in retrospect

last night i couldn't sleep
i tossed and turned
turned on the light
and thought

a fantastic idea
came to me
i wish i had
written it down

load shedding

it rained
we sighed with relief
now there will be light
we said
now things will cost less
we celebrated
and it was good

the next day the sun shone
there was light
but no power
we sighed with dismay
and went back to work

metre down

I hailed a rickshaw
FC road? I asked
"no" replied the driver
and wobbled off
narrowly missing a large pothole

I hailed a rickshaw
Koregaon Park? I asked
the driver shook his head
and wobbled off
escaping a traffic light
by turning left

I hailed a rickshwaw
Mahatre Pull? I asked
the driver didn't say anythign
and wobbled off
almost killing a cyclist
while he overtook a car

I hailed a rickshaw
Where do you want to go? I asked

commute

driving places takes longer
splashing through puddles
dodging newer potholes
with more cars to race against
wipers trace a pattern on the windscreen

petrol costs more, dhania costs less
"maidam, monsoon charge,"
the rickshaw driver said
as he pocketed the change
taxes affect everyone

stopping at a traffic light
there’s time to hold hands
and listen to rumours of floods across the ghats
suddenly there’s so much time at a red light
the beggars have disappeared