I TALK TO MYSELF IN BED
After
a day’s labor
they
lie on a sand pile
in
the basement of
a
new shopping complex
rising
slowly next door
like
the waves at Nellore beach
that
broke before wiping
my
name on the sand
I
take a snap at sunset:
they
play with plastic bottles in water
or
eat fried fish in the huts
I’m
warned against placing it on Facebook
she
hates my face
nor
am I allowed to speak
to
the drug addict picked up
from the door steps of
Varsha
Apartments
his
father questions
if
there’s law in the country
only
a street dog wags its tail
I
wheeze and take a seroflo puff
and
wonder if I should visit
Nimhans
and get checked
to
manage my sleep
she
questions why I think of Bangalore
for
treatment of all my ailments
and
takes me to Bannerghatta zoo
for
animal viewing
--R.K.SINGH
