Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Autumn


You were economic with words as always.
A few pregnant pauses, slight whimpers
Unavoidable sighs and uncomfortable silence
Was followed by an agreement.
That it was never there.
We shook hands, smiled nervously
Gulped down our drinks
Thankful that there were no hurt feelings on either side.
It was mutually agreed upon
That bothering about the gifts would be too puerile.
I stayed a little longer to admire the new painting on your wall.
A cold winter evening descended outside your window.

Friday, November 18, 2011

While Negotiating love


“You never ask for too much from Men,
They invariably fail you”- Didi devised a smile
With one hand on her now swollen belly.
“They don’t have the power to love as much as we do, didibhai,
They can’t bear the pain of it”,
Burimashi observed as she mopped the floor.
“Sacrifice is the woman’s virtue, men can love,
But never can they sacrifice for love,”
Maa spoke as her experienced hands deftly shaped the chapaatis.

“You are always giving more than you get, why my love?
I shall tell you why. Because you are a woman,
And all women are like mothers,
And mothers always give more than they get”
You said as your fingers twisted my curls.

But I expect, I demand, and I ask for more
And I break my own heart every now and then
And I hug you and cry.
I thought it was love.
But now you tell me it was a transaction,
A lucrative one, for you, for sure.