All posts by ippljournal

Water Game ( “Love’s fire heats water, water cools not love.” — Shakespeare ) I did love rain in my own ways before; Now rain has become a sign. Now rain is a curse. Your watermark. No longer just downpour. No longer giver of life, but just my hearse. Rain is what happened the evening…

I? Often I wonder Who am I? What am I? Why am I? Am I the one that trod with squeaky innocent steps Analyzing the world in a fresh lens and interest Or am I the one that rolled on the dust Playing the heart out, unbothered yet happy soul, Or the one that grew…

Prana Life pulsates in a handful of breath between clenched fist warmth in womb and cold stealth of unclenching in unavoidable void. Destiny’s scroll on palm unfold to the last lap of journey, air rarefies battling odds caught between form and emptiness. Deep breaths heal, through window drifts a skyful of freshness in famished frame…

Haibun 1 I see kites flying in the blue sky, playing with the clouds and the crows heeded home. I see it being tugged and pulled, the thread firmly held in hands that determine its course. The reel in another hand that lets go for a while and holds back again. There is no way…

Highway to Nowhere We travelled along the rainy highway——– Dim lights fleeting by; It was an oppressive blue darkness Underneath a menacing grey sky. A chilly wet wind blew all along Coconut leaves engaged in endless strife Ancient trees bent by the ruthless downpour Fearing for their precious life. Nestlings cried pitifully in the storm…

Divine Choice In worshipping you, I rejoice. In praying for your Shakti to seep in, I find my voice. The dhakis dhak* beats, the dhanuchi dance*. Your radiant presence silences all noise. I become one with you…it’s all your divine choice. Oh Ma Durga! You are here with me. Giving me strength as much as…

The Bridge A frown appeared on Montu’s brows. Just this morning, he heard about construction of a flyover. Another bridge that will widen the divide, he mused As he chewed on a dry chapati with water. Every election, the locals come And demand free rides, To the football stadium. A poor rickshaw puller that he…

In the Land of Sand and Sea In the land of sand and sea, There is a temple, Without a shadow. I will enter the temple, despite, despite. In the land of sand and sea, God leaves the holy shrine, In auspicious ceremony, Promising return. At the centre of the shrine, There is a woman.…

Radiation Sometimes a poem finds me at the right time. Peach clouds fade to slate, lying there that evening like a charcoal smudge, bleary, watery, unfocussed, I search dearly that moment, the word is ‘Beautiful’, means winsome, means the ruins, it’s impossible to know the difference. my small palm is holding that word. unable to…

What King? What Country? The king… His subjects… His Country… His wishes… His desires… He is the Supreme… He imposes… He proposes… He disposes… A bird then became and played the GOD! And… The subjects then found a bleeding King! He managed to get his nose cut off! What did the bird do? Cut off…