while hold
ing the earth
with two
fingers rot
ate it gent
ly pinching
sealing the
ends to ma
ke a trap that
evolves into
a grenade

hold your
breath -

not a sin
gle yawn
to betray
the night
in smuggle
a moon by
inhalation
giving rise
to tides in
flesh & birth -

the pet store
& the butcher's
are neighbors

the parrot
tired of child
ren & cages &
chilies walks
faintly to the
butcher's log
with scars like
its own -

the hen
tired of cocks
& cages & rice
walks faintly
to the lovebirds
with red three
pointed stars
to a cage veil
ed differently.

~Ajay
30/8/2019