The First Stone Involving a Few Non-Cryptic Clues

Sailen Routray

Jane M. Byrne Interchange at Chicago
https://commons.wikimedia.org/Sea Cow

About Arastu

I have stopped thinking in Odia. 

I am yet to start dreaming

electric sheep in English. 

I laugh in Kannada, barely. 

Bangalore does that 

to a vernie Kahandayat boy; 

it leaches out languages 

and marinates him in tongues.

Carrying Across

It seems my life 

shall leave in remembrance.

One evening I started

stalking a dream.

I am ending,

oh Jagannatha.

The Developmental State or The Nakhras of Bengaluru

1.117 kilos of mast mast mustard oil, 

in a bottle that you can use 

for marinating tongues, 

but you won’t. 

Nearly fifteen tea-suffused evenings 

at Cafe Mecca 

with a hint of dirty pudina leaves. 

House on the hill + 

words on water + 

peanuts 

that taste of Tumkur’s edginess 

at the intersection between 

Church Street and Brigade road. 

Two pots of ginger tea 

with miserly slices 

of Joshua’s smiles at a restaurant 

that shall remain unnamed 

at the end of the earth.