I am not a poet.
I cannot dance to the lyrics of the ballad.
I cannot pen a haiku immersive—
I write longings of you,
a passionate cursive.
For I read it somewhere, "For in every universe, there is you for me."
And for me, you are the universe.

I pushed hard to meet you.
Even prayed to the wishing bell,
Just to greet you.
I wrote letters, I wrote poems,
Wrapped in an envelope —
Should I show 'em?

Waiting for you to say, “What’s up?”
Pulled antic actions and strummed some rocking notes.
I still didn’t get your vote.
Peacocking all the time,
For a glimpse, for a smile.
Nevertheless, everything was in vain.
Down from the ceiling,
Laid crashed on the road —
An unwanted disdain.

I thought for long,
And reached this conclusion:
Beauty — yes, I could see it everywhere.
Because for me, beauty is you.
It is not me that brims within me,
But you.
Maybe your heart didn’t find me fit as a pair.
Like always, I was left alone — like a spare,
Without a piece of your heart.
It lies in his only lair.

Talking to my mom.
Over a video call.
Chatting about spices and food.
And my expedition on discovering new food stalls.
At a sudden, in the middle of the call,

We both started dreaming of eating pakoras
In our old home's hall.
We remembered that day — a day of our daily chores —
When we got a visit, sudden, from our relatives loved by all.
We sat in a similar setting,
Like we do on festives —
Some on sofa, some on chairs borrowed from our neighbours who just came from a wedding.
We all greeted each other, embarrassingly happy to receive those gifts.

Anxious but with a speed of light,
Mom went to kitchen and started the festival of a besan's savory delight.
She wrapped all the vegetables she bought for dinner
With the spicy yellow coat.
Fried them in wok where oils danced, praising the deity of fire.
Praising my mom for this ingenious delicacy,
The guests started to pick the pakoras served on their silverware —
Yes, the one — sacred and rare.
All my cousins started devouring pakoras plate on
plate,
Making my mother more anxious — how to cook and serve at this pacing rate.
And her eyes keenly watched the bottle of depleting tomato sauce and a bowl — half-finished, freshly made — pudina chutney.

Suddenly, our Sunday turned back to Monday.
Since,
To her rescue, Dad bought pakoras from our local shop.
Varieties were similar, same as served as early —
Onion, potato, mirchi — served with a differently styled red tamarind chutney.
I am in grave danger adding this line in the end,
For I can be receiving a flying chappal from a distance.
Legends say — always skip saying "they were delicious" in front of Mom if you can (Dad, himself, said it).
A well-fed holiday.
And that's how we celebrated the festival of pakoras
Which our stomach felt reverend.

Sometimes my heart writes.
And yes, sometimes it's my brain.
They both write on a paper—creased and plain.
I have no control
Over the logic I unknowingly challenge,
Or the fleetings that leave me emotionally stained.
Conflicts and peace—
Both try to corner each other
In an effort to weave a lovely piece.

Betting chances—
Will it be might over disdain,
Or will create something so lame,
I'll only die with shame.
My nerves are paining in this wistful fight.
They both pen what they feel is right.
Hands, erasing and rewriting verses all the time.
Will I ever be able to complete this endless rhyme?
Stop scuffling with my thoughts—
Just for one single time.

Holding bags of varied items
I stand in a street—thin.
Flea, but not free,
A place where dreams are sold for a fee.
Watching—negotiations of a lifetime,
Sweat and effort, all in a fading line.
A market where kindness is weighed,
And in return, greed is paid.
Humility and humanity are just low-quality commodities.
I stand in a street—thin.
Love has lost its chances;
It cannot win.
Hatred is the ruler,
Taxing your thick and thin.
It's different from the market of my idealism—
When my finger used to hold a hand,
Without fear and away from this nervous tree.
When letting your heart fly freely
Was an honored deal.
I stand in the market,
As a mannequin—useless,
Bought and sold in ways—pointless.
When will this trade of lives end,
And real shoppers return to sight?
I want to stand in a street—thin,
Flea and free,
Where love and art are traded in a harmonious deal.

Why moon ?
Why you talk to me ?
Is that some fairies' order.
To converse with slave of time.
You play this interlude on the wind chime.
Looting my soul away- the unwarranted crime
Why you make me wander in whims and fancies?
Oh! Now I hear a chorus from that garden of pansies.
Why you make me watch beyond these lenses?

Raising tides! That's the job.
Why you raise my hopes, are you a snob?
These dreams will get shattered by realism's chop.
There comes a cloud vouching your words.
Letting me hear, what's uptil now remained unheard.
Rustling leaves on that tree mock my vision.
My ears blame you.
You penned those lyrics
Unblurring the vision-
Which this canary, now sings along.
My heart knows to play this song
Can't stop my fingers to string along
The whimsical,  legendary
magical moon song.