Dear GJ

You will never read this
For a number of reasons
Chief among them being that you don’t know me
You don’t know us
Us
We - who named you after the initials of the number plate
Of your yellow scooter
Because we never knew you too
But the memory of you made me smile today
And reminded me of the joys of secret crushes shared with best friends
We - who are no more
Only me
But
Thank you

Broken

She was here
many lives ago
a road she'd forgot
a forget-me-not
walled within deep dark blues
and grays of a million hues
a different face
but the same self consumed
in the same quicksand
paid the same dues
bled the same grief
the same heartache bloomed
new spells were spoke
new fires stok'd
forgiven, but forgotten
the same heart broke

-Amit

Sugar

Rush

sugar-high, mush

Sins of fruit and flesh,

and dark magic mesh 

with bits of guilt

salted, caramel-filled;

Caution and a wrapper 

thrown to the wind

tiptoeing

outside and in

cupboards

w/ tea, coffee

me

Kisses on Cheeks in the Dark

Of the leaving night;

Of small talk and smiles

to make light 

of aching hearts

leaving warm bodies in warm blankets behind

Of kisses on cheeks in the dark;

Of shuffling feet and a little spark

that the light in the doorway makes;

Of a practiced good-bye 

in hushed tones and mime,

once more, lest my little child wakes

Of promises; Of time

and time again turning back to see her at the window sill;

Freezing moments, trigger-happy making stills

in the mind

for the heart;

But time runs out,

A car drives in;

I depart

- Amit

Diving, Up

The making, made
the brightening, shade
the might, now will
no strength afraid
no lingering want
or desires haunt,
comes floating down
now morning taunts
a wrinkly djinn
now blink-and-gone
yet remains
the shine it shone
now stooping high 
now threatening dawn
diving up, again
now gone

-Amit

Where Goes The Shadow?

The tired earth tosses slowly her sides
Inching closer to slumber with measured strides
The black city-ghosts grow taller, but weak
The birds all fly west, with spirited shrieks

The body goes to rest, the mind, to squander,
The weary go home, the homeless go wander
The fallen go back, the hopeful go on
But 'tis only a soft-glow, what once brightly shone

The long fingers of the Sun are done caressing the shore
The day of Life is done asking for more
Its quiver now empty, where goes the arrow?
The flame now goes out, where goes the shadow?

-Amit

The Closet

You were away that night.

I tip-toed into your room
and opened your closet
rummaging through this and that

I found him hiding
behind some old knick-knacks
on the third shelf on the right.

Afraid to speak,
looking scared
in spite of the perpetual grin on his face;
I offered him some courage from the bottle in my pocket
He drank it all up as I stared into his empty sockets
And then he spoke.
We spoke.
About this and that
and we laughed
till I innocently slipped in the Question
and he slipped, replied.
Then stopped.

You were away that night.
You, who will never return.

-Amit