Somniator

I flow untamed, undeterred,  My silver waves scattered with parijat  And ashes of the dead.  A man comes exploring  The secrets in my depth,  He worships me  When I quench his desolated fields  And curses me  When I uproot civilisation on my way.   I am ancient, raising Majuli  And culture of the indigenous,  I have witnessed the battle of Saraighat,  I have drowned histories and many a heroic soul  And now I endure the torments   As they try to choke me   With grease and plastic and rubble  And poison the children harboured in my bosom.  Yet, I flow, tarred and determined.   As the setting scarlet sun casts an iridescent glow   On the horizon;  A lone kingfisher flies above me,  A host of sparrows return home   To the cliffs of the venerable temple,  A hapless lad rows his sorrows  Thr...

Chasing a blue pansy barefoot amid the petrichor, The damp grass tickles my soles And my heart races with exhilaration. I climb the dilapidated brick walls Feeling like I have climbed mountains, I sit on the steps of my front porch On a serene starry night And wonder what lies beyond the Hills in my hometown, What lies beyond the crimson sunset over the horizon, And I dance to the music in the winds, Oblivious of the leers thrown at me, Unaware of the lecherous men lurking around me. My yellow dress with tiny daisies Can’t shroud my slender thighs While your baby face masks Your depraved intentions flawlessly. You tell me I look pretty And place your hand on the birthmark On my left cheek. But it’s not the only place you place your hand And 15 years later, I still remember The 6 by 6 bed with the mandala prints On the sheets and the locked doors And muffled sounds from the television Playing in the background. The family ce...

What keeps you up at night? Is it a lover’s quarrel Or the misery of unrequited love? Or perhaps the loneliness that creeps at twilight? Are you scrambling over your tempestuous life? Are you unsettled by your erratic future? Is it the fireworks that give you sleepless nights Lighting up the sky like a million bursting stars? Lying awake at 3 a.m. with a sense of hopelessness And countless thoughts tormenting the mind, Do you wonder how sad people are? Do you surmise that the world is an illusion? A momentary lapse in judgment And a lifetime of regrets; A series of misfortunes, Confusion and indecision in every step Where do you find your Purpose? How do you comprehend your Existence?    But there’s comfort in darkness And repose in desolation. So maybe as you lie down You’ll find stillness in the rustling of leaves While the crickets chirp a lulla...

Love must not be demanded, they say. Love is patient, love is kind. But how long do you wait Before he loves you back? 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 years? Have faith, they said. Kisses shared, memories made But so many stories left untold And unheard, so many secrets unwhispered, How do you make up for lost time? What do you do when realization hits you that All the promises and compromises are pointless? Do you loath thyself for this predicament? Don’t all thy hopes seem futile now? How do you pretend it’s okay, when it’s not? Lingering feelings are like the inheritor’s powder, Killing you slowly, without any trace. What then, you ask, is the cure for unrequited love? Maybe focusing on all his flaws will help; After all, he isn’t that charming. Maybe recriminating him is the answer, Or maybe there is no remedy. But as winter approaches this time, With the refreshing aroma of the Saptaparni, I commit to let you go, Being grateful that if nothing else I have learnt ...