Why are we
And for what?
What are we waiting for,
Who is it to turn up?
The Theatre of Silence
Where the artistes
Rehearsing
Behind the curtain?
Why the theatre silent
Without people,
Without shows,
The gallery fallen silent?
Chandramukhi
Clutching stars
Into her hand,
Where is she going?
Where the belle
With jasmines into her hair,
Beaming with and going?
Sparkling,
Sparkling and going,
Glistening and glowing to pass out of sight.
In this age of information technology,The computer men, the mobile menGoing with the laptopsIn the schoolbags over the backs,The wires plugged into the earsAnd he going with the jerks and tunes of musicThe mobile phone set men telephoning and going,Going and talking,The two dramatis personae, mouthpieces, protagonistsOf the modern ageHearing the music of modernityClutching the…
Who will have his day,Who will sit on the chair?
Arms and ammunition,Mortar fires, rockets and shells,A beautiful life.Think of in the aftermath ofThe loss of lives and heavy casualties,Just think it,Who will serve the wounded?
They are coming, coming!LordWho, who?Who are coming, coming, my son?SpectatorThey, they are coming,They are coming, Sire!LordWho, who, my son,Who, who are they, who are they coming?SpectatorThey are, they are, Sire, the Talibans,The Talibans hurly-burly people!LordWho, who, my son,Who, who are they coming, my son?SpectatorThe Talibans, the Talibans are,The hurly-burly turbaned and in kurta and pyjamas…
The jeweler all combing the thingsTo make it glamorous,With kajra, collyrium,Gajra, flowers into the braid,The bindi on the forehead,The maang-tika, the head locketHanging from the parting of hair,A necklace around the neck,Bangles on the wrist,The bracelets on the arms,A waist band around the portionRounding it,Anklets around the legsAnd the sideways covered with altaa,The red colour…
I am,Am fightingGender biasIn India,PakistanAnd developingCountriesCome you,Come you laterAs ours isA conservative,Tabooed,Patriarchal,Orthodox,Male-dominatedSociety.Before come,Come you,Say you,YouWhether a maleOr female babyAnd if a male,I shall celebrate itWith too much jubilationAnd if a female baby,I shall,Shall mourn your coming,Coming,Darling!
