A Song 109

From back benches
in Class 6,
Kabir and me
bunked classes
for puchkas
jhaal mudis
in Calcutta Maidan;
Kabir picking bills.
Met Tuka
and abhangs
on roof tops
of locals
in Mumbai;
bumped
into Chekov, Camus
in airy, dusty
second hand shops
on curved
pavements
of Flora Fountain.
Roamed
the gullied city
in smoke
and spirit;
Camus, Chekov
preferred vada pavs;
Kabir, Tuka
opted for brun maskas
at Yezdani.
Straying into
Marine Drive
met up Kolatkar
scratching poetry on stone
benches.
Squatted on sea walls
taking salute
from regiments
of words
marching by,
floating by.