Life, this endless conversation with yourself
Silent in sanity, audible--
In madness.
Zohra Sehegal, The Telegraph, 2004
Silent in sanity, audible--
In madness.
Zohra Sehegal, The Telegraph, 2004
Showing posts with label poetry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poetry. Show all posts
27/03/2013
17/09/2012
06/09/2012
10/11/2011
12/06/2011
Photograph of a Smooth Talker
You make me wanderlust
I don't want to stay anymore, there are
Too many little islands I've made.
I send out little paperboats
Every time I feel unsettled, I set asail
A wobbling, fearful, mute thing.
They talk behind my back
Inch by quiet inch the delirious glitter of
My lies washes upon the shore.
I don't want to stay anymore, there are
Too many little islands I've made.
I send out little paperboats
Every time I feel unsettled, I set asail
A wobbling, fearful, mute thing.
They talk behind my back
Inch by quiet inch the delirious glitter of
My lies washes upon the shore.
03/09/2010
8 - Gwrthodwyd
"I'm sorry, we regret to inform you
that you did not say please properly."
What, what do you mean? I said, "Please."
"Our laws are very strict. Please
read the letter carefully."
This letter doesn't say much.
"You must be familiar with our laws. Before
you say please, please read them."
Can you tell me what I said wrong?
"Read the letter. Our laws for pleasing
us are very strict."
that you did not say please properly."
What, what do you mean? I said, "Please."
"Our laws are very strict. Please
read the letter carefully."
This letter doesn't say much.
"You must be familiar with our laws. Before
you say please, please read them."
Can you tell me what I said wrong?
"Read the letter. Our laws for pleasing
us are very strict."
01/09/2010
7 - The Vague and the Unclear
Running into
rainy days.
Yes, it's a rarity in May.
Wrapping up
bad poetry.
Hm, I don't know really.
Writing an
extra stanza.
Oh, that rhymes with bonanza.
rainy days.
Yes, it's a rarity in May.
Wrapping up
bad poetry.
Hm, I don't know really.
Writing an
extra stanza.
Oh, that rhymes with bonanza.
24/08/2010
6 - Vagabond Drinkers
Me and Glen Fernandez were out for some tea
We came back wearing cross-stitch stars.
Me and Keith D'Souza were out for some rum
We chatted up pixies with Milky Bars.
Me and James Peters were out for some cola
We chased our dreams in wind-whipped cars.
We came back wearing cross-stitch stars.
Me and Keith D'Souza were out for some rum
We chatted up pixies with Milky Bars.
Me and James Peters were out for some cola
We chased our dreams in wind-whipped cars.
5 - Melancholia
I walked into the river
with a line from a song.
I wore my black cape
and I put on a frown.
I can't deny I want my
happy ending.
The smoke curled slowly
in psychedelic gloom.
The first time went by
in sadness for Haroun.
He can't deny he wants my
happy ending.
with a line from a song.
I wore my black cape
and I put on a frown.
I can't deny I want my
happy ending.
The smoke curled slowly
in psychedelic gloom.
The first time went by
in sadness for Haroun.
He can't deny he wants my
happy ending.
23/08/2010
4 - Semicolons and American dashes
That twirling arrow came from nowhere
Oh God;
I didn't know what to write anymore.
The blinking cursor was stranded somewhere
Oh God --
Punctuated poetry is such a chore.
Oh God;
I didn't know what to write anymore.
The blinking cursor was stranded somewhere
Oh God --
Punctuated poetry is such a chore.
3 - Talking till Three
We were talking till three in the morning
I told him that not all flowers are red.
And even if all flowers were red
We would be talking till three in the morning.
I told him that not all flowers are red.
And even if all flowers were red
We would be talking till three in the morning.
20/08/2010
2 - Bloopity
Bloopity is my middle name
No, my mother's not to blame.
It all began when I was born
I came out feeling rather forlorn.
I didn't cry, I didn't scream
In fact, I shone with neonatal sheen.
The nurses were also very nice
They all smelled of Edelweiss.
I remember in particular: Namaha
Her laugh was a roadside brouhaha.
Have I mentioned lusty Piu yet?
Her boots are made for walking, I'll bet.
I can't believe I missed Antoo
Super-starched and straight hair too.
Then there was Sharan, a total goon
She'd always hum some sinister tune.
Sonal was the sweet, nervous sort
Her nose in particular had me floored.
Lord, those days were so much fun
The paediatricians partied till the rising sun.
Bloopity is my middle name
But my nurses loved me all the same.
No, my mother's not to blame.
It all began when I was born
I came out feeling rather forlorn.
I didn't cry, I didn't scream
In fact, I shone with neonatal sheen.
The nurses were also very nice
They all smelled of Edelweiss.
I remember in particular: Namaha
Her laugh was a roadside brouhaha.
Have I mentioned lusty Piu yet?
Her boots are made for walking, I'll bet.
