Barnali Ray Shukla is a writer, filmmaker and a published poet in seven countries. She lives in Mumbai, with her plants, parrot fish, books and a husband. She also lives on Instagram @barnalirays
Tread
softly
Play
hopscotch with fire
if you are lucky, you step
on a mine, or two. Boom.
Smithereens of a playful
yesterday, gone in seconds.
Cheating death is a poor choice
when limbs ache with a need
to be free from the body
contained by orders, borders
drawn on scrolls where guns
salute power, that can’t tell
Palestine from Israel,
Syria from Yemen,
knotted in times where
the dead wait to wake up
the living lie in a slumber
as they spray bullets, greed
shaped like guns, speak of ties
that wake up to what could be
ours, could be yours, could be
guns, could be mine. Baby steps
to safety, but on the way,
there’s
a minefield. Tread softly
…boom.
Breathe
Dusky loam wore light
warm breath moist with
green
The earth unbuttoned,
seedling woke up for
water
seeds with wings, striped
rounded edges, cook
sunlight
Leaves unfurled to speak
in chlorophyll,
language of home.
Heaven Inc.
We have forgiven God for he
knows
not how he came to be with us
We watching over Him
or He over us
We haven’t forgiven God for she
knows
not how she came to be with us
We watching her or
