Shikhandin
When the haze descends
upon this sun-speared land, already wet
with sweat and tropical rain, clouds are veiled,
and there is smoke
in the air. Everything is a dismal grey.
Beneath September’s scented moon
the flames of lanterns link
together like lovers’ hands. Ghosts
let loose for a day, rise
to meet the haze.
My heart turns wistful. Longing
for things I had once abhorred —the acrid blue
of spent crackers. The noise. The oil
of lamps defying a moon
mourning for the night.
I sniff around for autumn’s nip
right here in scoops of briny air.
My children are oblivious of my pain,
my friends aghast at my embrace
of the haze.
This polluting dust and smoke,
poverty’s export, falling
like toxic pollen on their children—
that’s their haze.
I walk under open skies tiara’d by
Singapore’s cityscape, and the static
of this wired metropolis hisses. I
walk on to meet the chins of street lamps
growing fuzzy beards of light.
The smell of insects roasting
in the dying embers
of spent fireworks. A dusk
hanging low in the sky. And a strange
wind murmuring, as if to itself,
a soliloquy about a land
that gropes in the sea for rock and sand.
Author: Shikhandin
Shikhandin is the pen name of an Indian writer. Her published books include “Impetuous Women” (Penguin-Random House India), “Immoderate Men” (Speaking Tiger), and “Vibhuti Cat” (Duckbill-Penguin-Random House India). Prior to that a novel and a short story collection were published. Shikhandin’s honours include, runner up George Floyd Short Story Contest 2020 (UK), Pushcart nominee by Aeolian Harp (USA) 2019, Pushcart nominee by Cha: An Asian Literary Journal (Hong Kong) 2011, Winner 2017 Children First Contest curated by Duckbill in association with Parag an initiative of Tata Trust, First prize Brilliant Flash Fiction Contest 2019 (USA), Runner up Erbacce Poetry Prize (UK), Winner 35th Moon Prize (Writing in a Woman’s Voice: USA), First Runner up The DNA-OoP Short Story Contest 2016 (India), Second Prize India Currents Katha Short Story Contest 2016 (USA), First prize Anam Cara Short Fiction Competition 2012 (Ireland), Long list Bridport Poetry Prize 2006 (UK), Finalist Aesthetica Poetry Contest 2010 (UK). Shikhandin’s poetry and prose have been widely published in journals and anthologies worldwide.
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