when a flame dies

& the way a drunk mosquito burns—roasted
when it strikes a humming electric
racket, sweet pleasure is found

in the touch of a fire, getting
closer, warming undulating nerves,
burning many skins and hearts —

i sit beneath a cornucopia of thoughts,
shaded by empty words and loss, un-
true to the universe, unforgiving of
black nights and their igniting stars.

i want to learn how to perform in symbols
and when there are shortages of voiced whispers,
i need to let go of my vernacular, my colloquial
lips in favour of a rusted language, that
i have borrowed and bracketed for my cause.

i don’t remember the words, not their units
of deflated lungs, alight clay lamps, final
sparks of a flying cracker in the air, so
i absolve myself of all that has gone,
not knowing, not even writing, because
i don’t know how to do that anymore.

.
© Anmol Arora

Linking it up with “Kerry Says ~ What is Metamodernism?” at With Real Toads
Image source (Untitled [glossy black painting] by Robert Rauschenberg)

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affaire de coeur

Bougainvillea by Terry DeLapp

hidden − alone − like a heart
come asunder − palash
drinks the heat of this sultry
day, painting the white into
reds, and a soft orange flame,
like a petal drying, on
a non-existent shore,

i pluck a new memory to be unveiled −
kaagaz ke phool −
lying awake, and hiding my trace
beneath the bed, of the previous dusk’s
reckoning − i smell of you,
and i smell of the night −

chameli drying on my chest
leaving aside all pretense,

hidden − i inhale, as
you come awake − your fingers riddled
in my hyacinth hair, my lips
blooming like a torn tulip bulb,

at least for this day.

.

…

Flowers and their symbolism:
Palash (Butea monosperma): Arrival of spring, blooming of love
Kaagaz ke Phool (colloquial tr. paper flowers) (Bougainvillea): Beauty, welcoming
Chameli (Jasmine): Love, romance
Hyacinth: Sincerity, constancy
Tulip: Love, cheerfulness, royalty

…

Bringing together lovemaking with the hint of its end, for dVerse Poetics, where the flowers are speaking in their beautiful tongue.

Edit: Linking it up with The Tuesday Platform at With Real Toads.

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Right2Write Prompt 6: Tribute to Nation/Other Language Poetry

There were many wonderful creations submitted in response to the last week’s prompt, Broken Red. I am thankful to everyone who participated.

source

For this week, I am summoning everyone to submit any of their creations, be it poetry, short story or non-fiction for the prompt, as a tribute to their nation. Or in case English isn’t your mother tongue, you can convert an already existing piece by you or any other acclaimed poet/lyricist in your own language, to English and post it.

I think that is quite an interesting idea. I will look forward to your entries. Remember there is a choice between the two of them. You may submit multiple links, writing both of them as well. In simple words, start writing now…

General Guidelines:-

1. Write and submit the links to your creation in the linking widget below.

2. Try to visit other writers who submit their links for the prompt. In this way, you will get to share your work and receive feedback as well.

3. Tell others of this prompt. Everyone is invited to participate.

Poetry

Poetry

is

the language

of

the soul,

.

the heart,

its quill;

.

the thoughts,

its ink;

.

the mind,

its parchment.