By Batul Pipewala
Hide and Seek
If I could, I would.
Not play hide and seek,
But allow myself to be caught in his arms
And held tightly across his chest.
If I could, I would
Let my eyes fondly embrace
The dew on his lashes,
And dare him to pinch,
Warm plump cheeks, blooming with his love.
Familiar to the cage,
The bird yet thrashes its wings to soar,
To fly to lands the free birds live,
But the ‘purdah’ unremitting,
Will only let me see, not be
Whereto my inside pines,
And my mind unafraid treads.
If I could, I would
Let my body and mind breathe equally.
Instead I let my desires burn to ashes,
And pretend it to be a game,
Choose flowers of passionate hues
And send them to him unnamed.