The monsoons of the heart
The cyclones of our whereabouts
It's all brewing and burning
at the same time

Within the all-seeing eye of the storm,
the haze and hail over my island are born
It's both evening and morning
at the same time

The violent destructions on the east
The threatening strong winds on the west
It's all beginning and ending
at the same time

wind whines
haze rain
flings dishtowels
dupatta from
balconies.
150 kilometers
from the sea
I feel the chill,
nature bestows
a mini-monsoon,
relief
from summer’s sweltering
tirades.
but what destruction
could this storm, too, bring?

The aftermath
heartening and disheartening
it is coming and yet to come
the life is changing and about to change
the mistrust is sown in
the paranoia has kicked in
what has become is the new norm
the health and wealth both targeted
the life before were golden years
and the sad news future unfolds
it is better to stay locked in
the outside view is foreign
and the level is increasing
difficulties arising
cyclone circling at coasts
everywhere I look is turning red
I just wish the roof holds up good
I fear what more is to come.

I've been staring at a blank page
Behind each word, there's joy and ache
Stirred in a cyclone
"You are strong, you are brave," whisperings on my ear.

chase the clouds away
anger in its wake
a hurricane, a storm
frustration takes form
let my rain speak
let it be gentle
but let the sky darken over it
let the waves toss ships
and let the wind destroy your home
let the cyclone
awaken your caution

but it's all in my head

Envers et contre
L'oeil de ton cyclone
Je me fraie un chemin
Entre les eaux qui montent
Entre les eaux qui courent
Entre les vents qui noient
Irresistiblement.
Envers et contre
Le néant du cataclysme qui s' annonce
Dans mon bathyscaphe j'avance
Je ne distingue plus terre
C'est la pleine mer
Et pourtant je suis en haut des terres
Sur la ligne de crête frêle
En équilibre précaire
Envers et contre l'abîme.
Envers et contre le roulis
J'avance millimétriquement
Lentement mais sûrement
Le navire tangue sans cris
Et l'horizon est invisible et muet
Et tel un scaphandrier
Je cingle en eaux profondes
Envers et contre tout
Envers et contre toi
Dans un silence sans clapotis
J'abandonne la distance :
Je sourds.

I sank to the ground and all came to halt
Birds flocked east before all shook in vigour
Windows shattered under the weights of roofs
Stone homes toppled before acknowledgement
Clouds of dust rained jagged stones upon us
The turbulent waters foreshadowed more
For waves of sharp heights dominated us
They carried us, and whirled us intensely
Earsplitting cries now silenced by water
And when all had come to a halt once more
The bodies succumbed to the ocean's pull
I was supposed to die, but I hadn't.