Friday, December 15, 2000

Symbiosis

colonizers of a virgin planet.
constant companions.
of lovely long tresses.
scratch, scratch, scratch.

god! are they
breakdancing 
having sex 
digging holes
all the way to China?
scratch, scratch, scratch.

face wash, lipstick, kajal, perfume.
(scratch, scratch, scratch).
medicated oil and shampoo.

tormented writhings. 
fevered imaginings.
little settlements
– no,  whole civilizations –
annihilated.

tiny wriggling body
frantic waving legs
scratch, scratch, scratch.

thumbnails meet.
loud click.
one black dot
is now deceased.
scratch, scratch, scratch.

first appeared in Femina magazine 15 Dec 2000

105.7C

Mercury is a temperament
and Mercury can also be
a god
and a planet
But Mercury is also
a thick silver rod
encased in a glass tube
which jolts you
as 
rigours
vomitting
listlessness and pallor
simply cannot.

And Mercury is
the potent rod
that can direct you
to the dread
antibiotics
which you have long forsworn
in favour of
Alternative Medicine
and 
Natural Healing.

So he’s better now.
And I’m exhausted.
Please can I have
an antibiotic too?

first appeared in Femina magazine 15 Dec 2000