What Do You Do? Poem by Arpita Sud

What do you do?

When words are trying to make their
way out, trying to say something
at the wrong time, when you are in the shower
scrubbing yourself clean of yesterday.

Or when your notepad and pen are in another
room, or when the children have a crazy demand
or an unresolved fight,
or you are thanklessly
engaged in a familiar familial need.

When the words compete against the pinging phone
and a choice has to be made
to either fling the inane words
in the bed of your soul
in the hope of something worthy
growing someday
or just answer the phone,
with words rote and routine
smiling thereafter,
thinking there will always be another day.

Because once you have discovered poetry
it does jostles your very soul
asking you to write some more
to keep looking for answers
or keep content that at least the

questions are coming your way.