Naina Agarwal

Of lonely eyes, and blatant woes. Eerie calm and eager souls Moonless skies and dusty lanes Of blinding cafes, bare shoulders; Beer bottles, and bitter names. Of overt eyes and earnest way, "I’m the eagle, I’m the prey." Cold flats and callous walls Of animal spirits, lifted veils; Desperate sighs, and devious calls. Of urgent eyes and whiskey breaths Zealous sessions and sweltering backs Fingertips and fervent wills Of stellar skies, sumptuous sighs; Seven hells and seven ills. Of droopy eyes and circles dark Cigarette butts and coffee jars. Tasteless tacit, and terse talks Of grey skies, good-byes; Dismal drags, and dreary dawns. ***

Haiku #1 A part of me builds, And a part of me destroys; This is my nature. Haiku #2 The shore never wanders but remains fixed. Wanting. Waiting. Be someone's shore. Haiku #3 Everybody looked at her, except for the dog that had different parameters of beauty. Haiku #4 Sun extinguishes. Sky splits. Moon eats itself when you lay eyes on me Haiku #5 The real me. Raw me. Unafraid, unmasked, vulnerable me Exists in pages I've lost. Haiku #6 You and I, darling Are the two shores of a river, Destined to hold bridges. Haiku #7 The thing that remains is to find you in reality; I meet you in dreams. ***

Jo had a cat The cat was named Lil It purred all day And died inside the bin. He sobbed all day When his cat was killed Jo ate no food His eyes tear-filled. When asked for the reason How his cat was killed? Jo turned solemn Eyes still tear-filled. He thought for a while What the reason could be? The cat purred all day Could that the reason be? But that's what cats do! They purr all day And so to solve the mystery He employed Mr. Kay. Mr. Kay took Lil And put it in his lab He examined its body Rested on the slab. He came up with a theory; A theory that Jo's Lil Might have eaten a rat That had consumed a Pill. Jo was satisfied; He was kinda impressed. Mr. Kay proudly smiled, And gifted him another cat. ***

मृदु भावों से लिहसि पुती, अक्षर रस अंकित संवाद, अवसाद, अभिव्यंजना से लैस, एक तरफ रखी सिमटी कोने में, स्मृति-भर पर सार्थक मनोभाव है; तुम्हारी एक किताब मेरे पास है । ***

I read an article and scrolled further up, overlooking, denying its importance. Till it came back again and again, dressed in various costumes every time - dancing, mocking, ridiculing me; sneering at my privilege. It once spat on the ground when I insisted on tradition and casually chuckled at an enemy piece. Clearly I couldn't overlook anymore -  it had made allies in time. So I began by observing in silence studying, understanding - she/her ,  they/them ,  he/him "You cannot ignore me anymore -  I do not need your support I will rise in time I am rising now - To paint rainbows in the sky and on the ground." ***