The City Paws At You Poem by manju prasannan pillai

the city paws
at you.
Under the sheath
of darkness
its ugliness slithers out
like cold slime.
dead men
with white bony fingers
reach for you.
you know nothing yet,
snug in the arms
of a lover
his warm
shoulders cushioning you,
his gentle snore lulling
you to sleep,
you lie placid, thinking of
things that happen to other people.
but just across the street
whereyou live,
a body
has been ripped
apart
a wing torn
to shreds.

The city paws at you
even when you
do not feel
its deathly fingers,
its stealthy feet
stalking you.


It waits impartially
for all women.
each day
today
tomorrow
forever.

MANJU PRASANNAN PILLAI