Cruising Alone

  I know that you don't like me, Even if he was the one who first wrote to me. You never really understood Why I cared for him. So I kept my distance. Because I could never have him The way you do. He only remembers me When he's feeling blue. We started off as friends, And perhaps that's How we were always meant to end. He chose you To be his wife, And he's grateful You became his life. I exist only in his memories. You lie in his embrace. You stand beside him In sickness and in health, Through the trenches and life's wealth. And I would never wish To be the cause of pain, Or the reason Love begins to strain. But sometimes I wish He had kissed me, Back when I believed We were meant to be. Because you get to share Your tears with him. I hid mine Whenever life turned grim. You will always have him. Yes. You will always have him. I will simply Be  A memory.

It’s one of those days again The way I’m feeling, it’s insane It’s getting hot in here, don’t need the gym sesh to sweat, oh dear Maybe nights would’ve been more fun with reckless choices, like playing with a loaded gun But lately, I’ve been getting good at catering to my temptations icing my cakes and buns Who cares about those part-time lovers, someone’s new petty chauffeurs Isn’t it amazing to have grown, enjoying the sounds of my moans… 

Some would say men went to war for women like you, But I would still choose war if it meant choosing you. You say you write in amorous lines, But I would let you be the woman of my tribe. You had your adventures Under The Buda Moon, But have you been loved past noon? So I can see you shine like a magical flower, In the quiet warmth of the golden hour. The invisible strings pull at my heart Can I do justice to your name? Caress you right, Till you sing like a Carnatic hymn. Inspired by the author of Under The Buda Moon,  Veena Rao

Have you seen through it all? Did your heart ache when the angels took the fall? Were you breathless while you were drowning in that mess? Did you look for the light when it was nothing but countless empty nights? Did it ever feel like this - just a face in the crowd, hiding from the otherworldly kiss? Did you see it all clearly, how you escaped death, nearly?

I can feel the distance, But my body craves you. I am howling at the moon, Hoping you love me until noon. It’s winter, and everyone is covering up, But I will drop every single layer for you. Will you make the bedpost creak? Like the way we break our Duolingo streak? Or will you be my Count, And leave your marks on my neck? Will you drink away my life force, Or give me your immortal kiss? Who would care about saving it for daylight? We are creatures of this starry night. Will you save me with your sword, Be my Guinevere’s Sir Lancelot ? These boys keep talking about getting high at the pub. Would you do me the honour of the Mile High Club? Will you track my curves like an F1 circuit? Or be like kids fighting over the gully cricket? Come get me, while the night is still young, And we erase the distance with our tongues.

Hey Mister, Why won't you play a game of Twister? I promise I won't play coy. Won't you love it if I were your only toy? You can be the Lion in the boardroom, Then make me roar in the bedroom. Let's play the game of fire and ice. You bring the sugar, and I get the spice. I am praying by myself these nights, Drowning my moans when the city sleeps tight. We can play the game of Super Sonic, And then have our own race over some gin and tonic. So find me, like an app can find a phone. No, I won't bring out my Medusa and turn you into stone. I have been getting over my fears, Learned to make my tears into spears. You can take me as you like. We can go until we hear the third strike.

Hey boy, how’s your Hello Kitty? Always been lame—tell me, is she witty? You go down on her, sure, But can you really make her purr? Once you tasted a sex worker’s thrill, You ran to Seattle chasing a “continental” fill. Don’t we love the truths that cut brutal? Found yourself another to bear your saddle. Before you found a she-horse for your arse, You rode the last one with nothing but farce. Have fun in the land of a fascist, In the end, you are nothing more than a sadist.

  Boy, you need gold coins and chains, To feel that silky touch. Honey, being with you meant My soul needed a retouch... You might like maple syrup, But I could never build anything with that softwood. It was like babysitting way into my adulthood... You think your presence made it feel like Niagara? Boy, it was drier than the Sahara. Who gave you the license to operate heavy machinery? You never deserved to be anywhere near this sanctuary. Asking women to "blow" you a kiss, When you are the one too "slow" to catch up, And all you are good for is a diss... You need to work because you don't know how real FORCE  works. You get high on your stupid   WARS — How would you ever know the language of the STARS ? Isn't it funny you were trying to teach  me  about fingers? When I can get myself to sing more with my  ladyfingers ...

