REVOLUTION

Riveted: 
the ducks went into a howl. 
A shirtless moon was walking 
on the lake. 
Darts had started moving 
towards blue lips. 

Gale was not able to speak. 
Unthinkable: 
sky will explode now, in stars. 
Gambling with water, cheating 
the fireflies 
in dark bush. 

Who was illegitimate on 
the blanket? 
The child was crying for the 
lost coin. 
King wanted the sun to hide behind the monolith; 
his statue was being pulled down.

Satish Verma

Choking

Like a quivering leaf climbing 
unreachable thighs of a cloud 
in naked shelter of sun. 

I lament the fall 
of a colossus 
who would not live in a glass house. 

Ash smeared on face 
a name walks on the book 
of barefoot poems. 

Today I am going to morph 
into a death sentence 
for an uncommitted crime. 

Who had lost himself 
in unslept awakening 
of a disaster?

Satish Verma

Wearing Away

I have again become empty 
by undoing 
a disturbing thought. 

Unsexing 
the sputtering stillness 
of a Robin. 

Tender bruises 
on the pink heart. 
A bird was flying away. 

Little tears 
come down from the swollen 
river in spate. 

Pain lingers 
as you want an answer 
from an eroding dune.

Satish Verma

Committed

A flash point in ocean 
becomes omnivorous 
eating the boats. 

The sharks unstick and 
sleep on waves 
for another abeyance. 

Sitting on the wheels 
of a tank, 
men waited for the revolution to scoop 

a scorched motherhood 
where the children 
were becoming missiles. 

The light moves in circle 
to find the mirrors 
on a blue horse.

Satish Verma

Climbing

Before sinking to knees. 
I will talk to flowers. 
Day of arrival has come. 

In death, wisdom of trees 
will eject the seeds 
of fire on hip-locked roots. 

A miracle will raise the bones 
from the rage of crowd. 
The king has agreed to depart. 

Darkness sings in the 
valley of sun. 
Tongues are free to weave the moon. 

Till the words are ready 
to walk on street of sorrow 
to remove the blood soaked prints.

Satish Verma

Waking

To moon 
giving a parting kiss of 
sinless shame 
I nudged him from the tree. 

The night had been a terror. 
I was facing myself 
in unrelationship of a prayer 
not to weep for my muse, 

crushing a poppy on my 
chest to get the imprint of your 
face, like the furrowed flame 
leaping from a deep hurt. 

Cannot play a game of mockery 
deciphering the complete 
truth of a veil 
for a painless stain.

Satish Verma

Confrontation

It erupts and then sublimates 
in thirst of response 
from the faraway wholeness of truth. 

Will not be the same 
again this life in motion 
of reverse malignity. 

Lifting the passage from 
script to justify the 
suicidal chair of kingdom. 

Every morning I wake, the 
town weeps for the dead, 
killed by street. 

The grieving mother tolls 
the bell, for each fallen horse. 
Earth, receive your sons in shame.

Satish Verma

Naming

Unfolding the lust, do not ask 
for the olden love. The crowd 
has hijacked the halo of spotted survivor. 
A fish swims in your eyes. 

Trembling like a love song, 
while pulling the bucket out of 
a well of tears, why did not 
you stay beside me? 

Life has left me on the cliff. 
Burn, burn my love, 
for the sake of the sea, for the 
bloody rocks who would not hold the hurricane. 

A pain of you hangs 
on my door. My limbs are dying. 
Cannot move the stars, 
cannot climb the black moon.

Satish Verma

Occupation

Leaving the stains behind 
I am moving to a new home 
O mother 
to wear the sun. 

The black moon 
had been stalking me for years 
O mother 
for a pink romance lifting the clouds. 

Though, I will not come back 
ever, in the valley of skins 
O mother 
yet I will remember your beloved night. 

Nebulous was the transit 
to sleep without beds. 
O mother 
How long these protests will continue?

Satish Verma

Disbelievingly

Fraternising 
the needles 
on abbreviated lips. 
Handful of sand 
hauling uphill. 

Code of particles 
feels the entire lie. 
You wear mauve 
when I cry. 

Like diatoms 
in eyes. 
Erase the sun 
from my hairs. 
I am turning black. 

The brine 
had encroached all around. 
The brown grass, the soaked laughter, 
but I will come again in disbelief.

Satish Verma

Soaked In Blood

They had surrounded the tank; 
collars on the legs. 
You were tracking the revolution. 

The process melts the crosses 
in flowing blood. 
Everybody was carrying a rose. 

The bruises were spreading 
on table. 
King was drinking wine. 

Unwritten law. 
Death will sleep on street 
with burning pyres. 

Don’t throw the blankets 
on red eyes. 
Moon will stay whole night.

Satish Verma

Silent Prayers

The hand comes out of the 
rubble to throw 
the musky odor 
of a cross-legged 
monk 
under the ginkgo tree. 

An apparition comes 
outside the body of a fan-shaped snake; 
ignites the wolf. 
We were hungry, we were thirsty. 
Untwining we went into the cave 
for a snowgod. 

Tossing the coins 
in the water tank; 
tying the thread onto a 
ficus tree, 
the weeping shepherd said- 
I want nothing.

Satish Verma

Issueless

It was for a bridge: 
water issue, 
without a river. 

We were fighting 
for the tongues 
on a wordless journey. 

The unlucky sex 
was on fire 
after the explosion. 

Hands off the 
mouth. Life was 
eating death. 

The bells will 
not ring today. 
God was dead.

Satish Verma

FLUTING

Time unleashed from ferrum 
becomes pain 
like a palm moon. 

A tableau vivant was gliding 
on the road. 
It was a night of rage. 

A frozen scene 
undulates the history of fire 
in the eyes of a flute. 

Who was breaking 
the clouds 
wading in reeds?

Satish Verma

BEAUTY OF PAIN

Behind your face 
was cleaver 
releasing past poem. 

The sensual milk 
flows from the palm 
into your lake. 

Grieving for 
the torn wings of pink 
light. 

Cruising on thighs 
with eyes closed 
death utters a shriek. 

The eternal flame 
closes on pollen 
to tell a lie.

Satish Verma