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The icy air thins and sharpens

The icy air thins and sharpens

Deepti Naval

   The icy air thins and sharpens,
the chrome light takes the better of me.
   I abandon myself to the night around—
mumble meaningless sentences—
   the absurdity of my own words
keeps me going.
 
   I sit on ice, stare into the riverbed—
clear, clear pebbles lying beneath
   reminisce a thousand stories—
all beginnings and endings diluted.
   At one with the elements,
I make roots in ice.
  
   My shadow looms tall
across the steep rock-face—
   I perform to the winds.
Trapped in ice like little clouds,
   white bubble balloons beneath my feet.
I cloud-walk.

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Deepti Naval, an acclaimed actor who has acted in more than sixty films, was born in northern India. Her poetry books include Lamha-Lamha in Hindi and Black Wind and Other Poems in English, and her next poetry book, The River & I, is forthcoming. As a painter and photographer, she has exhibited her work widely. She lives in Mumbai.

Deepti Naval