Poem: Of Durga Puja, Fasting And Feasting

I remember fasting all day, all night 

In the festival month-

My unlettered body, smeared with turmeric talc, was aroused with 

Excited warbles of Peacocks and sparrows in Jamdani saree  

Flirting with bald alligators in Burrabazar Pujapandals.  

I was dismayed by the betrayal of old friends-

Leo Tolstoy was busy revising his War and Peace,

Mozart was repairing his Jalsa Ghar,

And James Rennell was distracted by the frequent

raids of Casado pirates in Hooghly.

I am certain I felt I was absolutely transparent when

Strange men and women in plastic masks of Goddess 

Interviewed me for the post of librarian in Kalibari. 

Now, I work in the fish market-

Cleaning and cutting hilsa for dead dolls 

Riding bicycles on the bauxite streets…