By Shivani Kadam

Interior of earth collapses
And all we feel is a slight shiver 
No wonder it's impossible 
To reach the earth’s core
Everythings tolerable on the surface 
Droughts come and go
We live 
With fire in our hearts
Earthquakes suppressed in our minds
Volcanoes erupting from our eyes 
Burning the darkness into ashes
Earth kills earth
We do the same 
Thumping hearts dig their own graves 
Bloody waves keep thudding on soft walls 
Sizzling sphere — inflaming horizons 
Sun-drunk cities flood in summer rain 
Angels and demons stitched together 
Tear each other apart
Starved minds feeding on rotting bodies
Chew on flesh and bone of their own
And yet the bird sings — a song — so placid 
Melody bleeding from its clipped wings
Ash — fire — and ash again 
Too much to rise and burn for 
It was too late when they taught us 
It isn’t the sun that rises but earth that revolves