umashankar manthravadi Poems

we have only the hook under the tongue
to guide us
painlessly
through the last frothing shoal
...

ten will be the sacred figure
for this exercise
these are times of anger
and we shall count ten
...

something moves
it is
the eyeless terror
reaching for your skin
...

I am, I am
seeking with my tongue
my lips and fingers
- and you will say
...

carstopped at streetlight. half a dozen
laughing faces. laughter heard in passing.
cold sound hung rail tolling in the
distance. a train stopped in darkness middle
...

why are you upset?
you asked to be kicked

- a ritual act
...

the time now unfolding, she thinks, she says
will be a good time
but the lord of endings says, my time now
would he be the man
...

of the cold night air. some smoke lies curled on
the ground. smoke from cars cigarette ends and
dying windcast candlewicks lies lazy
curled on the ground. dry mistless clear night air
...

A thin thread binds off white iridescent
and apparently endless. Wind whipped sand
bites at knees. A bubble streaks where the surf
leaves the sand brown wet and loses the race
...

Though I know I cannot shake the clouds in
the hollow cave I count each revolving
nail in the sky each stab of light that breaks
the wall. In the bitter yellow sky of
...