The musketeers

They look like cards
with feathers on their hat
and the not so long shinning swords.

I

I remember the day I died!

The sky was getting greyish blue,

Mother told me, ”Go dear, go”.

So, I went after taking a bath.

I could still feel the taste of the dishes I had on the day of cheiraoba,

I saw them near me,

The bright flashes blinded me temporarily,

The movements of the hands and fingers, I can never forget.

I could hear the sound amidst the wind blowing hard.

But, I couldn’t see them passing by my ears every seconds.

All I could see were my fellows and the pale yellow leaves.

Fluttering as fast as we moved.

I was mentally prepared,

I loved doing it,

In fact, more than they do.

I loved it truly.

I woke up early and went,

But I dint get to come back again and tell her

“We have won”.

Dry leaf

Studded with gems, it’s still hanging there
          like an arrogant super star.
It’s as green as ‘utti’ my mom made
          especially for a special day.
It looks as fresh as my neice
           when her mother left her in the baby walker.
           just after giving her a bath.
It looks so soft, but not as soft as
           that fluffy creature which fell on me yesterday
           and made me itch all day.

The blowing air tried hard
           but couldn’t succeed at all.
It only made it dance
          as if when someone tickles.

Had it turned into brown
        and free from the chain of life,
         It could have just fallen.
         On
        the ground.
and lay there as a faded dried leaf.

                                         November 04, 2010.

Palace

They were waiting for us
With its mouth wide open as it is,
What a beautiful beast.
They look gorgeous in white
With the spikes on their head.

One of us flung a coin and tossed a smile
And we were inside.
Deeper and deeper we moved in
Till we reached the deepest.
We saw the veins crept up the exhausted walls,
Which has been with all the kings and queens
Like a withered snake.

The pillars looked like the queen of chess
And stood still as they were destined to for eternity.

Then we found a place near the pillars,
Dark and spooky, where only two of us
Dare to pass through.
The others, they howled and screamed
And were imagining whatever
They could imagine.

Then we realised that we need to hurry
Home or else end up inside concentration
Camps invited by our dictators
For exceeding time limits.

Myself

Wearing orange phaneks and pink shirts, we all looked colourful and were feeling awfully hot that afternoon. We saw the girls of Ibotonsana school among the midst of the hazy smoked air while coming back  through the glasses of the van. They looked exactly like dried pink flowers with dull green stalks lying on the dirty ground in that heavy traffic. I looked inside and thought to myself how beautiful we looked, everyone looked quite colourful and clean. Then I felt suffocating cuz there seemed to be less air inside. I felt all tied up and I couldn’t move a muscle. Just in front of my eyes I could see the quick rapid movements when the van was moving pretty fast, twisting and turning through the narrow lanes and blocks for every few minutes. Inside her eyes, I could view a world full of contempt and hatred. Her eyebrows were crescent in shape but currently, it was so much out of the shape that she looked like a witch with one eyebrow going up higher than the other.
         I couldn’t help stop laughing myself. I laughed out so loud and heartily that everyone stopped talking, turned around and were staring at me. I felt too embarrassed that I stopped instantly. You can’t imagine what it felt like when 13 pairs of eyes were looking at you at the same time for the same purpose. Did I do something wrong? Can’t I even laugh when I want to and where I want to.  I found it rather funny to be always scornful and uptight for no plausible reason at all. She was actually looking outside without a thought of hating or loving someone. But, she was so used to it that she looked as if she just had a fight or something like that. So, I laughed. They stared at me as if they were about to gobble me up. Then they started laughing themselves showing their sharp teeth. Their long nails were about to pierce my skin and take them off leaving litres of blood pouring out of my body. I could see the bright shining brownish hair of mine reflected in the windowpane. The reflection was burning my skin. I felt like melting away and flying up amongst the vapour of the water of nambul river. Then suddenly I didn’t like that feeling. I felt too dirty and murky to think about melting away with the water of nambul. Everything was wrong.
   Every time he dropped a girl, a sense of relief and joy came to my mind. It got more and more spacious inside that I could inhale and exhale freely, deeply and properly. I felt like pushing them down one by one if I ever had a chance to do that as quickly as possible before they reach their home. They must have had the same feeling. They can’t even move an inch. But still they acted as if they were enjoying the whole drama just to make me feel left out and annoyed. But they don’t know that I like it that way. Why do I need them for?
    The driver asked where I was to drop. I saw them chatting and laughing. They didn’t even care to look at my side. I was talking to my friend. She was telling me why she hates that girl in science stream, the one we saw the day before yesterday and why I should hate her. I was just staring at the river which flows at the same pace as the van at the same direction through the rocks and creeks bending and turning. 

Black

‘Black’

Suddenly I spoke aloud.

‘What?’

He asked me in response.

‘The topic.’

Again I said still looking outside.

‘Are you sad?’

I really don’t know why I said that.

I was still looking at the dried hanging leaves

Ready to fall at any moment

Through the bars of the window

Sitting inside the class as quietly as

I can,

Wondering what have I said and why.

Chamamnaba

Esh! onthokna saakhredaa sidi
amuktabu thengnjaraktri
kari matwnege.....!!

Esh! kemta udre
loina mangkhre
mitmaangdgi....!!

Esh! tadre amafao
chek muk laoba makhol amafao...!!

Asengba, kemta udre,
leichin thaarira,
mit thakatlira saamanbgi...!!

khangdre, khangdre, khangdre...!!!