Street Of Love Poem by Madathil Rajendran Nair

I walked, walked and walked
A street of love this dusk
Mosquito-infested
Smelling Indian incense
Burnt by unknown housewives
Some happy, some unhappy
Who cares who was what and who wasn't

A dog who cared
Barked at me
He had mascara in his eyes
He didn't mean to hurt
But he wanted to greet
With his growl
Exposed canines
That is how sensible animals behave

Unperturbed I moved forward
Brushing the dog aside
And there was this old gentle being
A grandpa with a tot
Head and ears covered
Like a Roman gladiator
In a winter that has failed to arrive

A woman clad in ancient Indian saree
Greeted the child, she sure was all glee
From the pleasantries she mouthed
Where did these happy ones belong
On a mosquito-infested street?

And as I left to my mosquito-free
Air-conditioned abode at the end of street
Incensed by advertised chemicals
The heart yearned to know
Where does love abide

And as usual
The stupid stars above smiled
In total unconcern and disregard
That is how they are taught to behave
When lonely humans grieve
On an earth where mosquitoes feast