Common Nouns

There was a fish

blue, yellow and

dotted with spots

riding a watery haze

She looked pretty

with a soft fin

that saw one

through and

through

I asked

"What type"

"What breed"

"What do her colours mean"

The man at the

fishy aquarium

looked over once

then twice

He is a fish

She there, is a fish too

This one,

curled around itself

It is a fish too

They are all fish

he then walked

into the sea

the watery

chatterbox

parched

blurry sea

Anger, Marriage and Water

A young woman

of fifty six

gets up on time

for a bucket

to fill

She sweats

and huffs at

her husband

with pursed lips

and dragon gaze

The water trickles

molds into

murderous thoughts

some at the authorities

some at her husband

some at the world in general

The husband stirs

his gut

already awake

to the young woman's

pallid ire

He stoops on purpose

to show surrender

to flimsy water

and his mad woman

thus continues

his weary bond

with water and

the young woman

he married thirty three

years yesterday

tomorrow

there is hope

for water gutsy

for a smile

bereft of murder

Heat and Dust

The grime settles

in between the bars

of my gritty teeth

I sigh at the road

Scraped knees

and errant bees

golden dust

clouds that must

ruin an evening race

or transform

into a football field

with sloppy teens

a soft romantic

I have been

with squashed lilies

in a naughty breeze

now a cynic

with arms so plump

bad breath

and grumpy roads

now a cynic

in arid grace

a sore cough

in dark bylanes

Romance and 3 cups of tea

Leftovers from a

well slept in Sunday

so rich, so dense

I carry them to

This Tuesday morning

Gurgling my phlegm

From cigarettes stale

From a long lost love

I ache and ail

A boy, rather a persona

I loved and wanted

Came to me

In my first cup

of dark brown tea

As I sipped, I longed

To chore on memories

of a Sunday yore

On Marine Drive

In the rains

this persona took my

Palms in his and

asked me for my dreams

I readily gave in

To his charm

and raw wit

I shook and stared

At his boyish hands

They looked at me with

Unbridled warmth

His lip quivered

from cold winds and sea

he asked me

"Tea?"

I locked my locks

behind an ear

hoping to catch his gaze

which so unmasked

my clothed heart

He asked me with a start

"Will you be with me

while I walk?"

I took his lead and

stepped with step

he looked ahead

but smiled within

at my hair blowing

In the wind

This tuesday

is far ahead in time

I look at

His hands

and try to rhyme

his life with mine

He offers me a cloudy cup

I whisper and I recline

I kiss away my week goodbye

and dwell already

on Sunday divine.

My Villain- The Housewife

Get up wretched girl,

Woman now on assumption

Your little one wakes

With flapping eyelashes

trained to find you

in the dark morning

Your kitchen steams

of last night's pots

the ginger wants crushing

the news babbles

trained to rouse you

in the dark morning

The husband emits

One final snore

morning breath full of gore

The bath runs gushing

trained to maul you

in the dark morning

 

Sticky lips

Puckered chin

yellow teeth cruise within

eyes wide shut

headless wonder

The face laughs back

trained to taunt

in the dark morning

It's like cramming for exams

I monkeyed all day, that day about 6 years ago. I had a History test the next morning and super confident that I always was, I kept from my books, "for just another 15 minutes".

Then 2am was upon me and I stood in front of my dear pal Mira asking her helplessly,"How am I going to cram all this in the next 4 hours? I am soooo sleepy!"

She said," Just do it". She waited with me, kept vigil with her snores and finally drifted off to sleep as I thumped my textbook shut. 

Umang has taken over Mira's mantle. As I wait in REM mode to hear my Ayumi stir awake for her mid night feeding session,  I always think about those numerous History exams that have ruined my night sleep for so many years. Nights are for sleeping. No thoughts, words or deeds, just plain simple sleep. Some white noise and mild dreams with non-dramatic imagery.

My mom and others say that I shall never sleep in peace again. It's one in the morning. My last thought and non-dramatic image: Ayumi feeding in peace, her white noise is my beating heart. Her sleep is mine.

Ayumi

I'm back..No, I'm not attributing this long absence to my pregnancy (though it did seem like a lifetime) or to the fact that I have been completely wrapped round my baby Ayumi's (have to write "ole baba go" and "guccha poochie" after her name) chubby fingers.  I am calm now. Realization has dawned that I am a mother now. 

Ayumi is perfect, no two ways about that. My biggest moment and probably my everlasting memory will be her eyes looking up at me and smiling while she feeds at my breast. She looks at me straight with unadulterated affection that has a clear message," Thanks, fellow human, I feel much better. Food's good!" 

Ayumi is very clear headed. She has a lot to say and she says it out loud and quick and doesn't stop till she's made her point. I don't know yet what her point is; she's two months and two weeks old. But whatever it is there is batter to the babble. She frowns and looks skeptical when she deems it right and refuses to pose for the camera. Her stunned expressions are my most beautiful photographs, so are her grimaces at being tossed and mauled by eager family and friends.

Ayumi gives me a sense of startled awareness. I have to get up and GO. There's no time to regret and fret. There are things to be done and goals to achieve. Ayumi has to have a good life. She's my fervent mission and the greatest love of my life.