Forebidding

Standing knee deep in water
invoking the sun god
going upward phenomenally.

I was learning to forget
the edicts of a fake lord.
Would not recognize─

the dirty tricks of a godman
in the garb of a hermaphrodite.
One day he was...

One day he was not. The wild
czar was pounding his chest.
A snow-capped moon was─

going down unseen in the
blue lake of words. There
was three dimensional appearance

but no deliverance for
the poor speech in distress.

Satish Verma

Holy bath

The smiling god,
sitting on the throne
wants the invisible sacrifice.

The sounds of executions
which should not have happened,
to please the sovereignty.

The night vision was perfect.
You can see the roof caved in.
An old man was collecting the spent shells.

The anguish was writ large
on the walls of kitchen.
Smoke still rising from an oven.

What are you going to do today?
Stargazing? Going after the lust?
Or feeding the pigeons?

Satish Verma

Withering

One hazel moon
of November. I was thinking
of an iceberg.

*

The seared
shoots of grass. The path
covered by autumn leaves.

*

A weeping willow
lays down the branches
to embrace the river.

Satish Verma

Speaking one's thought

Not able to sing─
you have become the song.

You will make me very poor
by giving charity.

It was a black dahlia, ready
to beset the moon in lunar eclipse.

And the word implant was not
appropriate. It has become toxic.

Downward you search the seeds
in dark. The spirits waiting in wings.

Death was the most beautiful thing
to happen on the stage before-

the play starts. I will invite
my paramour to light the lamp.

Satish Verma

Pathless

Mob tries to set
ablaze a Taj Mahal
I was flying a kite.

*

Tears swell in
the eyes of moon. Paper
lamp has come for a sail.

*

The long night─
I was ready to handover my
family silver to moon.

Satish Verma

Dawning Blue

The trust was intact
but you would not carry
it far, the stillness.

Propolis, that is
what you needed to plug
the echo of insult.

The polarized crowd
was throwing the rocks
at the moon.

May not fracture
the curve, you wanted
the release from unknown.

Where were you, when
the flame was extinguished?
How will I read the writing on wall.

Satish Verma

Understanding Death

In death probe,
what you intend to find?
A living fossil?

*

Open the tomb,
you will discover─
dried rose leaves, some salt.

*

During the spell
of ache, I stole the
kiss of moon in dark.

Satish Verma