TALKING POETRY

R. Raj Rao

R. Raj Rao is a poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, biographer, literary critic and professor of literature at the University of Pune. His novel, The Boyfriend, recently made waves in France while his second novel, Engineering College Hostel, will soon be published in France and India. He also has a new collection of poems, For Hire, awaiting publication.


LOVE
He asks: what is love?
Love is a four-letter word.
Grapes are sour, he says.

ASS
Like Don Quixote
He rides an ass and thinks he's
On a stallion.

PANDAVA
Five Pandava bums
Screwing seven days a week
Five Pandava bums.

BOMBAY 1
Cars buses taxies
Kotis panthis hijras bi's
Beggars crows dogs cats.

BOMBAY 2
Fumes shit pav bhaji
Skyscrapers local trains rats
Amitabh Bachchan.

SNEEZE
Man, sneeze like a man
He says. Sneezes are earthquakes
That bring the house down.

VOICE
He calls up to ask:
You, sir, are an activist?
Means you are active?