Patna

she stood there
under the lightpost

her scarf was flowing hard
in the cold evening wind

and she’d been looking
at me
for quite sometime…

deep down
I knew
what she wanted

and it wasn’t
me…

*

Diya, you know

it was drizzling
when you called me . . .

stopped at a medical store and stood
under the shade the old
shopkeeper didn’t notice me
(he was bored)

and you were
relentless
with your questions . . .

a longdistance truck went past
flashing yellow, red lights, like a town, huge

we talked for five minutes
or so

while the rain kept on falling
on my bike . . .

*

Desolation ku

half teaspoon of chai powder
a few green
tea leaves, one small
bay leaf(crushed)

tulsi powder (1/3 teaspoon)
3/4 cup water, 1/4th milk

boil them
for 5 mins
in slow heat

&

listen
to those birds. . .

*

It’s cold here, and

watching
the midnight moon
i wonder . . .
which place is she searching
on Google Earth

*

that thing called love

the calendulas . . .
how they flutter in those
window boxes
it’s not that I don’t miss you
but your home is so far away