The Patient

It can be very embarrassing
to sit outside the doctor’s clinic
(between a man with a splinter in his thumb
and a woman with a mote in her eye),
waiting to be treated for a grazed soul

Cupid shoots arrows half-heartedly in all directions these days.

AMuseum

I gently walked into the museum hall
Second left, then second right
The dome above made me feel so small
I looked up at its starless night

Another left, and there it stood
The relic they had praised to the skies
One man’s tribute to human-hood
Displayed here for the whole world’s eyes

I stood and gazed, not quite spellbound
Trying to see what made it great
Curious, I ventured next to walk around
I observed, till it grew quite late

A million catalogues had screamed
I “just had to” see this matchless work of art
So many friends had always dreamed
Of a glimpse that would soothe the saddest heart

The sculpture’s upturned eyes were grey
Gazing at the starless night above
I turned my back and gently walked away
From Exhibit 15CFS: Love

Baby Show

I recently was witness to a Baby Show
With Dads and Moms with kids in tow

Brimming with pride, an eager sire
Held forth his baby for me to admire

“How pretty! How sweet!” he himself said
Me, I found the cherub far too red

“How very angelic!” everyone cried
“Now see mine! Now mine!” they vied

Babies were held forth one by one all morn
As I watched, I wondered how they were born

Some of maidens in towers long locked-up
Some of strumpets accidentally knocked up

Sired by sinners and sired by saints
Some early prayers, some late complaints

Babies of all shapes and almost all sizes
The organizers gave them all lovely prizes

I smiled at the darlings, and pulled a cheek
And turned away from those gruesome and weak

By the time I left, the pain had gone wild
I came home and delivered a stillborn child

Truth is...

So dark, so bright
Like a rainy night
So bound, so free
Like poetry

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She:
When your fingers lock with mine
Five and five make one
Sometimes we must redefine
The rules of addition

He:
You can hold my hand and not let go
But my spirit wanders free
A part of me you’ll never know
Our one and one is three

Bartender

(Inspired by the following lines from the Heretic: Love only lasts for strangers/ who met when the night was younger)

Madam are you expecting a friend?
I’m really getting late
My wife complains it’s become a trend
I’m not up to a debate

But it’s a great job I’ve landed here
Make some good money too
Here’s your…well let’s see…seventh beer
And the last, I must beg you

Arm in arm kids crowd around
I mix each one a drink
The music’s loud, it drowns the sound
Of how young lovers think

Later at night the gentlemen arrive
With the “ladies” around town
Blue Label makes our business thrive
And lets their gelled hair down

The last ones in are the lonely hearts
Trickling in hunched up to mope
Some broken often, in various parts
And shattered past all hope

A gentleman just looked in and left
Was he the one you sought?
Bald? Or should I say hair-bereft
Not him? I should’ve thought

You sure he’s coming? It’s awfully late
And I have to close up soon


They never keep the late night date
With old stars under the new moon

Business Reopens for the Evening

Makkhan Singh lolled in his chair
A fly buzzed perched on his nose
Heaps of laddoos were everywhere
But the fly cared not for those

With one half open eye our friend
Observed the adventurous fly
One thwack put its adventure to end
And it fell among laddoos to die

‘Flies! What a bother!’ Makkhan cried
‘This time of year when business is good
The management should use pesticide
Instead of burning sandalwood’

At four he rose and sounded the conch
And eager devotees broke the queue
Money was showered on the idol’s paunch
And each devotee got a laddoo

Vocation

I love you, my dearest daughter
I moulded you in my own fire
I’ll change wine back to water
If that’s your heart’s desire

Carry the spark far and wide
Take time to return to the fold
I’ll wait up here while you decide
Gods, at least, don’t grow old

Find your lamp and light it
Millions in darkness await you
And if there’s a gale, fight it
I caused it, and not because I hate you

(A vocation in life to all. Amen.)