Meena Bazaar
The cymbal-banging monkey toys
stand beside the cloaks of gold, hiding
iniquity. There are shields for protection,
to collect; camps are laid out for them in
plenty. Men with blinders over their eyes
show how schisms are designed; to run
like a horse across lands.
There is a twilight-skinned girl perched up
on a tonsured tree; no one will tell you that
she has the finest songs of rainbow in her creel.
And should the poet lying on the grass with
a noose around his neck stops you, beware he’ll
sell you lumps of wet earth for a bare profit.
If you are confused with the frost-winds
beating on your face, wear the mask of thin
air and veer veer, so that no one understands
whether you are coming or going.
JUNE NANDY's recent works have appeared in Qarrtsiluni, Aphelion Webzine, Hudson View, Up the Staircase Quarterly, and elsewhere. She has an award winning poem in the open poetry contest, 2009 with Prakriti Foundation, Chennai. Her novel, 'Ideospheres of Pain' has been released recently in India which advocates for an ideology-free world. She has been nominated for the best of the Net Anthology 2010 and best of Dzanc Books Web Anthology 2011. 'The Lines must Die' is her second collection of Poetry that has recently been released in India by Cyberwit.net, Allahabad. Her poetry and other details can be accessed at: http://throughmystripedshirt.blogspot.com. She lives with her family in Calcutta.
The cymbal-banging monkey toys
stand beside the cloaks of gold, hiding
iniquity. There are shields for protection,
to collect; camps are laid out for them in
plenty. Men with blinders over their eyes
show how schisms are designed; to run
like a horse across lands.
There is a twilight-skinned girl perched up
on a tonsured tree; no one will tell you that
she has the finest songs of rainbow in her creel.
And should the poet lying on the grass with
a noose around his neck stops you, beware he’ll
sell you lumps of wet earth for a bare profit.
If you are confused with the frost-winds
beating on your face, wear the mask of thin
air and veer veer, so that no one understands
whether you are coming or going.
JUNE NANDY's recent works have appeared in Qarrtsiluni, Aphelion Webzine, Hudson View, Up the Staircase Quarterly, and elsewhere. She has an award winning poem in the open poetry contest, 2009 with Prakriti Foundation, Chennai. Her novel, 'Ideospheres of Pain' has been released recently in India which advocates for an ideology-free world. She has been nominated for the best of the Net Anthology 2010 and best of Dzanc Books Web Anthology 2011. 'The Lines must Die' is her second collection of Poetry that has recently been released in India by Cyberwit.net, Allahabad. Her poetry and other details can be accessed at: http://throughmystripedshirt.blogspot.com. She lives with her family in Calcutta.
