The Maiden

The white canvas rests untouched,
The spear of destiny dipped in pallet,
My fingers laid scarred
My muse ;Silent.

Soul was vacant, vanished was my conscience,
Verdict was out, guilty as charged.
The bloodstained fettered cloth reminds,
The ghosts of Christmas Past.

Out of the blue,

I drew,
An arced river for her head,
And pale yellowed her face,
Lips of cherry, eyes of fish.

A white strip of her maidenhood,

and garments of country girl.

The turban flowed in wind,
And stroked the rainbow,
Colors danced death,
Every brush stroke took my life,
Bit by bit.

And there she was,looking at me,

Turning towards,or against me?
With last breath, I dropped a white,
Near her ear,
She was completed
And I was gone, to reside,

in her pearl earring.

Winds of Change

A shadow rabbit, on the roof wall
A multitude of steel cuboids, rolling on road,
Their music dwindling and rising.
Orchestra is here, and I have baton.
A,B,D,F,Do Re Mi,
The notes struck down my throat.

The black phone is sitting quietly,
A single braid of hers,splits in two
Goes around my head,whispering
The notes struck again.

One,two,three, stars appear,
Or was it me who did?
Twinkle twinkle little stars
Dead you are, and so far.
Glimmer glimmer your soul.
The notes faint, but struck clearly.

Flap flap night birds,flap flap,
Flap your way to your squalor.
Let howls be your guide, as are mine.
The symphony is just beginning,
The Ford's theatre will light up tonight.
The notes will strike tonight in every booth.

And here I am, with my baton,
On my roof, a house by road.

Monsters Inside Me

Closets, cupboards, almirah

Hall,attic,veranda,

dripping, drooping,drooling,

seeing,safe,safe,safe.

House is me, in me is house,

the fireplace, ashen,arouse.

Mirror on bed, knife in clock

curtains in tub, trophies on wall.

Mirror laughs at me, make me faces,

green,white,red,purple.

Door bangs, ring rangs,

tree in garden, waits.

Peeling walls hear nothing,

lizard creeps in through window

It sees me, It knows me. 

The second death calls for me.

It is there, with my keys, jingling.

I take a deep breath with my eyes,

and open the door.

In distance, a leaf turns. 

Dear Diary #1 My Village, My Home

Sitting in my room, watching my favorite series on my laptop, I was oblivious of everything around me. The random disturbance of the flies were the only distraction. You must be guessing that this quite mood setting is definitely going to lead somewhere disastrous or unexpected. Well you guessed right.

Enters my mom, a lady in her late forties. She blabbered something, because I had my headphones on. The only words I caught at first were, "Your grandmother.....above....have to go." That was strange. My grandmother was already dead 3 years ago. What is she talking about now? I removed my headphones, and stared her. She saw my face, and said,"I just received the phone call. She is dead." That's when it strike. My Real Grandmother was dead, the one who lives in my home-village. Well, LIVED. You must be wondering about two grandmothers. Well to summarize, My real grandmother gave my father to her sister, who was infertile. 

The arrangements were made. We were to leave for my village by 8 pm. Me,mom-dad and my brother, along with other relatives were en route to the village. My village, the one I hadn't seen in years, Nine to be precise.

The journey was a 120 km far. Until we were on the city road, everything was fine. Though it was mid December, the winters hadn't strike yet. so we were in our semi winter clothes. But as soon as we took the turn for our village road, MAN It was CHILLY... The open area on both sides, made the fog even more dense. And it was a nighttime too. The road was to be a 10 km long, and the night, the fog and the alone road was making us hallucinate. It was something you see in a horror film just before the appearance of a white walking ghost!!! The chants were on a leash. Suddenly a rabbit came in front of the car. A white one, and his ears were all the way pointy. It ran in front of our van for some 500 meters, like it came to welcome us. 

Anyways, we reached there by 11 pm. My cousin brother received us in front of his home. I took a look around. Everything was different in appearance, as I recalled from 9 years back. But then it is a long time too. We went inside. Voices of mourning was coming from a room, where the body of my grandmother was laid covered in whites. All the ladies went inside,and I along with my cousins stayed outside.We looked up to the sky. It was crystal clear. We all read about the village or the hills night sky, full of stars. It was there, in all its beauty. I know, you must be wondering Why I am writing about this, when my grandmother is laying dead inside. Well she died at 87 years of age, a pretty well. And died of natural cause, without any pain. So her death was not a subject of sadness to me. Besides I know I have to help in making arrangements for the funeral ceremony, So I cant cry or let myself sob. 

Our sleeping arrangements were made, and I was told to wake up at 6 am sharp. Not a biggie, as I was habitual to rise early. Next day, after all the arrangements (details I wont bore you with), we carried her to the burial place. The burial ceremony went good, but quite in a rush, according to me. Well maybe that's the way village people do. I was the last one to walk off the place. As I was walking, I turned around and saw her burning one last time, capturing that moment both in my heart, and my mobile (Techno-savvy I am).

We were to leave by the evening, and come back again on Sunday, for the Tehrvi, a feast organized in the memory of the deceased one. So till the evening, I was free to roam around. I went up to the roof. All was quite and peaceful. I also wandered in the streets. The houses, all left alone, and build probably 100-200 years back. I am sure the ASI will be happy to dig up these places for excavation. This was something, something connecting me to the village. I was hoping to see my village for such a long time, and today finally got the chance. These streets, these houses, all was a link to the past, the peaceful one. No words are there to describe the scenic beauty. I know, if you all visited these places, the first thing you will complaint about is filth;Not the city plastic waste, but of village's cow dung. Well that's the way it is, what can I do.

The noon passed too, and we climbed up the van. Though I knew I was coming just two days after too, but this moment, this aura in the air of my grandmother, still blessing me, will be over by then. I wanted to absorb it as much as I can. I took one last good look at the door, and with the start of the engine, I bid the house of my grandmother, because next time, It won't be the house of my grandmother, but my cousin, and just my village home, 'cause I was taking my grandmother with me, in my heart, forever.

In A Blue Moon

Once I was sitting alone in park,quiet 

watching the blue moon in its full light. 

memories took me down to past 

maybe some 3 years; yes it was, 

my 19th birthday, 23rd of may 

everyone was very happy and gay 

but my eye were on the door 

every once in a while I looked once more 

waiting for someone I was sad,

then suddenly the door opened and came a lad 

I rushed to him, he greeted me happy birthday 

I taunted," where was you whole day?"

he said,"I was arranging for the present,

Here's your gift,take it" but I resent;

"I don't want your gift your presence was needed.

Do you know today is blue moon, don't miss it"

we rushed to the roof, and looked for the moon, 

"it is marvelous" ,he said "we will meet very soon."

"Why?" ,I asked," where are you going" 

"I have joined the army. It is my dream." 

I became sad, "what will I do without you"

"Don't cry my girl. one day I will meet you,

when I will be something and will take you away

and will build our small nest I swear."

"When will it happen?" I asked him with tears.  

"you know next blue moon free after 3 years 

and on that night I will propose you with a ring"

"that's a promise",I said "don't forget this thing. 

after 2 years came a letter with his death news 

my world broke down my heart gets a bruise 

now when I think of him my eyes are tears. 

suddenly from the dark, a postman appears 

"it is a special delivery" he  handed me the letter 

when I read the whole moon shattered 

it was from him before you went to war.

It said "you are so near yet so far

This may be my final words don't mourn

if something happens to me I want you to move on 

but I kept the promise I made to you,see

I proposes you that the ring- will you marry me?" 

and a ring fell out, a curse , or a boon

And this all happened in a blue moon.