Poem Stories




Be Not Proud

A long life was lived, adventures, events
Births, marriages, failures, triumphs
Family and professional.
The Life Test slipped by, you never took it.
The Test of Loss, Death in the face,
Holding it in your arms watching Life turn lifeless
Succour a survivor at the moment breath left.
Nay?
Missed the Rites of passage
To test Humanhood?
Be not proud.
-------------------


A Unique Couple 
They made a unique couple, a policewoman and a journalist
She so glamorous,  he so stodgy
Lugging her bag and paraphernalia.
She of the large round face, the ready smile
Obvious makeup, that glitzy sari!
He sober in corporate shirt and a bulgy belly.

Actually, it should have been the opposite
Her hail-fellow-well-met persona ideal to niggle out
Juicy bits from unwary tongues.
While the stodgy gent so lent itself
To the seniority of a Babu!
----------


A Hair Story

Once upon a time, she loved her hair
Oiled and washed and brushed, burnished with mehndi
Au de naturelle, in times of hybrids only.
It flowed down her back, awaiting the touch
Of a Love’s fingers, stroking sensuously thru the glossy tresses.
Varieties of buns, upturned beehives, or a chignon at nape
Adorned with a rose, courtesy genial gardner
To send off next post to Recalcitrant lover
Who ignored  the nurtured glory.
When fashions changed, into waves and curls
Left, right and center partings, sans sindoor
Marital symbol no man ever wears.
Tired of battles with bottles n awaiting the Touch,
She slashed it short, elegant Silver
Glorying in Freedom from a vain old dream.

------

 Through the bedroom window, I look down on a giant bedroom

Dark nights offer no glimpse; I rush to catch at daybreak.
My eyes first seek the horizon, shuttered by skyscrapers
Monster steel n glass symbols of slurped resources
To spew out fake humans, with fake emotions
That change with every audience, ultra-right / left
Ultra-modern, old fashioned, liberal/conservative or 50 / 50
Fulsome praises to your face, vicious criticisms behind the back.

---------












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