Poetry: Meena Chopra

Meena Chopra

Strangers

In the day's heat
I sought myself in you.
Strangers we were, still are
silhouettes in each other's eyes.
Remnants of a deflected time.
Monotony
Nonexistence is
claustrophobic.

I fear remaining an outline.

Your warmth lingers
uncaptured
fading into opacity.

I know 1 will burn
till the fire burns in me.
***


What Was It?

Graying evening.
Shades of black fading. 
Starkness of night! 
Neutrality spread
all over our faces.
Unrecognizable.

What was it?

You recognized
I did not!
Was my vision Hazy?
Or I looked at the haze?
Perhaps
we are beginning
a new end
***


Memories 

All the stars
engulfed in silence
trying to grab
the hands of futility.

The day explodes.
Whiteness spills
the residues of
the waning moon.

Death of the night
is still alive
in the memories of space.
***


Riddled in Time 

Coiled shadows
The dream sequence
Besieged the far future
Consumed by the deep sea
Afraid to be melted
And be uncoiled
 
Darkness bites her skin
A bittersweet poison
Itching rashes of time
Creeping under
Inflaming her soul
She savours the durations
Sunset and the sunrise
Moon-lit splashing waves
droplets
Cool on the shore
Soothing her burning eyes

The fading foot steps
Gone—
Washed away in a split second
Near the sea

Sand, smooth as ever
Remains slipping
Between her fingers and the toes

Her legendary
Double edged existence
Trivia
Tenacious
Riddled in Time –
***


Ruins

I walk bare feet
on the ruins of time.
Past crumbles underneath.
Images emerge
from the rigid stonewalls.
Cracking in front of me.

I see shadows
in the debris
***

Setu, July 2019