A drizzling midnight with
Pradeep and Kavi
Sharing the eerie silence of
Kozhikkode beach

Wet cement benches
Big orange street lights
Rain
The odor of the armpits of
Vasco da Gama
Vodka stench
Made cocktail of a midnight

From the unkempt hair of Pradeep
Saline music
Trickled to the silver sand

There was no sky above
For Kavi
To conquer a starry night
Slowly
He retraced his footsteps
To translate the streets beyond

With reverence
Pradeep touched the ocean
Two surfs forming his wings

An alchemist
Spreading the wings
He stood over the ocean
Singing soulfully
‘Pottithakarnna Kinavinte Mayyath
Kettippidichu Karayunna penne…’

Transforming the entire
Salt water
Into a pool of sparkling alcohol