PIGEONS

There are pigeons in the terrace

I spend dawns with them

They watch the crazy lady

bend and stretch

 pray to the rising Sun with folded hands

They walk along the railing

like waddling bow-legged old men

making chortling noises in their throats

'you think she's crazy,' chortles one

'you betcha!' says another

the white fan-tailed beauty couldn't care less

she preens aloof from the drab regular grey-blues

and i thank god no nasty pigeon-catcher

can get to her

down to earth

i sometimes find a pigeon hiding

and pick it up carefully

for a pigeon comes down to earth

only to die.

VERY GOOD OMENS

First day at work (yey!)

Switched off alarm and overslept (habit!)

Charger! Charger! (not under the sofa - I looked)

Where are my slippers??

It's a bad-hair day (frizzz!!)

The lining of my handbag caught the zip (why - must - it - do -that??)

Breakfast, some measly dry bread en route (water, please!)

I never calculated the traffic jam (damn!)

Been there for the interview, but the streets all look alike (ya, ya, this one. no, no, that one)

One round...two round (in confused silence)

Finally!! (i passed this building - twice)

Just half hour late!

"I'm sorry! Am I late?" (embarrassed smile :)

MY HOME LIES LEEWARD

my home lies leewards

the way birds fly at Sunset

somewhere over the horizon

lies my humdrum world

where the maid has not dusted properly

pyjamas on the floor

books strewn around...

he has left his spectacle by the phone

will claim he's misplaced it of course

the cook has forgotten to turn off the gas

yes, and does the plumber really know his job??!!

the dog has walked across the just-swiped floor

and I! I have yet to have my bath and do puja!

yes, somewhere leeward lies my home...

my humdrum miniscule life magnified out of proportion

it's time to move it all to the back of my mind

the big things...they can wait too

far away from home, in this land of plants and trees

besides the still green lake, my mind is at peace.

COMPLETE

let's converse

along

lighter veins -

surprising

a tenderness here

shocking

an awareness there...

slowly moving

into deeper depths 

and

unexplored terrains

frightening in intensity

irresistably beckoning

in one hypnotic gaze

that draws out the soul

deeper and deeper

and deeper...

till all is said.

GHOST TALK

are you a ghost now

come visit me

scare me at night

let me hear your anklets jingle

sit by my feet

as i sleep

till aware of your presence

i stir uneasily...

wake up to see you sitting there...

then, spend the night

talking to me

let's complete the unfinished story.

OUR BOX OF GIFTS

Here’s a basket I put in for you

To all that you have

I added some more

Courage

When you imagined saving me

Happiness

When you gifted me what I already had

Credibility

When I believed your story of flying to the moon

Contentment

When I enjoyed our date at the roadside tea shop

Good looks

When I linked my arm in yours and walked proudly

Charm

When you married me

Eternity

When I told you how much I loved you

And now, as we sip tea together and hold hands

I know

That you gave back double-fold

By giving me my life.