Four Poems

May 30, 2017

By Ananya S Guha

1

In Kashmir
there is no lull
break the hull
free the land
free the shackles
children, men, women
politicians, aristocrats,
intellectuals, thinkers
free them; whisper to
them the truth and how the
body and the land mingle.
don’t talk to them of that
neighbouring country.
they know it how neighbours
can be rotten. but talk to them of
the movement of the human
heart. don’t talk to them of
this country. they are tired
to be drawn into battles.
talk to them of beauty,
mountains and cherubic
children with glowing cheeks.
talk to them of spiralling mountains
and watery lakes. Speak, simply
speak. heart to heart.
pray even if they are enemies
(as you think)
don’t
hurt
hurt
hurt
pain will dwindle
them into seven seas
can you see a land submerged?

2

Tiptoe
enter this land
silently
they call it another
its mountains are crestfallen
its children deadpan
they can paint only guns
its teachers are refusing
to teach
what will they learn anyway?
hush, tiptoe
weep if they want  your tears
mangled dogs are eating maggots
soon they will shoot with pesticides

3

I’ve never been to the land
I only hear, hear, hear
and see tears in a half-
cracked mirror.
Maybe I’ll disown myself.
Expiation.

4

We watch you sinking –
soon you will be a land
submerged; a
Lost civilisation, Atlantis,
killed, wiped by slow poison.

Bio:
Ananya S Guha is Regional Director, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Shillong.

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