Page 30 - Poems
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hear my speech sounds uttered their gauzy scarves, so intimate.
with breath not voice, hear the I wonder what they hear as Rhinestone
trumpet-flower blowing, for what raises her pink-owl-covered phone
voice can I give to the eff kay pee to her lips and says, “I really love
ess tee of uncountable sibilants, this part.” At Sion, a heap of people,
where is the integer I might sigh, are waiting to get in. No boundaries
hold on to, the thing complete remain between one island and the
unto itself? What I have is fractious, next. On my right, a samurai is speaking
fractions of speed / space / track / in colours when a candy-striped red-
powerline / sky / blue / building / and-white reed-girl climbs in and sits
till two girls veiled in scarves enter down right next to me, delicately
the compartment smelling expensive, wiping her neck. By Kurla, Candy is pensive,
one in diamond ring and mascara, the wind is hot, the middle-aged woman
the other in rhinestone slippers and in steel bangle bold. On my left,
greenstone ring, right hand taloned the stairs are yellow, on my right—grey,
with painted pink square nail with clothes being dried below. On her left
attachments, left hand chipped foot Diamond bears an injection scar.
and bare while on my left—red brick Sense of a village beyond. Deity of Villages
walls with cement oozing in between Beyond, what shall I do with your
a shed with weathered wavy roof presence? Crab-wise, skirl into the marsh.
and galloping on hooves to my right By Vidyavihar the girls are discussing
two people on a bench tattered blue. Fifty Shades of Grey. “Tomorrow,” says
“Don’t accept this,” says Diamond Rhinestone Cowgirl, “you can tell me
to her friend. Deity of Don’t, halleluiah. what happens!” When Diamond disembarks
Deity of Tooth and Nail, Hair and Shirt, Candy puts her knobby right foot up
Deity of On, Onwards, On and On and tucks her handkerchief away.
into the afternoon, till Matunga Leopard-print meets Bandhini
kwaidaan / paidaan once the place like twins. Deity of Twinship, of Kinship,
where a King (King Bhimdeo stay. Candy leaves. On my left, surprising
of Mahikavati no less) stationed green ferns, on my right, an overbridge
his elephants, matanga the elephant clad in blue and white like the man
name I never knew, now merely in formal white shirt and informal
a station with shrubbery on the blue jeans. Deity of Blue, let there
tracks to the left, one-eighteen always be jeans. At Ghatkopar,
on the digital clock to the right. STOP. an iron grin, ornate, unexpected, on my
May all the school girls in smart left. On my right—a yellow-green engine,
white shirts and tight black pants a train crayoned on a wall. Tai enters,
wreak havoc on all the maydays grey hair pulled back, green bangles,
to come. This is an unstoppable beige and orange sari of indefinite
claim, Shiv also known as Sion, material, oblong bindi, rooster
cyan, not shawn or shorn, the guys crowing beside her as she walks. Deity
wear shades reflecting passing of Middle Age, speak your certitudes now.
trains, the girls share earphones, Reveal her secret equanimity
left and right parted in the centre like a stone. At Vikhroli unexpected
into right and left ears beneath appears again. Melville, not the author
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