Lies

I was so confident that my lies

will withstand any onslaught of life.

But now I understand that I have crafted
them so poorly, with such flamboyance,
with such gaudiness,
that they won't withstand even the first wave of reality

not even the slimy worms of my own mind.

I should be more guileful and my lies less blazing
so that my otherwise unintelligent mind wouldn't notice it so easily.
Perhaps I should use more whispers to create them

than the trumpets of loud colors.
Perhaps I should tell them oftener to myself

so that my ears will mistake them for what they are supposed to be.

Otherwise I may succumb even before I get time to surrender.

Delhi

Delhi of Strife did not touch me
Perhaps I wasn't man enough for it
Perhaps because I am a man.

Now, my friend,
Let you find what I could not search there,
Let the city make love to you without its blankets,
Let it crush you with the iron weight of its ancient Emperors.