u tter-fin g ered

w atch m y h an d s p art

an d tran slate y o u r

terraco tta in to m u d

W e are all silv er m o o n s

b led w h ite; p ale

h isto ries fro zen in ey eb alls,

lip s w id en ed to a sm ile

stran g ers lo v e.

D eep in th e o cean flo o r;

w h ere all th in g s p rim al

ro am , slu icin g th ro u g h

d ark cu rren ts, i d are

let lo o se

m y b ed is steel th is

tw ilig h t. it cu ts in to

m y sleep w ith n o

m ercy .

T h e h an g m an b en eath

it w aits,

S av o u rin g th e g u ilt

th at is fire in m y h ead .

W arm in g to th e m o rn in g su n y o u sit

w ith fo ld ed w in g s o n o u tsp read leaf;

feelers b ran ch in g , alert, an d n early as fin e

as th e h air o n m y h ead ; leg s b en t o n ce,

fin er th an m y ey eb ro w h air;

y o u r fU IT y b o d y , sm aller ev en th an m y little to e,

seem s m o re ten d er th an m y fin g er tip s;

th e am b er w in g s, h id in g th eir p attern ed sid es

sh in e so ftly lik e th e fin est silk I p o ssess;

an d y o u r h ead , h ard ly b ig g er th an th is

tin y teard ro p h an g in g fro m m y ear,

is set w ith th e g arn ets o f y o u r b ro w n -red ey es.

T h e w o rld th ey see w o u ld b e a su rp rise fo r m e,

I th in k , an d th en y o u sh ift a m icro n o r tw o

o n y o u r still leaf, as th o u g h y o u h eard m e;

th o se g arn ets seem to lo o k at m e an d say :

w h at m ig h t su rp rise y o u is th at w e are lin k ed

m o re d eep ly th an y o u th in k , fo r th at

w h ich fash io n ed y o u , also m ad e m e.

E v ery n ig h t, th e p riests

o f m y to w n 's tem p le

co n d u ct a p erfect act.

E v ery n ig h t,

to p reserv e th e p eace o f th e w o rld ,

th e p riests o f m y to w n 's tem p le

rem o v e th e n o se-rin g o f

o u r fish -ey ed g o d d ess,

th e m id n ig h t-h u ed m aid en M een ak sh i.

E v ery n ig h t th is is d o n e

b efo re th e lo rd an d th e lad y

are p u t in to th eir b ed -ch am b er

lest, d u rin g th eir lo v e-m ak in g ,

th e larg e an d lo v ely d iam o n d n o se-rin g

ch afes th e D estro y er,

th e d ark an d d ead ly L o rd S u n d aresh w arar,

w h o m ig h t lau n ch in to T an d av

an d so start a d estru ctiv e sp ell

leav in g th e w o rld in ash es.

T ch , tch , w e can 't risk su ch th in g s,

th erefo re ev ery n ig h t, th e p riests

o f m y to w n 's tem p le

d o th is p ro p itio u s act.

I d r in k a n d d r in k

till in d ru n k e n s tu p o r

I a m a b u b b le

m irro r in g a c o n to rtio n is t,

g ig g lin g a t m y s e lf,

c irc lin g ro u n d to re a c h o u t

to m y s e lf a g a in

in c e s s a n tly w ith a tw is te d s m ile ,

b lin d e d o c c a s io n a lly b y th e s p e c tru m in

y o u r e y e la s h e s .

T h e b lo ck o f tex t

I tirelessly w o rk ed o n ,

refu sed to reso lv e

its in ten t.

T h en y o u cam e alo n g -

y o u r n ew b o d y -

n ew fin g ers, n ew feet-

tracin g th eir o u tlin e

o n w h ite m arg in -sp aces

o f m y u n ru led p ag e.

In k -ed g es m ark ed

y o u r n ew step

lik e m in iatu re ice-b erg s

refu sin g to m elt,

lest th is arch ip elag o 's

m ap

altered th e safety

o f cu rren ts.

I stared

at th e u n fin ish ed

silh o u ette

an d its so ft ed g es-

its su b tle ten tativ e

fran k n ess,

its clear h o n esty

o f am b itio n ,

its d eep sep ia-tin g ed

m atu rity .

I retraced

its p erip h ery -

o n e th at w o u ld

ex p an d

th e g rip 's stren g th

in tim e,

each d ig it ad d in g u p

to an eq u atio n

n o h u m an can b alan ce

M y so n 's first

fo o tp rin t o n p ap er-

stam p in g a n ew w ill-

a n ew sco re's

u n train ed fu rtu re,

an d th e m iracle

o f tabu/a rasa.

