Friday, 27 March 2009
Friday, 13 March 2009
If Only
The air is heavy with the scent of smoke-marred perfume, left behind by his kisses. She runs her hands through her body, as he would have. A mixed set of feelings trouble her – hurt, longing, pain and anger. She hadn’t expected herself to miss him!
Cursing under her breath she thinks, “It’s so easy for men; they do it and forget it and women, get hooked on emotionally.” If only they had still been acquaintances as they were a few years ago, she wouldn’t have to go through this hell!
Cursing under her breath she thinks, “It’s so easy for men; they do it and forget it and women, get hooked on emotionally.” If only they had still been acquaintances as they were a few years ago, she wouldn’t have to go through this hell!
Friday, 20 February 2009
Place
Place becomes an extension of the self, and literature, says Chandrahas. Here are a few quotes, by William Zinsser, talking about the role place in fiction.
“Every human event happens somewhere, and the reader wants to know what that somewhere was like.”
“In a few cases you’ll need only a paragraph or two to sketch the setting of an event. But more often you’ll need to evoke the mood of a whole neighborhood or town to give texture to the story you’re telling.”
“How can you. . . write well about a place? My advice can be reduced to two principles—one of style, the other of substance. First, choose your words with unusual care. If a phrase comes to you easily, look at it with deep suspicion;. . . As for substance, be intensely selective. If you are describing a beach, don’t write that ‘the shore was scattered with rocks’ or that ‘occasionally a seagull flew over.’ Shores have a tendency to be scattered with rocks and to be flown over by seagulls. Eliminate every such fact that is a known attribute: don’t tell us that the sea had waves and the sand was white. Find details that are significant. They may be important to your narrative; they may be unusual, or colorful, or comic, or entertaining. But make sure they do useful work.”
“Your main task. . . is to find the central idea of the place you’re dealing with. . . . to catch the essence.”
“Whether the locale you write about is urban or rural, east or west, every place has a look, a population and a set of cultural assumptions unlike any other place. Find those distinctive traits.”
“Whatever place you write about. . . isolate the qualities that make it distinctive. Usually this will be some combination of the place and the people who inhabit it.”
“What brings a place alive is human activity: people doing the things that give a local its character.”
“Every human event happens somewhere, and the reader wants to know what that somewhere was like.”
“In a few cases you’ll need only a paragraph or two to sketch the setting of an event. But more often you’ll need to evoke the mood of a whole neighborhood or town to give texture to the story you’re telling.”
“How can you. . . write well about a place? My advice can be reduced to two principles—one of style, the other of substance. First, choose your words with unusual care. If a phrase comes to you easily, look at it with deep suspicion;. . . As for substance, be intensely selective. If you are describing a beach, don’t write that ‘the shore was scattered with rocks’ or that ‘occasionally a seagull flew over.’ Shores have a tendency to be scattered with rocks and to be flown over by seagulls. Eliminate every such fact that is a known attribute: don’t tell us that the sea had waves and the sand was white. Find details that are significant. They may be important to your narrative; they may be unusual, or colorful, or comic, or entertaining. But make sure they do useful work.”
“Your main task. . . is to find the central idea of the place you’re dealing with. . . . to catch the essence.”
“Whether the locale you write about is urban or rural, east or west, every place has a look, a population and a set of cultural assumptions unlike any other place. Find those distinctive traits.”
“Whatever place you write about. . . isolate the qualities that make it distinctive. Usually this will be some combination of the place and the people who inhabit it.”
“What brings a place alive is human activity: people doing the things that give a local its character.”
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
In the men’s compartment
I see an acne-scarred man, wiping his face every now and then. The wet film left behind on his face catches my eye. A closer look reveals him, smearing juice from a piece of lemon.
And I had thought, only, the ladies compartment was a place for such doings!
And I had thought, only, the ladies compartment was a place for such doings!
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Cheating
She comes home, hugs him tight, caresses his face, and locks her lips onto his. This is so unlike her usual self! She wonders if this is how a spouse behaves on cheating the other- as redemption of their downfall.
The other day, he too had come home, chirpy as never before and swept her off her feet. Then, does it mean, he too?
The other day, he too had come home, chirpy as never before and swept her off her feet. Then, does it mean, he too?
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Holding Hands
‘Can I hold your hand?’ he said.
She knew only lovers do that!
She remembers a time -
When a friend, in school, had held her hand;
And the murmurs did their rounds.
She knew only lovers do that!
She remembers a time -
When a friend, in school, had held her hand;
And the murmurs did their rounds.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Intoxicated Talk
Between ‘breezer’ sips and hookah puffs,
Old times intoxicate us, we talk of –
The chicken rawls (rolls), the tiggi-rides,
The movie shows and the like.
Like teen girls we giggle over –
The silly link-ups we had with boys,
A few crushes here and there, and
Falling for the same guy.
Ah! The college days were nothing
But a big-time nautanki!
P.S.: Deepa and Savvy, we missed you immensely!
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