With the veins of my grief
the day dies a fallen leaf
night’s shadows in me confide
the boat is coming from the other side
chirping crickets on darkness feed
thickens smell of mangrove reed
waves rolling in the saline stream
paint a boat in slumbered dream.

In the village today is one more widow.

Only last night
on the warm love bed
was smudged her sindoor
all over forehead!

Her skin is still raw with his claw,

his neck fell today to the jungle's law.

There's a poem on your window
one on the door
another in the wind's blow
welling up more.

There's a poem in your heartbreak
one on your tears
another on a long trek
walking for years.

There's a poem on the girl's eye
one on her skin
another in her silent cry
wearing out thin.

There's a poem in the hope's hue
one in your whim
another on the morning dew
waiting light's gleam.

There's a poem in the mirrored face
one in the season
another in your happiness
without a reason.

the few days it lived
it clung to my feet

it grew fond of me
and i fond of it.

weakly and frail
only skin and bone

in its dying eyes
love brightly shone.

its raised broken tail
faintly soft mew

conveyed to tell
i simply love you.

then it lay wide eyed
from pain peacefully
saying silently

*won't you touch me?