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Tuesday 25 July 2017

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.

Saturday 22 July 2017

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Mubashir 
She asked politely 
"Why dont you write longer poems?"

"Kyunki"
I replied 
"Meri jaan 
Halaat kharab hai"

Monday 17 July 2017

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."