By Pankaj Trivedi
The Pandemic
Romeo and Juliet look tame
in the city of Verona,
By sixty years of their love-
shattered by Corona
Clouds fog her lungs
rains his eyes,
Impatient plastic bag waits-
as Gianna dies
Church bells sob gently
Lonely soldier’s shaky hand salutes goodbye,
A tired military truck ferries her away-
Under a weeping sky
On her grave Salvatore implores
To let her one last time breathe,
the resurrecting fragrance of his love-
in that wreath
Eternal Eclipse
The devouring Corona Moon
balefully blue,
A glorious presence-
chewed helium residue,
Hopeless horizon
scorched- thirsty lips,
A withering sunflower-
in an eternal eclipse