companions on my early morning ride
milkmen ladies taught by lady and i
to put education in unwilling heads
who have reluctantly left their
unyielding beds
early morning joggers with
pot bellies to hide
dogs in hoary colours
brown black and white
everything i measure as i make my way
look there the break of day.
SIGNS
the married woman’s signs
can be seen on me
the mangalsutra the sindoor mandatory metti
i pray for my husband
perambulate the tulsi plant
his name is god’s
and is convenient to chant
i am devoted
maybe even besotted
see me and you’d also agree
for i carry all signs
of blissful matrimony
i am never far from a chance
to pray
never tired of thanks to say
you see me
traditional and shy
married for a while
but there also is
a time to take it all off
fling them aside
casual as a cough
when i am with another man
it’s sans jewellery
that i do what i can
you see
it would be disrespectful
to don them then
and there so i do
what i do and after
the marriage
i wear.
DOODLES
turquoise
lapis lazuli
the tongue wraps itself
around words
beautiful
as binding ties
whimsical cat’s eyes
and searches
for more
words that mean
home
like you and i.
FAVOURITE PHRASE
in my autumn of memories
i discarded like leaves
memories of you and me
of you
and watched them being raked and carted away
to be burnt in the flames of hate
in the fire of hurt
the winter came and the ashes
flew into my window once more
cold comfort to a battered
heart and a bruised soul.
