Poem: Frida to Sharanya

This is my favourite photo of Frida.
By the time this photograph was taken in 1938, Frida had mastered the art of the unwavering gaze, not to mention the projection of masculinity. The Trotsky and Cristina affairs that wreaked havoc on her marriage had happened; she was in the midst of her first solo exhibition in [...]

The Moon?

In putting together some biographical information, I realised that I have read my poetry at:
1. An abandoned pier
2. A cemetery
3. An 11th century stupa
What next? How do I top this?

Calling Poets, Poet-Wannabes, Poetry-Lovers (And Lovers of Poets, Too)

If you are poet, want to be a poet, or are not sure if you’re either but love poetry anyway and will be in Chennai anytime between August 18 and 24 2008, I want to hear from you. A friend and I are co-curating a major exhibit and reading series in conjunction with Madras Week, [...]

The Venus Flytrap: Surrendering To Serendipities

A dear friend of mine resigned from her job today to be with her toddler – and see where life takes her next.
This is no small step for my freespirited friend, someone widely acknowledged as the blithely charming PR queen of her country, someone who has chased eclipses in Iran, honeymooned in Iceland and worn [...]

The Many Mental Illnesses Of A Masked Crusader

I’ve always liked Batman. Maybe that says something about me.

The Venus Flytrap: Grace In Aliases

I have a friend who has a name so supremely cool that I’m concerned it cannot even be mentioned in this column without incurring royalties. It is Chandrachoodan, which despite meaning something as poetically wimpy as “the one with the moon matted into his hair” sounds like “the one who will have you eviscerated if [...]

Poem: Mamihlapinatapai

Mamihlapinatapai
Yahgun (Tierra del Fuego): a look shared by two people, each of whom wish the other would initiate that which they both desire, but which neither one wants to concede.
The saddest word in the world
has a piñata nestled
within it. You will never
know the richness of
your own heart until
you have held it high
above the totem
of your [...]

The Saddest Word

From the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego.
Mamihlapinatapai
a look shared by two people, each of whom wish the other would initiate something that they both desire, but which neither one wants to concede.
(My phrasing. Originally shared by Anand).
Now I’m going to try to write a poem.

“Legend Of A Cowgirl”

I love this song. Thought of it today. Lyrics here.

The Venus Flytrap: Idli And A Screaming Orgasm (or, Spicing Up The Menu)

In preparation for the Olympics this year, the government of China has released a tourist-friendly 170-page book recommending new English names for some 2,000 delicacies – all of which till now go by some baffling monikers. What a pity this menu makeover is – it would be such fun to hang out in China and [...]

A Too Brief Wondrous Book

I had requested The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao to review — and am so glad I didn’t get it, because I couldn’t possibly have savoured it properly if I had. The one and only thing I didn’t love about the book was that it was about half the length it should have been; [...]

Mr. Cohen, I Hope You Live Forever

Please don’t bother reading this if you are irritated by mad self-indulgence. Actually, you shouldn’t be at this blog at all in that case, so goodbye!

When I was 19, someone I was furious at played me Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man”, and said, “This song is for you.” That was how it began, this blessed [...]

Viva La Vida – Postmortem

We spent a beautiful late morning yesterday at the most gorgeous cemetery I have ever been in (prettier than any park in this city, I think). The Madras War Memorial is a small, impeccably maintained place, holding the remains and/or remembrances of Commonwealth citizens who died here during the first and second world wars.
The raven [...]