To river-dolphins (Platanista gangetica)

The river of Ganges flows by my city

like a dirty dress of a vivacious girl, a child,

playing with its building set and dirt

to build random civilizations.

>

The river dolphins do not know

they are losing a battle

of survival.

Sometimes loneliness touches them

while swimming in brownish waves.

Very few of the friends remain.

On a bad day fate leaves dolphins,

midst the traps laid by men;

traps

bare teeth, grab them, eat them.

>

The corpses of those nymphs

hang over the dock

like the dissected limbs of the girl,

playful and lively girl,

a river; with soiled dress

flowing under this sun. 

© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar  

Tiger

“This used to be the castle here.”

He says pointing at the dusty ruin;

fog is climbing the spiral stair case

only to fade away in gray sky.

>

We know that it visits in this part.

of course, it comes too close, in terms of

regality; the king of jungle.

“You stay alert! It values silence.”

>

The bay is near sea salt has whitened

tiger’s footmarks gleaming like crystals.

The peacock’s cry stops our breathing.

The spotted-dears break into run.

>

A brief moment, just one of the beats

in this planet, locks us together;

for that moment; I, my friend and tiger

saturate world, a complete universe.

>

A motor boat is making sound

in the water, bringing our science

as a disturbance midst the bubble

where we are one and unique.

>

I can’t believe that we can extend

cities, towns, encroaching jungles,

the kingdom of majestic tigers.

I can’t believe that we can kill it

with our earthly greed and metals. 

© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar

Gray wolves

(It is Robert who has inspired this)

The snow is consuming sun in its keen hunger,

the shade of bloodless star remains on sky-canvas.

Searching a shade of gray in this part can be hard

but the fight for life which they are in is harder.

>

The moon is crawling up and waiting to be called.

Fully stretched, erect like the mountains we have climbed;

on our face the shadow of pale moon reflects;

we whistle and howl to conjure spirits

of the tribe, of gray wolves, majestic, magical.

>

They come out. Their combined shadows quiver on

the icy blue valley, a moment and vanish.

© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar

to a gray wolf

I want to believe in your innocent heart

beneath those suspicious eyes; suspicious they are

for we have plagued your species and all others.

>

I want to caress you, stroke your fur, whisper.

I want to tell you now, “I am not very far,

in terms of despair. I, homeless, a nomad,

have seen dreamless streets and lived alert, in danger

of being extinct, dead.” Metals of human race

rushing through streets, roads, lanes… polluting, pollinating

everywhere carelessly… in search of  solitude

I am meeting in the woods, the spirit of gray wolves.

Moon is mad with its restrained spells, growing restless.   

We all have one thing in common midst ourselves;

we are thriving on an urge to exist, survive.

© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar

Butterfly

A surprise butterfly

is pervading the privacy

of nursing home.

It hovers over the monitors;

follows the green dot;

as if trying to decipher its chronicle.

>

The butterfly grows

into the dress worn

by his daughter.

She seems to move her lips

sure murmuring,

“Everything is gonna be okay.”

>

Nowadays

these sweet things

are a blur.

© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar

Baby

Micro-born is a word befitting my birth.

“Is it dead, a stillborn?” “No wait it can breathe!”

“Put it inside of a plastic envelope.”

Where I have thrived; never venturing a step

outside.

© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar

Me, insignificant

Think me as a grasshopper

Insignificant

Yet the chain may break up

if I disappear.

Time may change,

your fate too.

          © 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar

pond

It is my sea.

I cry and spread my hands.

A little ripple plays with sun

in the pond I belong.

=© 2009 - All Rights Reserved Kushal Poddar