THE EARTH

You’d like to
turn over
but those mud houses
resting at your body’s edge
won’t let you
Perhaps you’d like
with your hands, to brush away
the snow at the poles.
but you can’t
because who knows how many
luminous birds and snakes
encircle your arms

On your navel
the golden gaze of the sun
and the unrestrained festivals of the people who live there
awaken in your bones
an ancient tremor
It’s your nayak, Krishna
his dusky diamond body
that comes to mind

Radha is there
somewhere
in your thoughts
Nayika, you, forever young.

Somewhere in your thoughts
there’s Radha
you can’t say it
Radha can never say it

Being on the earth
is perhaps not as simple
as being the earth

SHADOWS OF SANDALWOOD

In water

Not the shadow-breeze
flowing from tree tops

a touch of the fragrant breeze

In the water
not the tree
in the water

On the shore
the frost of indecision
and
trailing wines of
yojangandha

SHIVA PARVATI

Shiva
Parvati

Having finished writing down your names
I am not
able to write
my story.

Shiva Parvati
whose names
did you write
before
writing your story?

Shiva Parvati
you are not my words
I don’t choose you
to tell
my story
Shiva Parvati
are we
the words
you have chosen
to tell your story ?

Shiva Parvati
I am not able
to write
anything besides your names

Shiva Parvati
Do you also
find
our names
as compelling?

Shiva
Parvati
I cut out
unwanted words
and
lying back, as I write
at times I
distort
my letters.

Shiva
Parvati
Do you also cut out
unwanted words
Do you also
write, lying back
sometimes distort
your letters?

Shiva Parvati
You
are my
story
Shiva Parvati
am
I your story?

FLOWER-BIRD

How could
an entire army have been
routed
all weapons useless
all arsenals emptied
Only twelve leagues had to be traversed
Or was it only four

Nothing would have happened perhaps
if
frightened,
it hadn’t suddenly taken to the air
that
flower-pecking bird

YOU PLAY WITH THE COSMOS

Solving
the tangle of your hair
with your fingers
you play with the cosmos

Sometimes
it’s the earth
now
the moon
now
the sun
I happen to kiss

YOUR WORDS ARE NO

Your words are
no

The body of your words
yes?

The reluctance
of a river
a split second
before
it falls from the mountain.

(Translated from the Hindi by Teji Grover and Arlene Zide.)