Barriers Poem by Raj Arumugam

we just go on
in our angers, little prejudices,
likes and dislikes, whims and fancies
clichés
deep-seated fears
and pile them up into barriers




(a)

the tea is cold in the cup
and he has not finished talking;
he nods hurriedly as I blab
and races into his discourse



(b)

the women look away
there is a word, some muttering,
some remarks…




(c)

brothers thank each other
with incoherent words
that register nowhere