The Cave

Inside the cave

It was cold

Outside the cave

People turned into bits of over burnt coal.

Inside the cave

The hunters hid

Outside the cave

People arched their eyebrows as if drawing out secret daggers.

Inside the cave

They didn’t know how to use spoons and forks

Outside the cave

People drew each others’ eye sockets out with spoons and forks.

Inside the cave

Death met them simply

Outside the cave

It came to them in textual disguises.

Inside the cave

The woman wept for her lover

Outside the cave

She sold his old photographs for Rs 1000 Rs each.

Inside the cave

People were hungry

Outside the cave

They had food but chose not to eat it.

Inside the cave

They couldn’t read or write

Outside the cave

Their writings set the mark for human behaviour.

Inside the cave

They groaned when in pain.

Outside the cave

You could never make out whether they were in pleasure or pain.

Rati is a bilingual poet and writes in both Hindi and English. Her 1st books of English poems ‘The Sunset Sonata’ has been published by Sahitya Akademi. Rati also runs a poetry group ‘Moonweavers – Chaand ke Julaahe’ in the city. She is currently working as a broadcast journalist for CNC World TV, an international news channel. 

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