now and then

i decide
you won't be among the stars
when i look you won't
lie inside a dusty book
your heart won't say to me the words
mouthed in a different tongue
even my own
your eyes won't lie
a few inches away and a truth
won't rise in another world
to shine its light on me
i decide to hold you
and the world won't say
what you meant to say
what i mean to you
among our pacific silences
your hands won't grip
mine in fear need pity pain only let
the warmth remain
i decide what is real
and remove this screen
this blue concrete smoke
between our eyes one day
at a time we are glorious
and you mine
this time its now

Happy Womens Day!

The Dark Is Beautiful campaign conducted for Women's Day by WOW, had a few contests on, and I won first place in their short story contest for my entry "Clay". They had the story on their display board and all, it felt really great, Yayz!!

I went to the event in British Council yesterday and got to meet some really great people including Deepika and Kavita, two of the women who actually made it all happen. It was very humbling to meet people who actually do stuff instead of just generally sitting around bitching about how life sucks (me in short). The last time I met women who affected me so powerfully were Vandana and Vaishnavi of the NGO, Banyan.

I don't have any pictures of the winners/winning entries in the prize distribution event as I was in late, which by the way will definitely be on my epitaph, but I managed to get a few shots of the photographs on display. Just sharing three of my favorites -

I received a gift cheque from Landmark for the prize, and I went wild there today, the security guards stepped back cautiously on seeing the feral gleam in my eyes

Here is what I got - three books, duh :(

I buy everything Woody Allen writes, price is no object, I happen to have this inexplicable bond with shallow, daft, pervs

Bought it because it was on sale

Bought it because it was not on sale

All in all, a major feel good! A Very Happy Women's Day All :)!