Khajurao hymns

I was lost in my sentences, as if, when you arrived,
when you arrived, with a script without words.

There was no drama. Life unfolded petals
and my butterfly passions smelt nectar and flew.

The flight into dark recesses of your arms-
lit only by meteor flashes in your eyes.

Your eyes unloaded my touches at ports
where seekers find redemption and sin.

Like sin, my language utterly unabashed
now strives to carve Khajurao hymns for you.

(Poem appeared in my first book: Saga of a Crumpled Piece of Paper, Writers Workshop, Calcutta)

Wage your fist

Wage your fist
          (dedicated to the friends of democracy and reform everywhere, especially Egypt)

Raise your fist, praise your fist,

reclaim your rights, wage your fist.

Families, fingers huddled together,

aching, raging for living better,

with fiery grit, for sweat and kiss,

for love of dreams, stage your fist.

Raise your fist, praise your fist,

for your beloveds, wage your fist.

From every window, in every street,

vow for a vigil till the corrupt perish.

Yes, you can! You must, you will

For a transformed life, stake your fist.

Raise your fist, praise your fist,

for your brothers, wage your fist.

When fear reigns, hope-flowers wither,

orphaned ideas die, love turns bitter,

to reclaim the joys your kids will inherit,

challenge the night, set ablaze your first. 

Raise your fist, praise your fist,

for saving humanity, wage your fist.

Song-less we live, unsung we die,

in our spirit only remorse is high,

abandon the shores of what if, only if,

for anthems of hope, uncage your fist.

Raise your fist, praise your fist,

for the reign of benign, wage your fist.

Tyrants, down, down, out, out,

junta has woken, your time is out,

accept no excuses, lies or promise,

assert your liberty, salvage your fist.  

Raise your fist, praise your fist,

Triumph over tyranny, wage your fist.

The way is within, all answers are within,

against your own failings rage your fist,

there is no reward, if there is no act,

for change & progress, engage your fist. 

Raise your fist, uncage your fist,

For reform, rebirth, wage your fist!