Maachey Bl7aarey Bangaale

- A n o ld B e n g a li s a y in g

D elicately sh eath ed ,

w rap p ed

in p ap ery h u sk -

I lo v e th e feel an d

eleg an ce o f lo n g slen d er

rice g rain s-

th eir sed u ctio n

an d ch arm ,

th eir aro m a an d sh ap e-

. th eir fin e flav o u r

an d

th e d eep v irg in taste.

I u se m y fin g er-tip s

to p ry o p en ,

feel, an d sen se

th e h id d en taste

o f fish -

its flesh an d scales,

its co arsen ess

an d g lo ss,

its g eo m etry ,

its m u scle-b o n e

an d to n e-

G en tly , I relish it all.

In m y fath er's d en I'm aflo at

I'm a tw o -d im en sio n al so m eth in g

stretch ed acro ss a lo n e cru m b lin g b rick red w all

w h ere h is scrib b les, n ew sp ap ers, m ap s, p h o to g rap h s

b reath e g en tly . I clin g ag ain st m y w ill

b u t th ey 'v e sto len h is h eart w ith

th eir flu id ey es an d fray ed ed g es;

h is lip s are p arted , m o v em en ts b lin d .

T h e su n o n ly rises w h en

h e carefu lly su rv ey s h is life's w o rth :

th at lo n e red w all an d sk etch es

frag m en ts o f b lu e-b lo o d ed life.

F in g ers trem b lin g slig h tly b u t

sm o o th , n im b le; n eed le sh arp

sw eat trick les u p o n h is art

an d sails lik e a b lo o d th irsty p irate.

H ere, P o seid o n w ith sm o k e-filled ey elid s

sits b lu b b erin g lik e a m ad co w u p o n

h is b lo o d y th ro n e. W h ite-v ein ed C 1 eito

sh im m ers in co ld g reen i~ o latio n .

T h e T em p le g leam s in its m arb led m isery .

G reen G o ld en T w ilig h t creep s u p o n

red w in e co lo u red so u ls, b ead y ey ed ,

cry stal th ro ated . T h ey g u rg le so ftly

an d lie q u ietly o n th is silv ered b ed

lik e electrify in g p lu m es o f cru sh ed silk .

A n icicled d o m e sleep s frig id

lik e a h alf b u ried o cto p u s, leth al

th e rem ain s o f its ten atacled p illars,

b attered , b read cru m b ed , th e h alf-

b itten m ist o f a d ream su rren d ered .

I d iv e in sh ark -ed g ed to satisfy m y ap p etite.

I w an d er restless, th ro u g h en d le~

lab y rin th s an d p h o sp h o ro u s cav ern s.

A sto n e staircase in th e d ep th s o f th e d ark o cean ;

lead s m e o n u n til th ere's n o m o re to clim b

an d I'm en g u lfed b y so m e jealo u s w av e.

T h eseu s is d ead an d I'm

h u rled o u t fro m th ese m ad

b lack w aters th at k iss A tlan tis.

A lla h c a m e to c a ll u p o n

T h e d e v o u t M u e z z in

O n e m o rn in g

B e fo re d a w n h a d b ro k e n

T h e M u e z z in

T u rn e d h im a w a y

"It is a lm o s t tim e fo r namaaz,"H e s a id .

"B u t w h y d o y o u p ra y ? "

A lla h a s k e d o f h im .

. "L e a v e , fo o l! K a fir !"

T h e M u e z z in c r ie d

A n d s h u t th e d o o r

In th e fa c e

O f th e O n e

H e s o u g h t.

D o n o t b e fr ie n d

T h e d a rk n e s s

E v e n th o u g h

It m a y s u rro u n d y o u

F o r y e a rs

L e s t y o u b e b lin d e d

B y th e lig h t

Y o u c ra v e .

In the first summer of my befuddlement

a d ream -catch er cam e h o m e tu rq u o ise an d red .

S w in d led av ian fu r an d an im al g u t w ith a tag .

th irty -d o llar ex p ressw ay to few er n ig h tm ares o ff th e sh elf.

T h at's 1 15 0 0 ru p ees an d a co n trav en tio n o f an im al rig h ts.

W ith th e d ream catch er cam e a scrip tw riter u n cle

w ith an o ld -fash io n ed fo ld er fu ll o f n ew p lay s to stag e.

In m y o ran g e ro o m h e h u n g th e d ream catch er o n th e

w in d o w sill,

o v er th e b lu e lin en d rap es to catch h id eo u s d ream -flies

flittin g in

th ro u g h th e w in d o w s an d sw itch ed th e n ig h tlig h t o n .

