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Sonnets Six

by Nandini Sahu
(New Delhi, India)


(I)

I told you that
I could recognize you
by the smell of your clothes
from amid a pile ;
and that
I could close my eyes
just smell your
neck
and pick you out
of a crowd.
You could guess
I meant to say
I love you;
you smiled proud.

(II)

White noise everywhere
when in fact
the world is silent
interrupted sleep
in late nights
a mood to have
holiday humor
the moon writing out memory
culling flowers
a balmy breeze
embracing us
and those spots on the Taj
as you’d say
whisper-- we’re in love.


(III)

How long, how long
Oh love
should I guard
the black clouds
the sea storms
against you
examine each ray of light
when you’re aside
in shade
lest they should
engulf you
shield you under their wing
before we reach
the goal !

(IV)

When every eye of the town
is asleep
and the world’s deaf
let’s portray some fancy
let’s celebrate a
festival of sparks
in our mirror-room,
let’s drink the soul
to our fill
through lips
then fan the flames.
After adding and subtracting
simply multiply
you get a zero … !

(V)

Do not go on to
define this relationship
do not rub off
the sugar n’ salt from
these sunlit walls
do not look back
to wipe out the scars
that you have given,
play on this squirrels’ game
this hide-n-seek
these helpless gestures
that we call love.
I’ve just learnt
that you belong so much to life !!


(VI)

May I confess
that again and again
I’m thrown away from
your arms
by just a heavy breeze
delicate that I am;
but your strong arms
invite me to search for the depths again
a blazing sun as you are
to eclipse me
to crush me in your bosom.
May I confess my
eternal thirst for you
a wild stream that I am.


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