My beautiful lover

Today I woke up to see she had painted me red
And tied little bells around my waist
She wanted the world to worship me today
Once inside, she sets me free
My beautiful lover
My insanity

And so I am all set to dance before you
My hair shivering like light in the rain
So will you worship me today?
I have no womb, no breasts, no shame
Because she has set me free
My beautiful lover
My hysteria, independent of full moons

I will walk to you,
So you can see me like this
If I laugh or cry or break
And even if I bleed...
You know it is only divine
Because I am free

(This poem is inspired by the 'velichappad' or the oracle. As a child I remember the velichappad visiting my grandfather's home. But I have never seen a female velichappad when possessed. It was only the other day that I saw one such act on a TV channel. There is nothing like it. It is madness.)

Where is the bus?

After a lot of discussion, a tattered bus-timetable (the kind you get free with things bought at the corner shop) was fished out. "The bus from the bend to Ayyanthole is at 4:30," declared the one who had discovered the timetable.
So the guests started their walk towards the bend where the bus was expected to stop. The hostess walked with them.
"Why don't we just walk to the main bus stop" asked the husband. "This is simpler," say the rest.
Ammani was crossing the street at around the same time. After having agreed that the bus will come at 4:30 she decides to wait with the group.
The 'when did you come' to the parents and 'why is your hair like this' to the daughter followed. She went on to tell the hostess about the next pooja at the temple. "I didnt wait for you today as I had to go for the pooja at another temple," was offered as an explanation.
The family was trying to act interested. But, their obedient nodding of the head was disregarded totally when the carpenter passed by. He says, "The bus has just gone that way. Will come at 4:30" "You said you will come today," screams Ammani. "Tomorrow" he mumbles and hastily changing his mind about waiting with the family for the bus, slinks away.
Sati and her husband have reached there. "Did you go for the pooja", "What did you do to your hair" "When did you come" __ in that order.
" The bus should come at 4:30" they all decide.
But it is 4:35. "I said we should go to the main bus stop" says the husband. That is not quite heard as ammani, sati, hostess and wife are busy discussing how karthu house construction is coming along.
The carpenter has finished his chore and is rushing along to the other direction. Before Ammani can extract a promise from him that he will come the next day, he yells," did you check the time table? the bus is at five i believe" and he is gone.
After a lengthy discussion on the well and not-so-well being of the people in the family tree: "Was the time table wrong? Is there a bus at this time? I dont remember seeing a bus at 4:30 ever" The blame was finally pinned on the person who read the time table.
"You should have gone to the main bus stop earlier itself" Ammani
"Can we now walk to the bus stop?" husband
"So will you go to the pooja for ekadashi" Sati
"Do try and grow your hair long" hostess.
It is dark now and time to walk to the main bus stop.