Once a Road
Went east to west
Straight to Sea,
From his mountain stead.
Jealous the Rivers,
Made hue and cry.
From that arose a massive fight.

Just had the road reached Bombay,
Was when the Rivers had their final say,
Assembled together they flood the sky,
While everyone else wondered why.

57 days, the Sun wasn’t found,
As all her rays bowed to the Cloud.
Grim, she finally said to him,
“Part away, you delay a tryst, with my lovely Trees”

But the Cloud as well was in love with the Sea,
So he paid no heed as the road was in lead.

However, the Sea, did not care at all,
She was in love with the Lunar call.
To him she waved all night and day,
Alas, the loon was by the Sun swayed.

How green is our city? Is it bleak and bare?
Do open spaces exist; or are only buildings erected there?
And what is that stench? Is it the pollution in the air?  
And what if it is, do we in fact stop to care?

I once read that Bombay was called 'The city of Gold' -
And that there were gardens and open spaces manifold.
But I see no gardens nor strips of wastelands,
For flowers to grow so the city can look grand.
But instead the place is crowded with smoke.
How easy it is to turn the laws into a joke!

It is elsewhere; when global warming is the news,
It can't shock us enough, to stop us from the items we use .
There's a hole in the sky ... Is that of any consequence?
It's too far away for it to make any sense.

There should have been open spaces or trees lining up the roads,
But what we mostly see, is concrete or shanties in hoards!
I hear that it's the politicians' whim (?)
Myopic visions that are making our future dim.

But aren't we all in some way to blame?
For what has begotten this city to shame?
Can't anything be done to correct the flaws?
To discipline the people not to manipulate the laws?
Or do we have to wait for a court decree?
To allow us to co-exist peacefully?
To breathe fresh air and for better earth care?

Our city is decaying by the day   -
What can be done to prevent this dismay?
Surely if each one of us realizes his due
There won't be such an environment issue.
The air will be clean, the earth, more green
The benefits of these is for us to reap
It's easy if we maintain its regular upkeep!

I tried to drown you from
my thoughts last night.
Me, and a bottle of gin.
I do this every night
until the taste of your love
no longer lingers on my tongue.
I keep doing this.
I keep failing.
And every morning,
You learn to swim.

Brisk, warm, and easy to move on
No, not talking about a one night stand,
The cutting as they call,
The chai with the twist
Just enough to momentarily pause
Before you dive right back in
to the whirlwind of hope

Oh you saviour, of the rags and riches alike
The favourite of students, labourers, executives and wise
The in between of a mattress like loaf
Easy on the teeth, pocket, and hope
The staple of Bombay, the vada pav stop