Poetry at Sangam

SangamHouse

 










Town

In this town
                   ask for directions in whispers
                   tell no one your birth name
                   say you’re on your way to nightfall
                   buy more bread than you’ll eat
                   read the signboards forwards and back
                   mimic the rare songbird hiding in a bush
                   stride along the pipeline bridging the creek
                   shuffle off the linen strap on the Kevlar
                   play infidel on the hill believer on the beach
                   because one blue is so much closer to us
                   than the other on your knees in the sand
                   and when it’s time pray you’ll come back
                   as pearl-thread surf not driftwood
in this town
 
 
 
← Ranjit Hoskote