Mdantsane to Transkei

in transkei
we drove on roads beyond roads
the sun and the sky set themselves apart
and people there talked about new south africa.
i wanted to get braids done on the
roadside
and dance to hip-hop
with others
being played by a blind musician
his head moving
his eyes behind dark glasses
negating all
nothing has really changed
only the dog among hitchhikers
just wanted to cross the street.

Poem and Watercolor by Amitabh Mitra

Mdantsane Girls Dancing

the summer wink has left
a stray color shine leaps on an everydaycloud
an everydaystreet
grass flowers bloom around shacks
she touches her eyes
and her hips again
in other patterns
mdantsane moves in unision
i jump out
on an ecstasy river
my long hair
my face rushes
a changing sky
in perfect congruency.


Poem and Watercolor on a handmade paper by Amitabh Mitra

Preview Mdantsane Breathing

Mdantsane Breathing by Amitabh Mitra

Mdantsane Shirts

Poets Printery, South Africa has launched an exclusive range of shirts with my art featuring the vibrant culture of beautiful Mdantsane. T shirts, Jackets, Ties and Scarves will have the insignia and colors of Mdantsane Art and its Poetry. T Shirts of all sizes are being sold at Rand 100 including postage.
amitabh@amitabhmitra.com

When you wrote

when you wrote with your nose on my arrogance
in close knit whispers of a dark
you said this is just another end
of all those rendezvous on skinstreets
our lips a breath of untoward moments
a tongue curtailing the history of mankind
and you and me
unafraid of galaxies
persisting in us
but today
i won’t see you anymore
nor your eyes where I once traveled
in the beginning of another time
nor your smile
of the victor and vanquished in
insane memories
and your saree that draped them always
today
not far from us are the deserts of innocence
where camels ran the density of moon
and we had once grown there
collateral of an even wilder sky
today
say again
i haven’t lived beyond an ardor
of that lost white flower in your hair
of summers that bled in silence
of the ruby river that woke us up each night
and your smell I have now learned to disbelieve
a death I had always lived
whenever a sparrow flew away
whenever another day arrived.

Poem and Watercolor by Amitabh Mitra

Road to Keiskammahoek

a pink sky suddenly

asked the blue keiskammahoek

mountain

reasons for living

and lasting

so long

a whiff of fern

air exploded in stranger

vicinity

somebody laughed

children

chased a dipping sun

Poem and Watercolor by Amitabh Mitra

Keiskammahoek

geese scream

a keiskammahoek sky falls apart

mountains go adrift

sun enters a serenity

meditates the following

day.

Poem and Watercolor by Amitabh Mitra