  Call your wife. Call your mother. Tell them how you talk to women like me when no one's watching— But of course, I'm the Outspoken B tch*, and you, the Outstanding Gentleman in your suit and tie. But sure— I’d rather be outclass than be hung like sea bass on your trophy wall, smiling silent while you call me “crass.” Your twisted kinks. Your polished lies. You think I won’t roar? That I’ll tuck in my shadow just to keep your sin safe? I own my dark. Loud. Proud. You will not cage me with your guilt-laced chains. If you were so happy choosing her over me, Then go flirt with her . Not me. Don’t you dare come here with your diluted apologies and leftover lust. I’d rather be The villain in your story Than your sidepiece in silence. Because I remember— You were a playboy then , You’re still a playboy now , And every time you smile and say “We’re still friends”… God, I puke a little. You know your name. Don’t play lost boy. Don’t hide behind your “Good intentions.” I used to care...

  So, you say you have a sister, and now you have to take care of another? That you want to live up to your father's name, and you can't read about my pain, and nothing's the same? Did you forget that your father saw his own daughter in me... when we didn't even know if we were supposed to be? And I couldn't even look in my father's eyes... because I trusted a coward's lies... while you went about building his incomplete legacy... My father's head hung low because of your discrepancy. He saw his daughter cry for years... and aren't you the one who said you hated my tears? So go on, take your glass of whiskey and say cheers... because you only made me stronger than my fears. You might have broken me and left me for dead— but always remember: I am a father's daughter. What you broke, he built every day. Blamed himself for my crooked ways. He tried to shield me when no one was around... and you thought you could laugh at me while I was on the ground...

  Did you think I wanted your shriveled-up lemons? Do you honestly believe it’s that easy to cherish my melons? I’d rather guest star on Jimmy Fallon... Than be with a guy who’s just a petty felon. Maybe you thought you had me beat in tic-tac, But I can devour you like an evening snack. You think I’m some matinee show, And you’re the one who drops the curtain - it all fades to black? Boy, you only think in terms of your software stack, Thought you owned my rack—nah, just another hack. Love calling a woman a bitch? Try replacing the b with w , switch— Then maybe you'd see who's magical, And who’s just another shrew, tragical. Maybe you only know how to feel proud of your wooden leg… What made you believe I’d ever want you to fertilize my egg?

  I wanna be your temptress, Get you down on my mattress. You be the king, I'll be your empress. I already have a clear purpose, You can trace every curve and surface. I've got one mission for you— Are you built for the secret service? Let me take a bite of that apple, Can you make me pray without taking me to the chapel? They call me a wolf, but I will bear your saddle, Make me howl like the moon's lone disciple. Either play this like a boring game of Scrabble, Or get your armor on and be ready for a passionate battle.

  With a single whisper, your pole raises a tent, And you think you're Kal-El or his alter ego, Clark Kent? A guy who thought his stick did the trick, Who thinks he’s smouldering fire—nah, just a thin wick. Not even worthy of the douchey role in a chick flick. The only way you feel like a man is when you have a thick wad of cash, Otherwise, you’re tossed out like someone's Tuesday trash. You treat a woman like a simple accessory, But can't even last long in missionary. So here’s your legacy, stamped and set— A boneless nugget—soft, limp, and easy to forget.

  One fine day, tired of "always my way," I reached for comfort, or maybe just a craving. Picked up a spotted cucumber— Seemed harmless enough, so why not? But the moment I touched it, it pricked. Unwanted timber in my hands, Yet I let it be—what else could I do? Hunger led me to peel its layers, Only to find the filth it hid underneath. Worms writhing where freshness should be, Rot, disguised as something nourishing. I thought it was doing me a favor, But all it did was make me sick. Never knew comfort could leave such a taste— Bitter enough to spill my guts out. Next time, I’d rather reach for something rich, Something warm, indulgent, and worth my time. A smooth, chocolaty éclair— Rather than ever go for such a comfortable, unhealthy affair.

