a hundred billion livers and hearts, once warm with blood and desire
a hundred billion hues and cries, forever stretched in time
a hundred billion burdened with infinite pain, misery and envy
a hundred billion threads of skin, woven hastily and cut short
a hundred billion dreams i had, of doom, cement and steel
a hundred billion puppets with no master, swinging in the wind
a hundred billion wounds and boils that won’t heal
a hundred billion stranded in the parched desert, dying of thirst
a hundred billion fables and stories, never to be heard
a hundred billion laughs and smiles, forever buried in the stone
a hundred billion breathes and footsteps, engraved in the sky
a hundred billion skulls turned to ashes
a hundred billion victims of death, on whose graves we skip merrily

a cool breeze
sweeping the place
calming all
living and dead

mighty waves
frothing
dancing
embrace the rocks
crying
for they can’t see
what lies beyond

a cloud
hanging
in infinite blue
immovable
in defiance
unlike the rest

the great white north
barren
blinding
terribly alone
grieving

this city
this house
this door
this table
this book
you and i
all alike

a feeble orange light
knocks on her window
wanting to be let in
as it pours in the city
and inside of her

in each other’s arms
we become the elements itself
i’m parched earth
desperate
to soak your raining self in

a lightning strikes
and we’re birds flying home
fluttering our wings in harmony
trying to hold onto time
but it slips away

the clouds clear
and a cold breeze blows
i look into your eyes
and see the ocean
deep
marble blue
we’re swimming in it
you won’t let me
see the chests buried deep
it’s pain you say
and we swim along

we’re primordial humans
running into the setting sun
dancing naked
barefoot
on grass
around a fire
with tears leaping from our eyes

we’re streams
of ice cold water
flowing down a mountain
born in the spring
tussling
becoming one and separating
turning everything green

i’m light
trying to steal a glance
from your window
when it starts raining

she relents and lets
the soaking wet light in
her heart full of jagged scars
bruised and mended
over and over again

i was intrigued
when your eyes looked at me
they let out a laugh
as hearty as your smile
and your hair
covering your face with grace
how i wish
i could stroke them
behind your ear
and whisper words of
pain beauty love sorrow
to you

hiking on a mountain
i saw a tibetan monk
burning a dark maroon robe
as others hauled
supplies for a funeral
an ominous sign
i thought
and sat near the edge
looking at the flags
whirling in the cold air
framing the mighty Beas
in the distance
flowing
as it has flown
eternally

i came down
and marveled
at the snow clad peaks
from the backyard
of my house
how permanent these mountains
they have stood for so long
with countless human experiences
buried deep inside them
they’ll continue to stand
as you and i and everyone else
are long gone
and scattered all over

the next morning
everyone standing
around your ashes
ground scalding hot
from the fire
which engulfed you
and all of us
they pour buckets of water
to cool it down
for us to comb through it
to scavenge little pieces
of your bones
only the savagest
could come up
with a ritual like that

i hope to see you
in my dream
twenty years later
weary
napping to a sunset
on a beach

i’d get to see your warm smile
again
you’d tell me about
the places you’ve been to
people you’ve met
experiences you’ve had
since

i’d tell you about
how at every joyous moment
i’ve had
i asked myself
if i’d give it all away
to get you back
and the answer was always obvious

i’d touch your soft hands
say goodbye
and hold you close
till i become a dream myself
on that beach
shrouded in the red
of the dusk