AND LOVE RETURNS !

(published in The Phoenix, March, 2001)

Wading through the muddy street

as  I trace tottering steps

towards your dream-drenched self,

this fag end of March

bursts forth

in the desire of green mangoes

to muzzle the flirting air

soaked in smell of your tumbling hair ;

birds swoop down

to Earth’s shrunken breasts

to nest awhile and sing

of  the fading musk

in  body of late lusty Spring ;

bees suck from beads

of soft-scented dew on lips

and  in the temporary swelling of cells

there  a joy dwells

to ring in the dales of a familiar mind

where you dwell as a flickering image

to sometimes a form or two find

in the crumpled petals of jasmine

dried up inside my jeans

with a little hope to revive it seems

the aroma lost at the edge of my hands

fidgeting again and again

only to retreat to an endless pain

when the dark fluid of love

drips from the Century’s wilted thighs

mocking  the seekers’ lovelorn hands,

indecisive   steps

and  hollow transfixed eyes !!!

comp. n copyright: saroj k. padhi