Déjà Vu
There’s nothing to lose
Part I:
Walls of amber
staring into my aura.
Demitasse and chatter,
a recipe I’m sure of.
“Un cafè crème!”,
the darkest aroma.
A cold brew, out of this realm,
to shatter his coma.
A French window gaze
And scribbles on his napkin.
I serve him, through a maze.
My vision, now wrapped in.
Part II:
Like a key,
Into a trance,
Unlocks a memory,
From France.
Bienvenue to a land
of amethyst skies.
By the Eiffel, we hold hands.
Let’s never say goodbye.
Wake up! It’s not a dream.
I have things to do,
It’s more than it seems.
Part III:
I pedal my way through
An overflowing street.
In my mind, I drew.
A masterpiece to complete.
Open the door,
Stretch out a canvas.
Dust the floor,
Let in the light behind us.
Velvet drapes and oil shades,
I’m all set to create.
The whiff of fixative fades,
I hallucinate.
Part IV:
It’s a journey
I like not knowing.
The mind, a flight of a bumblebee.
Come to my fantasy, I’m going.
Bristles fly across the canvas,
Covering up the holes of my piece.
Is it Warholian? Is it grotesque?
A two dimensional emotion, in peace.
A mix of hues,
None dared to use.
To me, a symphony.
To them, noise.
At the back of my head, a voice:
“A misfit in society’s puzzle,” it annoys.
Do what I want?
Do what they want?
You don’t know.
Part V:
Vermillion bleeds
Through the high ceiling fenestration.
The painting, now complete.
But my heart filled with frustration.
Varnish runs down like tears,
Of joy? Of fear.
I rush to the gallery,
Desperate for my salary.
Verbal daggers stab,
As I try to keep smiling.
The audience in confusion,
But I must keep fighting.
Part VI:
At first, a passion;
Now, a nightmare.
My thoughts, a distraction.
But the truth, I can’t bear.
Grey days, endless.
Life is monotonous.
Bury the scars,
Don’t be a star.
I need to make ends meet.
Maybe art is just not for me?
Let’s not cry,
Just say goodbye.
Part VII:
Est-ce que tout va bien?
(Is everything alright?)
I stood speechless, with sugar cubes.
He ordered a decaf delight.
A life lived in fear
Is a life that’s not lived.
This poem was penned in collaboration with Sabharinathan.
