A New Costume Poem by Pinaki Dewan

his love was like a paper boat
that lost itself in the rain
his sea was in a place remote
could not be reached by drain
he always wore a scarlet raincoat
looked like an upright bloodstain
he was no cutthroat
but his smile was full of pain

he smiled at the aeroplane that could not fly
found himself beside the shrine
prostrated himself but could not cry
the priest said he would be fine
he wanted to but could not comply
he just had to hear that one line
but the environment could only sigh
and send a shiver down his spine

he woke up beside a paper mill
that taught him poetry and song
he ran the fields in misery until
he uncovered where he went wrong
he drank and drank till he had his fill
from the tube well found a place to belong
he said he would wait till april
and return to the city headstrong

but as he returned the hopelessness returned too
he looked helplessly everywhere
like a bottle of ink he saw blue
he had no colour now to spare
the old lady smiled at the view
although she was devoid of care
she took him to the brothel new
and laid him like a joke all bare

he talked and talked but could not communicate
the girls all split their sides
he threw his money left it all to fate
yet his eyes shone like bolides
he sang the evening outside a gate
that was to darkness open wide
he believed he was lost in hate
but it was only his impregnable pride

the night hollered at him like a tosspot
he went and bought himself a pair of shoes
walked the entire labyrinth distraught
could not find a single quiescent noose
in a queer disobedience he was caught
like an amnesic criminal on the loose
to a desolate apartment he was brought
that he impulsively decided to ask whose

to which he was answered yours
and he had disbelief in his eyes
cancer already got a cure
so madness was on the rise
so are you sure are you sure
whatever fills for sure dies
well anyway you can act all pure
but we know you are all lies

and he was locked in his empty room
that he compared himself to ruin
he decided to try a new costume
that might finally let him win
he knew he needed no perfume
his sweat was the redolence of gin
no matter how near was doom
he would not surrender his grin

his love was like a paper boat
that found itself in the rain
the sea was in a place remote
could not be reached by drain
he always wore a scarlet raincoat
looked like an upright bloodstain
he was no cutthroat
but his smile was full of pain