Chandran Nair (b. 1944)
SELECTED POEMS
reaching for stones
the desert instinctively draws
the curtain of herself, hides
in shadows while stones break
outer defencesthe desert flowers suddenly
becomes immune to winds
transmuting philosophies and dreams
to violence. still voices gestate,
assume form. the desert draws
despair taut across loveearth covered stones lie gentle
across her skies light dies
the desert sleeps dreamless
the room silent where desires
urge cold winds to violenceher mind sleeps within stones
unimpelled by love and philosophies
love falls between time and shadows
as the desert closes light,
diffuses dreams, undoes patterns
dries up rainunmoving hands reaching for stones
by Chandran Nair
from reaching for stones: collected poems (1963–2009) (2010)
