Winter Inside the Walled City

An enigmatic dark poem, by Prof. Sanjoy, exclusively for Different Truths.

Old fort’s walls lean towards the ground,
Bygone era’s trees look down on their fallen leaves,
Grass finches peep through their swinging nests
At the green carpet which changes its colour:
Russet brown is time for lighting fires.
Maledictis of frost bites have paled the sky
And the anaemic sun has lost its warmth.
Only juveniles see the smile on its face.
Adult’s wait for cold death’s claims to rise,
Count numbers and observe the falling parabola.
Cows shiver their milk before stuffed calves.
Retired men breathe like bored engines,
Journey hasn’t come to an end.
Ganges looks at its flood marks with satisfaction;
Waves know the consuming sea is away.
Children on way to the examination hall,
Stiff goats being led to the abattoir.
Fear of death spreads like a clot in the head;
Carp unable to escape the warped aquarium –
Passage through weeds is full of antecedents.
Mother’s picture is of happiness frozen on the wall.
Angst is pea in a pod;
Flowers are locked inside unripe buds on the net.
Fakir’s grave is white as ghosts
Its power drives out in return for prayers.
Before crows stands a sparrow for its nestlings,
Twittering. An Octogenarian locks his door.
He would not allow pneumonia to turn
His infant grandson is as cold as the season.
He knows winter can kill before it dies.

Visual by Different Truths