Kushal’s poem explores a new song, an old feeling: a hesitant offering, a shared meal, and a silent, drifting journey of unspoken emotions, exclusively for Different Truths.

You tell her, "This song, a new one-
I have composed for you."
Haven't you been writing it 
since you began creating these?

You stop and try to concentrate 
on the food. One seagull flies 
away with a fry; another steals
a sliver of fish. 

Driving back, she plays you
in flashback, rewind, some tune
stuck in her head. You doze off, awake.

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Kushal Poddar

Kushal Poddar, the author of ‘A White Cane for the Blind Lane’ and ‘How to Burn Memories Using a Pocket Torch’, has ten books to his credit. He is a journalist, father of a four-year-old, illustrator, and editor. His works have been translated into twelve languages and published across the globe.

See Full Bio