Conflict resolution

She sat with a stoic face
As her friend went on and on
About her dislodged tooth.
As if one tooth could be reason enough to leave him.

These things happen between couples
But you don't trifle with marriage.
What a madwoman her friend was
Angrily muttering she should have broken his tooth in answer

Why would she want to rob her husband of his tooth
And make life difficult for herself?
How would he then chew
The ground glass she mixed in his food?

First published in Singapore Unbound, 30 Dec 2018.

Grounded

I am worried my grandmother doesn’t sit
And she is afraid to,
After all these years
Of having been kept on her toes,
Waiting on others hand and foot . . .
She says she’d no longer be able to stand
If she sits down now.

If I sit
I shall remain sitting.

First published in Singapore Unbound, 30 Dec 2018.

Condensation

If you live at a place where fogs do
You'll know sometimes people keep walking
Not because they can see clearly ahead
But because that's what they know.

Where fogs descend, the temporal nature of promises is known the best:
Affirmations are mouthed only to vaporise the next moment.
People stick together in any way
To barricade the winter.

First published in Singapore Unbound, 30 Dec 2018.

Ants

Before they knew campaigns and street plays,
Before they developed calluses that mocked pedicures,
My smooth kidfeet
Had discovered that putting one step after another
Could take me a long way.

Smug feet, cool ground,
I thought the ants were in my way
And had to be reminded
About who's who in the scheme of things.

My feet (con)descended on them with complacence
And a moment became large enough
To simultaneously contain both:
The smell of liquid iron
And the sting of the point from where it oozed.

I'd like to say I always learn my lessons quickly
But to give credit where it's due
My teachers were sharp.

And whenever someone exhorts me
To magnify my life
I think that, actually,
I only need to be precise.

First published in Singapore Unbound, 30 Dec 2018.

Assumptions

You think you are safe
Because you and the bosses
Comprise the majority
But have you discussed this with them?
Have you told them about yourself,
About everything that makes you,
And checked if they consider you
A part of them?

And have you enquired
If you would still be all equals,
All the same, no hierarchies,
Once the extras are done away with?
Or would there always be some lows,
Because the highs need to be distinguished?



First published in Uppagus, Dec 2018.

माफ़ करें

ज़रा सुनिए, मिस्टर,
आपसे कहनी थी एक बात। 
जब आपकी टटोलती, भूखी नज़रें 
अचानक आपकी पत्नी को याद कर लें,
बस ना कहें मुझे सिस्टर 
और वो होगा पर्याप्त।

First published in Yuddhrat Aam Aadmi, 2018.

हिम्मत

काश की बाँटी जा सकती उस प्रसाद की तरह, 

जो लोग अपने-अपने भगवान को भेंट करते हैं. 

क्योंकि होती तो है उतनी ही पवित्र . . .

हिम्मत.

काश साँस की तरह हर एक के पास होती 

क्योंकि होती तो है उतनी ही ज़रूरी . . .

हिम्मत.

पर न बिकती है, 

न उधार में मिलती है.

पौधे सी अपने ज़मीर की मिट्टी में उगानी पड़ती है, 

फिर एक दिन रोशन पेड़ सी लहलहाने लगती है, 

रगों को पाक़ करती, झरने सी चमचमाने लगती है . . .  

हिम्मत.

First published in Yuddhrat Aam Aadmi, 2018.