She

Mask over my eyes
Duct tape on my lips
Listening as my mother lies
With her hands on her hips
“I know what’s best for you”
“Anxiety? No such thing”
“Crying? No she just has the flu”
The masks won’t stop the sting
In her words that hits
Harder than the blows
Of the men she wants me to worship.
For lunch I’ll eat my woes
Dinner is at a wedding:
My dear friend
And the man she will serve.
I will wear thick layers of make up
But that won’t stop the ache
From the memories
Of our passionate love-making
From the wonderings
About her future:
Will she remember
My gentle touch
As his punches land
On her body that was once
My Mecca and Jerusalem.

Now only men we pray to
Hold their honor
On our temples
Display their banners.

Oh Child!

Misery’s child, smile tonight,
As I hold you tight.
Your father, Self-pity, shines bright,
But He is a false knight.
So let your creators take flight,
As if they were unwanted kites.
Be sure they do not travel light,
As you let them out of sight.

Then one by one, peel off my fingers
To release my grip on you,
Don’t, for too long, let me linger.
I am Numbness, how do you do.

Air

Life isn’t short,
It’s unpredictable,
You can scheme and extort
Or act mystical,
Build a few forts
And be typical
Because in your grave
Darkness will prevail,
But I say, be brave,
For you’ll be so pale
That the light you’ll crave
Will come from the scales
On your rotten skin.
You’ll glow and shine
From toe to chin,
As insects, on you that dine,
Shall be your only kin.
If the end is same,
Then why do you care,
About making a name,
Or what you wear,
Just go as you came,
All you need is air.

Stop Smiling

There is a dark place
It has a smiling face
Bright and sunny
All jokes funny
Just give it to me
I know you can be
Damn straight
And unlock the gates
To your fury
And be judge and jury
When I’m guilty
And you think I’m filthy
So talk with your mouth
Let’s have it out
I’m a bitch
The ugly hitch
In your uphill climb
I know that’s my crime
But I’ve done my time
You pathetic swine
I’m walking away
And you should pray
That I don’t come back
To break and crack
Your brittle bones
With sticks and stones
And rip out your guts
Without making any cuts
Cause I have no fear
Of killing my dear.

To Happiness, With love

Dear Happiness,
Take a minute to
Interrupt loudly
My silent reverie,
Fill with color
My dark musings.
Invade violently
My grey matter,
Where the dark is weakest.
Unclog the veins
Leading to my heart,
So the sinews vibrate
Long after each beat
Without killing me.

Guide to a Metropolis

In a metropolis, find yourself lost,
Pluck a flower, it has no cost,
Or sit on the roof of a sky-scraper,
Behold a world, nevermind the vapors.

Gaze at people, see their undoings,
Misery makes for compelling viewing.
Observe calves and babies suckling at teats,
As you hear the whirs and chirps compete.
Revel in the colours through gray smoke,
Surround yourself with shouts and croaks.

In a metropolis, once lost, never found,
Unlike your small country town.

Unoriginal Sins

A life of Pleasure,
Such as can be,
For a soul of mankind, nothing divine;
It was my Tragedy,
Such as can be,
For this flesh of mine, a cup of wine.

To fellows, I was naught but good,
Love and Compassion, as you would.
Repent I would not,
Forget I would not,
Past walked beside me,
Present in my hand, Future gone.

Guilt is calling to me,
A Sinner I have been,
But Sinner I shall be,
For therein lies my Suffering,
And therein lies my Salvation,
And the two shall never meet.

The Suicide Poem

She was a bad woman.
A mango, a melon, a lemon,
A call, a rebuke, a summon,
Baffled her same as the oven.

She used to be a good girl.
A gem, a diamond, a pearl.
She took whatever they hurled,
Gave a little bow and a twirl.

She heard them utter
Such intricately beautiful lies,
She started to flutter and stutter,
To look towards the skies.

Her mind was a swamp, a gutter,
And so this poem dies.

Flowers

A garden, abundant in buds
Had all but two duds
With different parents,
Each with boastful talents.
One brought lovers together,
The other could bear any weather.

The buds grew side by side,
For the garden was not wide.
Intimately entwined,
On each other’s minerals they dined.
Time revealed beautiful flowers,
Bright in both, sun and showers.

They were ready to procreate.
The garden thought it inappropriate.
So defying all-logical Fate
They did not mate.
There was nothing more to share,
Their petals were falling, soon they’d be bare.

The buds, now flowers, have grown apart,
To survive, and get a fresh start.
They left each other as friends,
Having to make no amends.
These flowers will make their own plants.
Discuss their happiness? We shan’t.

Spillage

In your absence a serene calm,
Soaked the sweat from my palm.
It was all I wanted, as a healing balm,
No fear and almost no qualms.

No words, sighs, involuntary sounds
Now, to say you’re coming ’round,
You are more than just bound,
Alive and almost unwound.

Chaos reigns; I am drenched in guilt,
Dreading silence; my thoughts got spilt.