FIRE AND STRAW

Lovers of death were on prowl: 
nothing was finished.Smart words 
were bouncing back. Quotes by the fire 
had stripped down the carnage. More 
bombs in courtyard and hope was confronting 
death. Few branded names were causing 
rift in the ranks and I must forget 
about the waterboarding too. 

After the outrage you would not trust 
them to govern themselves. The towns were 
still sleeping accustomed to the knocks 
on the doors. The water birds were not 
coming this winter. Smoke and fire. Sound 
and fury with flashbacks of flood of red streams. 
I was tumbling down beyond challenge. 
With message of menace they will do no wrong! 

SATISH VERMA 

SALT PLUNGED 17 January 2009 


Seizing the fire after hidden sorrow 
predicted the synchronized slaughter of 
the river, bodies were being ditched 
secretly. The sparkle of waves was murderous. 

Blue wings of tall dangers dodged 
between war and hatred. The golden 
face of a child was smeared with blood. 
You carry a moth to be burned on a flame. 

The black rose hangs in balance, 
against the red cross. A sea of white ants 
was entering into a microchip to eat the 
months of prayer. Nation’s crimes were 

pinned for troops to turn the gold 
into dust. Catch my hand if you grieve 
for the lost mother carrying the child 
of century for burial.

Satish Verma