kashmir

the man clenches a stone in his hand

and roars and lets it fly

but in an irony he can’t understand

he gets a pellet in his eye

the soldier takes aim with his gun

and fires at the baying crowd

but shivers under the blazing sun

and wonders why he’s not proud

the politician comprehends all of it

it’s a truth he’s always known

yes, fire turns into pyre bit by bit

but it’s wood that feeds the throne.

ram cobain

little johnny

rain rain go away

come again another day

unknowing it’s a rhyme he says

the homeless child fervently prays

ram cobain

maoist

the boy brings a gun up to his face

and shoots away centuries of disgrace.

ram cobain

two years of poetry

the muslim chewed quickly on his beef

worrying the doorbell might bring him grief
street children, they starved once again
as their money was spent on a bullet train
ex-servicemen pondered another hunger strike
over long fake vows over a pension hike
porn blinked out from internet browsers
and khadi chaddis grew fast into trousers
doctored videos became the rage
and history textbooks tweaked many a page
the ‘terrorist’ Afzal Guru was called a martyr
when there were found some MPs to barter
students were beaten up in open court
while the saffron flag fluttered in happy sport
the cost of pulses stayed above the roof
and the horse, Shaktiman, lost more than a hoof
of black money there wasn’t seen a single buck

the Swiss ATMs, perhaps they all were stuck?
farmers continued to struggle for hope
and often found it at the end of a rope
the Pakis were allowed inside our airbase
they looked here, there and showed us our place
the cry of “anti-national” came to be heard
for development is a much longer word
but yes all wasn’t grim, one must agree
there was quite a laugh over a degree
and Indians rediscovered pride from shame
on a suit that chanted one single name
and as Adani triumphed over Birla and Tata
none was happier – than Bharat Mata

ram cobain

pov

she leaves his life never to return

and so he kindles it like a burn

like an ember that hides a raging fire

or a cold yet consuming funeral pyre

aye, his memory of them belongs to the past

but see how sweet-talk can make it last

(see how long it can continue to be

when there’s only you left, of you and me)

and so he copes, with shards of yesterday

bent and bowed, from tears that weigh

and what of her, must you curiously ask

she takes to cigarettes, a swig of the flask

she takes to men, one each black night

and in blazing darkness, finds her light

as she realizes, with a toss of her hair

in the mirror she’s alone; he never was there

aye habits picked up, can easily be dropped

and nostalgia is evil, it’s meant to be stopped

so she remembers to forget, to care about him

till the remembering gets hazy; hey now it’s dim

till all that she recalls is there was a man

a fast fickle fellow, oh how quick he ran!

so she smiles and snuggles with her point of view

and believes forever – only her love was true.

ram cobain

unhurt

The boxer smiles, picks up his glove

and gets back to the business of pain

knowing after infidelity took his love

he won’t bleed like that again.

ram cobain

pause

we run along like wildebeest

pounding hard on earth

dreaming of maximum, racing for least

never knowing our worth.

ram cobain

undefeated

the body cries, please let me rest

the will cries, I tried my best

the soul cries, woe I’m weak

the blood cries, stop the leak
the sinew cries, I'm all pain
the mind cries, this is insane

the breath cries, hark I’m gone

yet something smiles, bring it on.

ram cobain