Paresh Tiwari (Colours of Love and Barriers)

Paresh Tiwari
Poet, writer, artist, and editor Paresh Tiwari has been widely published, especially in the sub-genre of Japanese poetry. A Pushcart Prize nominee, he has published three collections of poetry. The latest titled now a poem, now a forest was launched in the summer of 2022 from the house of Red River publishers. Paresh has also co-edited the landmark International Haibun Anthology, Red River Book of Haibun, Vol 1, in 2019 (with Steve Hodge) and The Shape of a Poem: Red River Book of Contemporary Erotic Poetry, in 2021 (with Dr Srividya Sivakumar).

Absence
The day after her death, the world somehow manages to remain just the same.

The December sun spills in through the slatted window. A pressure cooker somewhere, whistles its impatience. Glossy posters of eight-limbed deities continue to hold up the fractured walls. My phone lights up with a solitary beep.

We had grown up together in this city. Sitting on the stone steps of ‘Har ki Pauri’ we had watched the Ganges ripple to the sound of temple bells and a hundred floating oil-lamps mirror the night sky. On one such night in a gently heaving boat, her fingers had hooked mine without a preamble. We loved each other long before being gay was either acceptable or fashionable.

Tonight, as I board a boat to the small temple in the middle of the river, I hold to my bosom - her ashes in an earthen urn.

doves in flight -
the sound of time
passing by


No comments :

Post a Comment

We welcome your comments related to the article and the topic being discussed. We expect the comments to be courteous, and respectful of the author and other commenters. Setu reserves the right to moderate, remove or reject comments that contain foul language, insult, hatred, personal information or indicate bad intention. The views expressed in comments reflect those of the commenter, not the official views of the Setu editorial board. рдк्рд░рдХाрд╢िрдд рд░рдЪрдиा рд╕े рд╕рдо्рдмंрдзिрдд рд╢ाрд▓ीрди рд╕рдо्рд╡ाрдж рдХा рд╕्рд╡ाрдЧрдд рд╣ै।