Haiku

kite flying
the city migrates
to its rooftops

the squish of jamun
under my feet
purple noon

Diwali cleaning -
that itch to clear the cobwebs
on the moon

(Diwali cleaning is a big event in Gujarati households. The ladies of the house start the process soon after Navratri gets over. One by one, cupboards and attics/lofts in each room are emptied, clothes & beddings are sunned and aired, vessels are washed and dried, and put then back in place)

chowka barah
the cushioned spot
occupied

(Chowka Bara or Ashta Chamma is a two or four-player board game from India, traditionally played with 4 or 6 cowry shells).

masi magham
the bougainvilleas too
take a dip

(On the day of Masi Magam, devotees gather near holy water bodies and take a dip in the water to remove the sins of present and past life).

tuskers of pooram
mahouts swirl
the decorated umbrellas

hyderabad biryani
I compliment the cook
in chaste Urdu

play of the tigers
the dancer’s belly
burns bright

in the kitchen
the old kettle whistles . . .
shooting star

the sailor sleeps
aboard the submarine
Milky Way

breezy day
holding the stare
of a black cat

eye of the storm
the pigeons scatter away
from the sidewalk

midnight
the blade cuts the pill
in two

scent of rose
finding myself
writing

hint of spring
the long-legged spider walks
across the woolen cloth

freebird . . .
a man wearing headphones plays
air guitar on the subway