Three Poems by Gopal Lahiri

Hiding

Tonight the tiny stars
waltz every now and then
a little bit of rubs,
lips pucker to gather words and spring
a dark surprise as they take off .

Some planets adhere before
being tossed aside,
there is more to life
than patience and feel,
they might indulge in some.

the half moon impeccably attired
in shades of white and silver,
all the rushing acquire raging filaments
layout  a deadly skycap
emerge from the hiding at last.

there is an air of sangfroid
about the wandering night clouds,
blush of the evening sky
fail to remember the flight of stairs
down to the much maligned earth.


Unmistakable

A certain deep pool, a lime-kiln
shoots emerge, unmistakable.

In mirror you were there, clean face
Rattling sound of knives and forks,

We used to love eating tiny stars one by one
Till the darkness hovered on your face.

The cats unroll themselves in fear
under a wisp of burning straw.

Of daylight and the smoky clouds, you can't
Trust of the unturned buzz and brown leaves.

And you need the quivering moon
to be back in its usual glow

The way it means to you, behind which
The fire grunting like a failed lover.


Journey

I look on bemused
If I fling a pebble, it will stay
on the matted bushes of babul,
In case  a river, the splash of water
Go up the sky, touching the stars.

If you forget to bet the button
Creeping Juniper
On the hanging basket bear no stigma,
The English ivy blushes.

If you ignore the blast of the wind,
Together we can walk on the stark white
Desert sand as the moss's roots missing
inside, tired of many fingers,
Not separate, no longer distinct, simply aligning
In search of the final itinerary.

Still I wait for the train whistle before
the thunderstorm
Remember the lifting gaze of your eyes.