since short trouser years
he knows each dash of grass,
dot of dust in the playground;
high-kicked footballs, lost them.
dropped from the game, old and unsteady,
watches kids scoring goals.



...........


makar sankranti.
til gud crowds shops;
jaggery hems talk;
a blue sky offers kite rides
for shreya and chiyu.
grandma, grandpa never flew kites.