Poetry 2023 Longlist, Rachna Gupta

My Restless Soul

There is an abundance in not knowing.

What, when, how, and why.

But the restless soul,

Who wishes to argue,

Wins the battle,

With the often-weary heart,

And goes,

In search,

Of the answers,

To the questions,

It already comprehends.

Poetry 2014 Shortlist, Rachna Gupta

In Search of Peace


As the rains fell,
Her vulnerability decreased
As her tears were no longer visible
For all to see

She longed for a caress
She hoped for love
Her heart bled
And then she gave up

Wanting …. Hoping….wishing….

She felt the Gods did not notice
They did not care
For a part of their creation
That was no longer going to be there

The rain drops continued to fall
She grew more restless
The nights became longer
And one day she left
Went away to a place where she no longer needed the rains
A place where her tears would finally stop!