Inside Out

I smiled at the morning light that peeped
through unwashed, mud-stained windows.

Super sunbeam peeled through stubborn grime
and landed on the fourth marble tile from the left.

The crummy dirt-rimmed patches of nastiness on glass
made a mosaic of uneven polka-dotted shadows.

And my white little pariah in the spotlight
was a dalmatian gaining enlightenment.





Photo Credit: My dear friends, Ashwini & Kunal

All I Want is for You to...

Surprise me with custard apples in April

and snowflakes in Bombay's November.

Find me a flawless orange maple leaf

and ink my back with a black sea horse.

Sing to me with made-up words

and recite about love in a foreign tongue.

Cajole me into wearing fuschia silk

and tie up my hair in an unkempt braid.

Touch me without touching me

I wish to bathe in your warmth.

Spoil me for I can be spoiled

by nothing and everything.

Hold me on the brink of life

and breathe harder when I miss my breath.

Take me back to that little girl

who believed in flying with gossamer wings.

How Fruitful Was That?

In the orchard of excellence, the fallen peach was graded a scoffing 'F' for her behaviour.

Well-ripened and unabashed she lived by her will.
And plunged to a splattering death close to the family roots.

Unlike her perfectly plucked sisters,
who were last seen in the old man's commode.



Photo Credit: Designer's Terminal #66

What did you Expect?

That habitual 

glint. The

same dilated

size.

You searched

for my love

in her
willful eyes.

You stared

harder to

catch one

little glimpse.

Of a world

forgotten

and left

behind.

You looked

for my dreams

in her
wide eyes.

How would it

be there?

My love

was Blind.

A Defined Purpose

The little hint of dark Kohl in her eyes were intentional.

They lined the water gates and guarded those big Dreams under her concave eyelids. 

They had no other choice. 

They were told she was a visionary!

Dazzling Emotions

It had been eons since she was besotted by the sky. Her wavy dark hair circumvented her space sending livid ripples of love-lost fury in all directions. She gurgled towards him brimming with hope and love; and came lashing back home when she found none.

Until one calm dark night when she sat by herself and observed her muse with a smirk. It dawned on her then that she was actually mesmerized by those shiny little trinkets that covered every inch of his expansive frame.

So she scuffed, scuttled and shuffled her feet, without a second glance above.
For she had learned to braid her own tresses with stars.

Light Exams

He sat there quietly in the shadows of the night, memorizing his lessons all day.
But he couldn't remember all his lines, and knew there was a better way.

The wall suggested he copy from her, so she scribbled on herself with delight.
He winked and smiled in absolute relief. This had to make it work, alright!

The strict shrewd instructor switched the questions and threw him in an electrifying daze.
The lines and lessons danced before him, but he couldn't recollect the right phrase.

He stuttered and stammered and flickered all the way, unable to make his mark.
It wasn't easy to read notes off a wall when he was still scrambling in the dark.

It's all Well Arranged!

They lined themselves up neatly with a 'name' assigned to them. The men stood there impatiently, fretting about how long they'd had to wait! Each oggled lecherously at all the other girls, keeping one eye on his prize.

One lifted her off her feet, and then dumped her back on the belt. But with a bent back and a crooked nose, she still shined the name on her face. 

Another ripped and stripped her open, searching for his name. He didn't find what he was looking for, so he packed her up again. The others stared in horror, but raised only a brow.
"Not mine!" he shrugged simply, without an ounce of guilt.

She finally found the 'right one', and gave her hand out to reach out to his. But was so disappointed to see another buxom beauty resting peacefully on his trolley.

They quickly dried up their tears, and then laughed and sniggered at the rest.

How could they stand to be like those unfortunate girls, still waiting to be picked? 

Pin Pains for Poster Boy!

With a well-balanced head, she stuck on to his to-do-list through morning, noon and night.
And every time he crossed his work-station, she beamed and held on tight!

So when he put her on his wish-list's forehead, she secretly made her own.
She longed for him to hold her between his fingers and press her against the foam.

While her violent predisposition made her want to pierce right through his heart.
It might've been easier if she was a strong-legged, big-bosomed dart.

Alas! Dear Thumbtack, 

You'll only be his pretty Pin-up Girl!

Pan Waltz

She was spooned out of her comfort zone and thrown on to the steaming hot dance floor.

She sputtered and stuttered and sizzled on her feet. And then the broad shouldered yeast lord slithered in.

Together, they swooned and pirouetted in perfect circles.

Complicated footwork followed suit.

He dragged along, but she was light, light, light.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.