In m y b lu e-lit o ran g e ro o m , cu rtain d raw n , d ream catch er

flaccid ag ain st h eav y d rap es w ith n o th in g to catch

u n cle p erfo rm ed , lik e a d ex tero u s b u tch er in

th e co w 's b est in terests, u n d er th e g ap e o f

p u trid h o rses an d p lu ck ed b ird s.

In th e m u ted b lu e lig h t u n cle g y rated

in m e, o v er m e, aro u n d m e in co n cen tric lo o p s.

T h ro u g h th e su m m er h e reh earsed b en eath th e d ream

catch er,

g u aran teed to w ard o ff d isso n an t d ream s o r

g et y o u r m o n ey b ack w ith in th irty d ay s.

W h en th e n ew sch o o l term b eg an u n cle p ack ed h is fo ld er

an d left in search o f a p ro d u cer to stag e h is p erfected n ew

p lay .

I threw the dream catcher aw ay .

M ay b e I sh o u ld h av e g iv en it so m eth in g to catch

an d left th e cu rtain s u n -d raw n .

Biographical Notes

Prayas Abhinav (G u jarat), H .S .C ., b .1 1 3 Jan u ary 1 9 8 2 , m .t.2 H in d i,

F ilm m ak er.

M .K . A jay (M alay sia), M B A , b . 2 8 O cto b er 1 9 7 3 , m .t. M alay alam ,

M an ag er.

U jjal C h ak rab arty (K o lk ata), M .A ., P h .D ., b . 5 A u g u st 1 9 5 2 , m .t.

B en g ali,S erv ice.

S am p u m a C h attarji (M ah arash tra), B .A . (H o n s.) in E n g lish , b . 1 7

N o v em b er 1 9 7 0 , m .t. B en g ali, W riter.

D eb ash ree D attaray (K o lk ata), M .A . (C o m p arativ e L it.), b . 2 9

S ep tem b er 1 9 7 9 , m .t. B en g ali, R esearch F ello w .

T ish an i D o sh i (C h en n ai), M .A ., b . 9 D ecem b er 1 9 7 5 , m .t. E n g lish ,

W riter/D an cer. E n g in eer.

R ev ath y G o p al (M u m b ai), M .P h il. E n g lish L it., b . 3 1 M ay 1 9 4 7 , m .t.

T am il, W riter.

A n ll G u rto o (N ew D elh i), M .D . (M ed icin e), b . 1 9 6 0 , m .t. H in d i,

P ro fesso r o f M ed icin e.

K en n ed y H y lch h o (N ew D elh i), B .A rch ., M .A . (A rts & A esth etics),

b . 2 1 M ay 1 9 7 0 , m .t. M izo , A rch itect.

P allav i K au stu b h ]ay ak ar (M u m b ai), M .S c. (B io -C h em istry ), b . 7

D ecem b er 1 9 6 9 , m .t. M arath i, P ro p rieto r.

S u b u h l ]lw an l (M u m b ai), B .A . (C u ltu ral S tu d ies), N ew Y o rk , b . 6

D ecem b er 1 9 7 9 , m .t. G u jarati, F eaw re W riter/S u b -E d ito r.

M een a K an d asam y (C h en n ai), B .A . (E n g lish L it.), b . 1 A u g u st 1 9 8 4 ,

m .t. T am il, W riter-A ctiv ist an d T ran slato r.

G o p lk rlsh n an K o tto o r (N ew M u m b ai), D .L itt., b . 2 N o v em b er

1 9 5 6 . m .t. M alay alam , B an k O fficer.

A n jaU K rIsh an (N ew D clh i), B .A ., b . 1 2 A u g u st 1 9 8 3 , m .t. H in d i,

S tu d en t.

V ln o d K rish n an (C h en n ai), C lass 1 2 , C B S E , b . 4 Ju n e 1 9 8 5 , m .t.

T am il, S tu d en t.

A d lti P au la M ach ad o (B an g alo re), C lass 1 2 , b . 3 N o v em b er 1 9 8 8 ,

m .t. K o n k an i, S tu d en t.

Ashim Malhotra (U S A ), M . P h il., M .S ., b . 1 0 S ep tem b er 1 9 7 7 , m .t.

P u n jab i, S tu d en t.

S ai K u m ar M en o n (K erala), B .A . (E co n o m ics), b .7 A p ril 1 9 5 9 , m .t.

M alay alam , C o n su ltan t T ea- T aster.

