Poetry 2016 Longlist, Neha Godambe

PAINTING POETRY

In the hustle-bustle of life,
Treading alone on deserted street
Out of the blue, I see hazy reflections
Engulfing figures, though incomplete

Every motion around me comes to a standstill
Only me and my thoughts flowing
On the veneer of emotions
I splash the pigments of visuals glowing

Crayon moves rapidly, sketching
Contours of my imagination
In the form of a musical structure
I paint the words of incarnation

I paint them in black and white
And all the colours of rainbow
In the words of hatred and affection
And all those emotions hidden below

Personifying those abstract relations
In the symphony of a refined melodic art
I see the scripted colourful painting of thee
Manifesting my expressions of heart

Poetry 2014 Longlist, Neha Godambe

MY FIRST CIG PUFF

Holding that slender stick in between two fingers
Stance of an emperor of a classy empire
The curvy wavy smoke in air lingers
One cig in hand smartens your attire
I remember my first cig puff,
How I held its butt between my lips
An air of curiosity travelled down my core
As a friend lighted for me its tip
The lit cigarette brightened my ecstasy
And with pride I took my first puff
Smoke dint seem finding space inside
And I burst out, it made me cough
That challenged me to attempt once again
This time I felt my smoke-filled chest
I was gagged, hooked for a moment
It was kind of a head rush… at its best!
That whiff of smoke changed everything
Nothing seemed at its best without one puff
Did it taste that good? Hell No!
Then why doesn’t puff after puff seem enough?
Soon my hands, mouth, clothes smelled the same
Seasons didn’t matter, time did no harm
Every time I rushed to a clandestine zone
The moment I received ‘quench the flame’ alarm!
I am not bad, don’t hate me
It’s a compelling force, I can’t shun away
This addiction should only not invite my grave
Be my honest well-wisher, for me pray!