Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India

Passion Flickers

butterfly cushions

flutter the skirt

flame flickers

ground to whiteness

for her feast

in the park

seeing the green in her eyes

joy wells up:

she feels the silver blue

the leaves breathing her touch

looking for image

of divine on the wall

to pray or chant

a mantra  or hymn in mind

she leans on him to kiss

in the air

I expected romance—

corona:

avoid her kiss

and breathing too

light switched off

for love sliding on

window pane

moon too shies away

behind the bare tree

intruding

the darkness of bedroom

a tree’s silhouette:

she whispers its masked presence

and says no to making love

the power goes off

suddenly summer heat chokes

in bed sleepless she turns

undoing a hook or two

of her tight blouse

it’s not ageing

but eternal delight

you under me

smooth belly, nude necking

slow stroking, parting flesh

short nights and long days

sleep loss rustles a friction

echoing in bed

the cycle of cravings

over and over again

in the white of night

sighs for supreme delight

steal tender pleasure

manipulating wetness

in bed unmask simple sin