M . M o h an k u m ar (T h iru v an an th ap u ram ), M .A . (E n g . L it.), b . 2 7

F eb ru ary 1 9 4 1 , m .t. M alay alam , R etired G o v ern m en t S erv an t.

In am H u ssain M u llick (K o lk ata), U .G . II (E n g lish ), b . 1 D ecem b er

1 9 8 5 , m .t. B en g ali, S tu d en t.

A n th o n ey N ag (O rissa), M .A . (E n g lish ), b . 2 0 D ecem b er 1 9 5 0 , m .t.

O riy a, T each er.

S w eth a R ag h u n ath an (B an g alo re), P .G . in C o m m u n icatio n M g m t., b .

1 8 O cto b er 1 9 7 9 , m .t. T am il, C o m m u n icato r.

S o w m y a R ajen d ran (C h en n ai), B .A . (E n g lish ) F in al y r., b . 4 M arch

1 9 8 6 , m .t. M alay alam , S tu d en t.

L ata R am asw am y (B an g alo re), P h .D . (E n g lish ), b . 2 Jan u ary 1 9 5 3 ,

m .t. K an n ad a, W riter.

N elso n J.S . S an th o sh (C o ch in ), M B A , b . 1 8 Jan u ary 1 9 7 9 , m .t.

T am il, P ro d u ct M an ag er.

S au rab h S arm ad h lk ari (W est B en g al), M .A ., b . 7 Jan u ary 1 9 7 4 , m .t .

. B en g ali, L ectu rer.

M in ai S aro sh (G u jarat), M .A . L itt., b . 5 S ep tem b er 1 9 6 0 , m .t.

G u jarati, B an k E m p lo y ee.

S u d eep S en (N ew D elh i), M .S ., M .A ., b . 9 A u g u st 1 9 6 4 , m .t. B en g ali,

W riter.

N iv ed ita S u b ram an lam (C h en n ai), B .A . (E n g lish L it.), b . 7 O cto b er

1 9 8 5 , m .t. T am il, S tu d en t.

A ru n d h ati S u b ram an y am (N ew D elh i), B .A . (H o n s.), b . 2 6 Jan u ary

1 9 8 3 , m .t. T am il, W o rk in g in T elev isio n .

A arab i V eerarag h av an (C h en n ai), U n d erg rad u atio n , b . 1 6 M arch

1 9 8 6 , m .t. T am il, S tu d en t.

I. b .: b o rn

2 . m .t. : m o th er to n g u e

The British Council and the Poetry Society (In d ia) h av e b een

jo in tly o rg an isin g p o etry co m p etitio n s in o rd er to d isco v er n ew

p o ets an d p ro m o te p o etry in In d ia. T h e first co m p etitio n w as

o rg an ised in 1 9 8 8 . T h is v o lu m e co m p rises 4 6 sh o rtlisted p o em s o f

th e A ll In d ia P o etry C o m p etitio n , o rg an ised in 2 0 0 5 . T h e p o em s

w ere sh o rtlisted fro m 1 9 9 6 en tries co n trib u ted b y 7 2 1 In d ian

p o ets liv in g in In d ia an d ab ro ad . B rid g es o f h o p e, b lo o d feu d s,

cap tiv ity , clo u d s, co lo u rs, d ream s, fen ces, g h o sts, G o d , g u ilt,

lan g u ag es, m irro rs, m o th s, m u sic, n atu re, rain , su n rise, trees,

T su n am i an d w arrio rs are so m e o f th e th em es to b e fo u n d in th e

p o em s in th is v o lu m e, w h ich p ro v id es an in sig h t in to co n tem p o rary

tren d s in In d ian E n g lish p o etry .

H .K . K au l is S ecretary -G en eral o f th e P o etry S o ciety (In d ia).

H e is also D irecto r, D E L N E T - D ev elo p in g L iab rary N etw o rk . H e

h as b een th e C h ief L ib rarian o f th e In d ia In tern atio n al C en tre, th e

E d ito r o f Indian Author, th e P ro ject-D irecto r o f m an y literary

p ro jects an d C o u rse D irecto r o f W o rk sh o p s fo r A fro -A sian W riters

sp o n so red b y th e M in istry o f E d u catio n . H e h as au th o red an d

ed ited fo rty -n in e b o o k s in clu d in g fifteen v o lu m es o f p o etry su ch as

'F ird au s in F lam es', 'In th e Islan d s o f G race', 'P o etry In d ia', 'P o etry

o f th e Y o u n g ' an d 'P o etry o f th e R aj'.