my ancient heart had a citadel where streams converged
streams of emotions, some salted, others fresh, mixed
and performed a tango.
my blooming eyes sparkle the radiance of my free spirit
that roamed alone in the universe, now it seeks the
of some wild little fools.
my peculiar hair has grown through thick and thin, but now
it wants to sense how it feels to resemble the colour of white chocolate that gave me joy.
my thin red lips had the blue lipstick when there was green
pus in that wound I hid for years. now it’s soaking in the sun but my healing lips still lie.
my address has changed time and again. my tummy has grown full. still, it longs for the letters of milk from the breasts of my mother and that 5 paise orange candy.
in the sharp contrast to my longing, there was a devil living secure, and my silly little sister’s frock had touched me like the ice and the devil left totally insecure.
my libido is like cappuccino, it’s steamy and keeps me flowing, just like that knife in the kitchen cutting green chilli in pieces and the onion peeling off slowly.
I am I.
Himanshu Ranjan lives in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. He is a poet and a Young India Fellow. His upcoming anthology is titled ’36 Love Stories’.