Look deeply, at the quiet waters,

I am polluted

In it you will find, the forgotten in betweens 

Of our city’s secrets

Look deeply, at the paved surfaces

I am haunted

Blocked at points

Broken, cracked, 

Disjointed and disconnected

And at times concealed underground

The weight of the trampling

Burying me deeper and deeper

I am haunted

Severed and trapped 

Desperate to find my way out

To reach my destination

Look deeply, at the quiet waters,

I am weary

Of the conspiracy,

There is hopelessness of talks, 

Political verbal duel and vested interests

I am weary

Of the complicity and the collusion

I am tired 

Of the manipulation

Why argue about who is to blame?

What matters is that we know 

What are we going to do with what we know?

Look deeply, at the quiet waters,

I am enraged

A storm is brewing

Out of compulsion

To be heard and seen

Look deeply, at the force of the water

I don’t feel sorry

For your tunnel vision, 

I don’t feel sorry

For you are oblivious

Look deeply, at the force of the water

I feel compelled

To ask you for moment of introspection

I feel compelled,

To ask you for some soul-searching examination

I feel compelled

For some positive action

Have you seen me?

Every stretch of my pathway, is unique,

Filled with nuances – some historic, some romantic

Some engineered, some natural, 

I can make my presence felt, even in absence

I will  remind,

For remembrance is not just things of past

I will remind, 

For remembrance is not mere nostalgia

Remembrance is also a reminder of our mortality.

I will question 

Can you find a new imagination?

Can you stop the spatial polarisation?

Can you address issues of justice?

Can you be empathetic and understanding?

I am catharsis

I am a revelation

I am a Rajakaluve. 

– Pinky Chandran, October 2022