(The poem is now part of the I:OBJECT exhibition at ArtKonsult gallery, Lado Sarai Delhi. The solo show is by artist Megha Joshi. for more details:https://www.facebook.com/events/1527247950846830/ )
Let us begin with the
structures of adoration.
Excited brass tips atop the
Domes of a mosque.
Perhaps a poet sits on them
Carassing and tickling them
Hardening them further.
The visual is blasphemous.
Perhaps then,
The ‘skull caps’ are needed
Twin and wired, finely laced
helps.
All of it's architecture
embroidered in inches.
Multifarious sentimental
goosebumps
Peek through the perforated
design.
I begin a private revolt
Along with that poet
brandished atop domes.
Against Alignment
Against crowd in the balcony
of my chest.
Against the homogeneity.
Towards dialectics
Of anatomy and anonymity.
Against the Synthesis of
Wire, lace and concrete.
Against Gandhari's[1]
Blindfolded boobies.
Only a plain garment
On a plain chest.
because Nakedness is not as
threatening.
I intend to begin with a
quiver.
And let the garment quiver.
The volume, density and the
circumference
Intends to quiver.
Muster up a rich lather of
movements.
Yes sensual and appealing, but
only
In preliminary thoughts.
Equalling Almost Ghalib, in
character.
Tits those defy gravity
Are inversely Almost Ghalib.
Ghalib was a sentimental
breast,
Droopy and dripping,
Going nether, a follower of
carnal gravity.
Sucked on for an invisible
nectar.
All lovers crave and suck for
an invisible nectar,
Only in preliminary thoughts.
Press on passionately for the
taste of nothing!
Look at Qais[2]
drinking deep
The illuminated wilderness,
For a taste of nothing!
The quiver, then as I intend,
decodes the nectar
Into Putna's[3],
dark dangly aerolas
Supplying forbidden potions.
She promises to be witness,
To what is to come.
Her sentimental breasts look
most promising.
Her bosom only contains her
breasts,
The manufacturer of Hemlock.
and
Maybe a stronger motherhood
veiled in a secret
and cups full of visible
poison.
Visible, Tangible, Material
for a child to relate to.
Dark Putna, mother of the
Dark Krishna.
Yashoda[4],
the worshipped one,
How you lure all feeding
privlidges
With your empty
sentimentality!
The grand owner of sagging
bags,
My granny, stored all
kiddie-money
In some contour of her blouse.
A little cajoling and magic
was reproduced.
But on the inside was
grotesqueness,
I would never forget.
Chamunda Devi[5]
had killed two monsters:
Chanda and Munda.
And their carcass was
entrusted upon my granny
To be carried on her chest.
Now let us go back to
padded-realities
No lace, only a wine coloured
polyester
A firm hold like hands hold
an offering,
Knowing well the moulding
surface-tension,
For an order of things, For
an order of things!
Ask a dancer of sculpted
reality,
Ask the stick figurine in
Bronze,
The Dancing Girl[6],
if she forgot to put on her
padded bra,
and stood there just in
defiance,
a reluctant fist on her
waist!
-Zooni Tickoo
November 26, 2014
Email: tickoo.neha@gmail.com
[1] In the story of
Mahabharata, Gandhari is the Queen of Dhritrashtra, the blind king of
Krukshetra. Gandhari decides to blindfold herself for all her life to be equal
as her husband.
[2] Qais (Majnoon) is the lover of Laila. Inspired from Ghalib’s couplet “Nafs-e-Qais se
hai chashm-o-chiragah-e-sehra/ Gar nahi shama-e-seeah khana-e-Laila, naa sahi.”
Translating to: “the vast deserts are illuminated due to profound desire of
Qais, so what if he cannot witness the lights of Laila’s private chambers”
[3] Putna is a demoness
sent by King Kansa to murder infant Krishna. She decides to do so by feeding
the infant with poison from her breasts. Although her plan is unsuccessful, it
is believed that she witnesses a reflection of cosmos in Krishna’s mouth,
before she is killed by him.
[5] Chamunda is the
fearsome mother goddess, believed to be a manifestation of goddess Parvati. She
is called Chamunda because she destroyed two demons, Chanda and Munda.
[6] Dancing Girl is a bronze
statuette dating around 2500 BC, from the Mohenjo-daro site of Indus Valley Civilization. This statuette is frequently referred to in south-asian Dance
history as well.
