by M. Mohankumar
M. Mohankumar pens a set of short poems on an interesting mix of themes.
1. VELVET GLOVES
The velvet gloves
that you wear
fascinate me;
but I’m scared stiff
by the powerful fists
they hide.
2. FLOATING
Ladders,
props,
scaffoldings −
all knocked off
at one go.
I find myself
floating in mid-air.
3. BETWEEN TWO STOOLS
I chose the right one,
and almost sat on it,
when someone
pulled it back
abruptly.
4. THE GRAVE
On the unmarked grave
of a great scholar,
tall grass
trampled upon
by unheeding feet.
5. A BUREAUCRAT-POET
‘He may be a good poet,’
his colleagues said,
‘but as an officer,
the less said the better.’
And the poets said,
‘He may be a good officer,
but as a poet,
the less said the better.’
Mohankumar has published eight volumes of poetry in English, his latest collection being “Gleanings” which released in 2016. His poems have appeared in almost all reputed literary magazines in print in India. His first collection of short stories in English, ‘The Turning Point and Other Stories’ has been published by Authorspress, Delhi. Mohankumar retired as Chief Secretary to Government of Kerala.