  So, you thought I would simply burn in rage While you quenched your passion with another... And when I spoke up against your ridiculous behavior, You dared to say— If it were not for your own sin, I’d have to deal with your brother. So, you could threaten me as much as you like, But when I matched you word for word, You dared to say I belong in a mental ward. Did you honestly think you can clip my wings, And I will vanish, extinct, like a flightless bird? You can't even handle your own dirty work, Always need one henchman or another To hide that smirk. Do you really believe you are a good guy ? Even Hiranyakashipu and Raavan Sent their sisters first, to burn and humiliate— And you can burn me all you want... Not every coal becomes a diamond in the rough. But honey, I was never just coal to begin with.

  Baby, I am no Snow White, I am hardly fairest of them all. You can try your best to take my kingdom, And have me take a fall. I am not afraid to crawl through a sewage pipe, Give and take 500 yards— And still rise to the top, No matter how much you fumble up with my dealt cards. You can drench that tasty treat, And act as if you had me beat. But if you try to poison me, I will spit it right back on your face— Because I walk my own road, Not a rat like you, Who tried to play me and then said I am stuck in a maze. You are no one's charming prince, Let everyone see you wince. The fact you said you'd rather be with a dumb one, That you are happy you dodged an effing c*nt... That you would rather climb someone tall, And that I am only a runt... If that's true, Go ahead and do a witch hunt. Because you can try— But I rise from ashes, No matter how much I am burnt.

I can't feel you anymore... I feel alive again—and so much more. Everyone can see the shift, How I smile and laugh once more. I lost my smile for a while... Dead eyes, and my soul paid the price. It drained me dry, took its toll— Yet you twisted it into some sick goal. You mocked my rants, Because all you cared about was the girl in hot pants. That motherly care you swore was rare— Yet you pick another, as if we’re all on some timeshare. I was on the floor... Now I rise, ready to stomp once more. When I burned with rage, You made vile remarks about my age— As if I were on a stage, As if I were meant to rot in a cage... And now you preach like you were always a sage. You want to preserve your unborn child... I hope she reads this all one day, A legacy of tears you can never hide. Not just for one, but for all— Who acted as if this witch deserved to be burnt. 

  Wandering through orchards, tasting the sun, Searching for the ripest berry—just for fun. You stroll alone in this earthly Eden, Yet blame every Eve for what was forbidden. Can you even find the way to that cherry, Hidden deep in the fruit of the loom? Or do you still believe only the serpent Knows the routes to diabolical bloom? Not every Eve is misguided by the deceitful viper, She dances to the tunes of her inner piper. She goes on her own quest, no need to impress, Finding the cherry to savor from that sacred chest.

  To the first woman I ever knew, Who carried me close, whose love stays true— My mother, my courage, my guiding star, Her strength and wisdom have brought me far. Then came a sister, a healer so bright, Her hands mend wounds, and her heart gives light. Through every struggle, through every win, She stands beside me—my closest kin. To the teachers who shaped my youthful mind, Urging my light to shine, unconfined. Aunts, cousins, friends and sisters-in-law, Each leaving wisdom that filled me with awe. NishaMadhulika, a culinary queen, Once unseen, now on every screen. Before the internet sang her praise, She ruled the kitchen in the golden days. To women of history, fierce and grand— Kiran Bedi’s courage, Jhansi’s stand. To heroines drawn from ink and lore, Wonder Woman, Hawkwoman, and many more. And Lily Singh, with humor and grace, Breaking barriers, carving space. Nidhi, Jaclyn, Seema Anand, too, Voices that teach, inspire, and renew. Pop stars who sing my spirit alive, Through t...

  As the hands struck two… Can you feel my hands on you? The power of the universe with just us two I am so into you. Who’s counting the minutes? Only we know what we brew. Even if the world fades to dark, We shine brighter in our spark. Your lips brush my nape, Undoing the shyness of my drapes. As your fingertips trace me, I melt like that slice of brie.