The Rough Patch

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you move on
when you arrive full circles

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• Sonorous •
( poem in the caption )

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I heard a whisper
" Cut those ties,
ribbons and ropes,
decide the kill,
and make it slow
let those flowers
of yours dry to the core.
uproot.
simmer.
wither.
change.
change so slow
sooo slooww
that my eyes don't understand
where to go
just like the sunset
where the sun drowns
from sunflower yellow
into the cold ocean blue, alone "

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कांच के शीशों पर जा बसी
भाप को मत पोंछो
एक गर्म केतली
और सांसों के गहरे होने का
सबूत है वो
बाकी तो
चाय खत्म होने तक
बातें बदलने तक
कुछ कमी निकाल ही लेंगे एक दूसरे में
गहमा गहमी गरमा गर्मी में
शीशे की भाप पिघल ही जाएगी
तुम्हारी तरह
मेरी तरह
फिर शायद हमारी तरह

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can I paint you
on my tea cup set
that has two mugs.
no, I'll not remember you.
I will, well, not forget you
in my life with others

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कुछ धागे उखड़े ही अच्छे लगते हैं
जैसे फटी हुई जीन्स
कुछ ज़ुल्फें बेतरतीबी से बंधी हुई ही अच्छी लगती हैं
और चाहत सिर्फ बेरुखी के पीछे शर्मा कर छिपी होती है,
कभी कभार झांकती है और गले लगा जाती है

*complete poem in caption*

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I believe in you.
I believe in myself, too.
That's why I'm telling you,
when you leave,
don't look back,
for if you do,
I'll run towards you
as fast as I can,
forgetting why you left,
forgetting why I let you go.

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I pause and stare at
the lips of people eating.
I forget to eat.

I pause to smudge
my eyes with my knuckles.
I forget my smudged Kajal.

I pause and even out
the crevices of your forehead
like a painkiller.
I forget that painkillers
ought to be avoided.

I pause and see it all go.
I forget it.
Play.

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I failed to catch the snow
I failed to hold the magic
for I was looking down to see
how deep I was sinking.

Dear love, she said, why remain
so uptight,
set yourself free and let yourself
sink,
for only that will reveal to you
the other side.

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