I can't believe I missed Antoo
Super-starched and straight hair too.
Then there was Sharan, a total goon
She'd always hum some sinister tune.
Sonal was the sweet, nervous sort
Her nose in particular had me floored.
Lord, those days were so much fun
The paediatricians partied till the rising sun.
Bloopity is my middle name
But my nurses loved me all the same.
1 - There's No Romance
There's no romance in a queue
Everybody's bored.
There's no romance in a pill
You could get cured.
There's no romance in a spinning-top
I've got the cord.
I'm telling you, there's none of it left.
A-tish-oo!
Everybody's bored.
There's no romance in a pill
You could get cured.
There's no romance in a spinning-top
I've got the cord.
I'm telling you, there's none of it left.
A-tish-oo!
07/08/2010
Ovelle
Over the hill and under the sky
Orbiting the rim of a moan
Circling slowly like a dizziness
It felt like an ocean folding.
Veering narrowly into a crevice
Scissoring sharply on his teeth
Cutting the air with its two knives
It felt like a vertical rebellion.
Rustling quietly, leaves on a tree
Creating spaces for three corners
He was edgy, sometimes leaning on me
It felt like weaving a symmetry.
She came down sliding like a turn
On a whip of lush, thick cream
She swerved slyly, gave me a kiss
It felt like a sweet misspelling.
Orbiting the rim of a moan
Circling slowly like a dizziness
It felt like an ocean folding.
Veering narrowly into a crevice
Scissoring sharply on his teeth
Cutting the air with its two knives
It felt like a vertical rebellion.
Rustling quietly, leaves on a tree
Creating spaces for three corners
He was edgy, sometimes leaning on me
It felt like weaving a symmetry.
She came down sliding like a turn
On a whip of lush, thick cream
She swerved slyly, gave me a kiss
It felt like a sweet misspelling.
02/04/2010
Burning bright
Recommended reading:
Late at night, aloud to self, in the dark. And then feel it burn the back of your mind.
07/02/2010
Free part VI
Don’t let anything swallow your leap
Because glass and stones build a lonesome house
With bread, water and fourteen words a day
Don’t let anything carve your stride
Because graphite echoes may knock your head
And mark your dreams with asterisks
Don’t let anything touch your silence
Because the colours may all go to sleep
And draw the blinds around your world
Breathe your words as you say them
Taste your strings as you play them
As long as you are on the roam
The locks will rust, the birds will fly
You will be free to live, to die.
Because glass and stones build a lonesome house
With bread, water and fourteen words a day
Don’t let anything carve your stride
Because graphite echoes may knock your head
And mark your dreams with asterisks
Don’t let anything touch your silence
Because the colours may all go to sleep
And draw the blinds around your world
Breathe your words as you say them
Taste your strings as you play them
As long as you are on the roam
The locks will rust, the birds will fly
You will be free to live, to die.
25/08/2009
Poppadum, poppadum, po-ppa-dum
Poppadum, poppadum, po-ppa-dum,
Please bring our teachers back to school
We been languishing and anguishing for so long
And everybody is already down with flu
Poppadum, poppadum, po-ppa-dum,
Lure them and cure them of this jam
We stuck in the middle with a twiddle-thumbing Diddle
Saying "Later, agitator." What a sham!
Please bring our teachers back to school
We been languishing and anguishing for so long
And everybody is already down with flu
Poppadum, poppadum, po-ppa-dum,
Lure them and cure them of this jam
We stuck in the middle with a twiddle-thumbing Diddle
Saying "Later, agitator." What a sham!
14/06/2009
Cigarette Girl
Hey there, hi
I seem to know you from long by
Your memories are like ashes
From my cigarette last night
Smoky, hazy, delicate
Like its flame that rustles, intimate
You slowly burned the night away
And glowed in darkness of my love
Smoke and fire
Nicotine desire
I seem to know you from long by
Your memories are like ashes
From my cigarette last night
Smoky, hazy, delicate
Like its flame that rustles, intimate
You slowly burned the night away
And glowed in darkness of my love
Smoke and fire
Nicotine desire
09/04/2009
Free Part V
Laugh
and throw yourself off the cliff
Dive into the sea, drip-dry on the clouds
Shake
off all the stares, skid across their ice
You fluttering scarf, you've got it just right
Bright
red crayon swirl, on the cement wall
Wink at everyone's 'kind attention'
Four-
letter word, holding you by the door
Stick out your tongue and say goodbye!
You
are free to be wrong, free to go anywhere
For time is the blue-green ribbon in your hair
and throw yourself off the cliff
Dive into the sea, drip-dry on the clouds
Shake
off all the stares, skid across their ice
You fluttering scarf, you've got it just right
Bright
red crayon swirl, on the cement wall
Wink at everyone's 'kind attention'
Four-
letter word, holding you by the door
Stick out your tongue and say goodbye!
You
are free to be wrong, free to go anywhere
For time is the blue-green ribbon in your hair
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)