Arun Kolatkar Poems

An old woman grabs
hold of your sleeve
and tags along
...

Take my shirt off
and go in there to do puja ?
No thanks.
...

A wooden saint
in need of paint
...

Who has the tigers and who the sheep

never seems to make any difference.

The result is always the same:

She wins,
...

The tarpaulin flaps are buttoned down
on the windows of the state transport bus.
all the way up to jejuri.
...

What is god
and what is stone
the dividing line
if it exists
...

A herd of legends
on a hill slope
looked up from its grazing
when chaitanya came in sight
...

There is no story behind it.
It is split like a second.
It hinges around itself.
...

Are you looking for a god?
I know a good one.
His name is Yeshwant Rao
and he's one of the best.
...

A low temple keeps its gods in the dark.
You lend a matchbox to the priest.
One by one the gods come to light.
...