Evening in Chandigarh

This evening I will sit
with a few friends
Down a couple of rums
and turn a wee bit drunk
we will start with
talking of Punjab
and paste on the wall
shadows of friends
alive or lost
in a collage of sorts
then we will hum
a sad verse
by Surjit Patar
when the room
turns hazy with the
smoke of memories
we will move on to
folk songs
our long-haired friend
who is to be found
these days in
Kumar Vikal’s poems
will sing a song
of longing and love
Then my turn will come
I will play clown
with much aplomb
mimic a few and
crack a bawdy joke
about the Whites
friends will tire
of laughing and
our `Sufi’ friends
will want something else
Suddenly Sanjeev Gaur
the reporter will come
spinning a yarn or two
he will weave a new story
on Rani Balbir’s phulkari
Barnala’s flowing beard
Or Vijyantimala’s sari
Every one will relax
Kamal Tewari will
stuff his mouth
with a tobacco paan
and ask his Paramjit
to make him some tea
Then he will relent
to sing a Pankaj Mullick song
Music will fill the air
and he will be just a little high
Taking full advantage
I will intervene
and become the
leading lady of a play
never to be staged
recite some funny lines from
your story and mine
that is listed as
yet another unhappy
affair in the city gazetteer

Yes, this is how I will
spend this evening
and move on to
a new morn…

*This poem has the names of poets, celebs and others from the old gang.