Werewolf

by Satya Dash

I haven’t seen you in years the soft moon 

                  on your palms on it lines of sprawling river a little 

of my fate swirling ambitiously in yours

         this property of wings bleached invisibly 

on skin— to fly entwined across burlaps of light 

                 or eclipse— one colouring the hollow of another 

in the golden shade a body produces when held 

         close to a lamp’s flickering anger each celestial

 ending leads to another big-banging universe 

                 most moons on most nights distract 

in the same way I use the light of a moon lamp

         to distract from most lies and some truths 

selective permeability extinguishes flames 

                 raging a hidden stubble burning 

bright listen at night I’m more animal 

         than teeth more waterfall than water

 my gums ooze melted bite your shimmering 

                 oil the lunatic’s blend of what is deemed 

divine and what divine can never deem

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Satya Dash's poems have been published or are forthcoming in Waxwing, Wildness, Redivider, Passages North, The Journal, The Florida Review, Hobart, The Cortland Review and Poetry@Sangam among others. Apart from having a degree in electronics from BITS Pilani-Goa, he has been a cricket commentator too. He is a two-time Orison Anthology, Best of the Net and Best New Poets nominee. He grew up in Cuttack and now lives in Bangalore. He tweets at: @satya043.