Chlorophyll: Pigments of Love

Sometimes I wish 

I was the tree

The leaves of which fall on your balcony.

That way I would 

At least photosynthesize properly

Because 

Like this 

Far away from you
Breathing seems all too human.

Poetics of a Kashmiri Love Poem

Lovers walking side by side 

Holding hands by the bund

Telling each other their worth 

And at irregular intervals 

Walking distant and pretending 

not knowing each other.

And then again trying to catch up.

That's how a love poem is written in Kashmir:

At times obsessed with the craft
At times banal.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Mubashir 

She asked politely 

"Why dont you write longer poems?"

"Kyunki"

I replied 

"Meri jaan 
Halaat kharab hai"

Doggerel

"On a scale of 1 to 10"

They asked 

"10 being the highest 

How lonely are you?"

I am as lonely as him

Who sleeps curled on the bonnets 

Of expensive cars

Thinking where have all the cats disappeared.

"10 being the highest"

I said 

"I am as lonely as any Delhi dog."

Tearful Smoke

"I never weep in front of people."

She said 

"I can never do that."

"Even I only smoke when people are around."

I replied 

"Never alone."

We are that similar.

Puddle

Memories splash all over
Whenever I think about you.

A loveless life
Turns your body
Into puddles.

Écriture

Writing about you is like

Filming you

With a hand-held camera

Where shaky shots come out

Like throbbing sentences.

Writing about you is like

Asking a poem to behave properly

While giggling inwards

Because the poem

Is throwing away metaphors in love.

Not writing about you?

Well!

Who would risk that?