Priya Sarukkai Chabria

Evening flight. Through a haze
of washed mist the sun slips
and turns and bleeds
and rivers run through reddened terrain
to meet the silky flesh of a swollen sea.
Infinite farewells curve over the earth.
In my heart, a sudden stain - -
memories of a love long back
rise.
...

But he will never know, this man,
who has stood by me, not forest-like through thick
and thin but in the in-betweens,
like a lonely tree on a bald hill
that provides shade to wanderers
to unpack their lunch and eat and sleep:
Sustenance on their journeys.


But he will never know, this man,
how he has tilled
the field of my longings,
scattering seeds that grow wild,
rich my secret valleys. But


will he ever see the warm harvest
of blessed years, of storm-blown
ripening grain and husk that fall


with ease, with gentleness
on barren hills from which a lone
tree grows again, tap root seeking
the stream underground, my life and his?


Earth on earth, my back a hill,
I open my arms to gather its spring
that is our love:
It leaps fresh and clear.
...

Under phosphorescing skies
I'm compass,
needle missing.

The Pole star wanders shedding light.

Hurtling embers
lace space, each a gaze, a syllable.

Galaxies reel
spilling the language of time.

Mystery's alphabets singe
nebulae, strum stellar winds.

In which transparency do you hide?
...

Wearing rain I want
your hands to meander
over me. Come stroke this
breath smooth, those drops yet to fall

In an infinity loop your absent
beauty chars, and charring fuels
my craving till each inch of skin is
scorch, dew, hymn to you

Soot petals shower in slow motion
My pores smoulder through downpour

I crouch
waiting for your scent
to condense, your waltz on water
to end, I wait

for you to thrust
me into another
hunger lit by lightning
forked
...

Prayers string the heart to heaven
-in climbing gossamer glister -
soaking the thunder with whispers:
Claim me. Pour bliss in every orifice.

Make me a monk, make
my body a begging bowl that brims
over the horizon for you

but you don't hear
for language evaporates here
...