The Idiot Ear

I know there’s no point to wait

Soul knows it’s a losing bet

The crazy heart still hopes to found

The ear still wants to hear the husky sound

“Indra, are you ok?”

 

The lone bench besides amidst overgrowth

Walk on the riverbank, Beethoven’s 4th 

Joginder bhai’s snack setting the souls free,

Soggy afternoon in roadside stall, lemon tea

The bike ride on desolate roads leading nowhere

Lost; groping; searching way back to nowhere;

Ears still straining to be tingled with

“Indra, are you ok?”

 

The eyes that never stopped to speak

Even after the mouth stopped to seek;

Looking through the silky black veil of delight

Black veil that you severed over the fight

Scarf that was part of your dupatta

Perfumed complement when work separated the bodies.

Scattered existence, nowhere – yet everywhere

 

Mom called, I told her I am fine

Bro wants to know, told him, chill yaar

I tell world I can look after

Nothing has changed, normalcy prevailing

But don’t come looking,

As you will discover, the bedside pile of books 

The clock that stopped still on the hook

The dust on my paintings

All screaming, nothing is ok

In the deafening silence of the night

The idiot ear still strains to listen the husky voice

“Indra are you ok?”