in the mangroves
by vinay ghodgeri

slipping on the monsoon delirium
time that sticks to skin
break the hands that tick
and massage its swollen tips
rhizome legs in the whirlpool
lush of floating sense
in an incendiary moment 
we are here what we can never be
coaxing seconds from watches
wine from livers
pain from the past
dreams from the dead
will the birds still circle when one floats free?
the boatman’s oars never falter
take us placid through the pungent waters
eyes to the murky thick
feather, fish and fulcrum
turtle skulls find us fleshy
the children shout 
voices drowning in our oars’ rhyme
waves found wanting
weak moments of wisdom
that linger like dejà-vus
haunting the knots that 
the boatman tied as he pulled 
ashore tugging heaving
leaving us all at the uncertain edge
leaving us all restless
leaving us inward

Vinay Ghodgeri is a writer, artist and filmmaker currently based in Goa, India. His novella titled 'Love as an Antidote to Despair' has been published by Ukiyoto Publishing and is available in paperback on Amazon. His poems are slated to be published or published by The Quasar Review, Mouthful of Salt, Emergent Literary and Chewers by Masticadores. He enjoys writing about the soft innards of experience, glazing it with the liminal and the surreal.