Nameless Post
The morning dawns
Hesitant, the pale sun lingers
Awhile, full of pity,
Reluctant to turn its harsh glare
On the little men and women,
Arrogantly unaware of their big dreams;
Slowly bringing out into sharp relief
The smoke rising from the asphalt,
The luminous waves of heat
Dancing in the sun; the putrid
Stench of uncollected garbage
Spilling from a broken vat;
The rancid whiff of genteel poverty
Wafting from shabby tenements
Brazenly bedecked with tinsel,
Buckets of washing
Jostling for a beating and a shower
On the paved quadrangle under communal taps.
A steaming cauldron of everyday smells:
Detergent, toothpaste and spices in oil
Cowdung, urine and tea on the boil
Stale sweat and the sudden
Rebellious fragrance of a stray gulmohur,
Nauseating, fascinating, infinitely reassuring.
A rich canvas, vibrant, beautiful,
Oozing the filth of life from every pore
My heart’s delight, my soul’s repose
My daily breath, my life’s grace,
The love I feel for it all stabs me deep
And enfolds me in remorseless embrace.
Hullo Sum'...Been reading this one and the others even though I haven't commented on all of them. You know what this one reminds me of even before I've had time to think? It reminds me of the in-between breathers - the little gusts of air, the sudden flickers of hope, the unexpected blobs of colour - in "A Fine Balance". And possibly that's what you're doing. Balancing finely or finely balancing or maybe both or neither.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing "pastel-y" about this. Sights, smells, and sounds (I can hear even the tea on the boil) all rush in - and in entangled swirls and knots - sharp, heavy,and intense with no space in between.
I love the last four lines (and the first set in a different way), by the way. The last bit sounds like a prayer - especially the two lines in the middle.
Hoom. When I think of anything else - I'll write some more. But it's very difficult, I tell you...
You take care.