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Learn to stop Singing
One day you forget the camera in your throat and pick up handful of lines.
You map the softness of fire.
all the nerves and cells
Trying to catch a sedating tune
you feel like folding your voice and tucking in a fruit platter.
You remember laryngologist’s words
“speak only if it is very much necessary”.
You need no clock
You know when an hour walks into your glass of neglected water.
Activated
​
water toned voice.
You make a censorship on listening
not to listen leaves, not to listen twinkling
anything that urges singing.
You simply gaze
at the unblinking microphone.
You will never stop
you come to know
listening.

Jyothsna’s poems have previously appeared in The Hopper, Quail Bell, Shotglass and others. Her first poetry collection Ceramic Evening was out in 2016. Currently she is teaching English Literature at ARSD College (University of Delhi), India. she blogs at phanija.wordpress.com
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