Cricket with Father
His legs, placed by the table’s centrepiece,
Revive a retro posture—crisscrossed feet—
A style so august that it can increase
The stature of his no-frills wooden seat.
Although it seems those eyes are on the score,
In truth, they try to gauge my mother’s mood—
If fine, he might receive a snack or more
With tea—a fusion that’s immensely good.
This four-roomed place fills with his vibrant voice—
“A brilliant sixer,” “howzat,” “what a catch”—
As if a stadium’s eternal noise.
He teaches me the basics of a match,
Explaining every aspect, big or small.
I nod my head, although I know it all.
“Cricket with Father” first appeared in Pulsebeat Poetry Journal.
A Sonnet to Dream State
Mind’s Playhouse, you exhibit sundry acts,
Amusing man when he’s within the care
Of sleep. Upon your stage, he interacts
With objects, lives, and scenes that you prepare.
All say your passion’s weak for those whose bond
With quietude’s cohesive. Is it true?
However, brains that are immensely fond
Of constant thought-athletics submit to
Your drama during sleep. That is not bad,
But do your false portrayals not seem real?
A small cut leaves one screaming; turns him mad.
Or worse, a thing of hope that makes one feel
Like he has found life’s trouble-ending key;
At dawn, he’s in the same old misery.
“A Sonnet to Dream State” first appeared in Verse Virtual.
Shamik Banerjee is a poet from India. His poems have been published in Sparks of Calliope, The Hypertexts, Lighten Up Online, Westward Quarterly, and Disturb The Universe.
Sparks of Calliope 