Queer Verse: Two poets introspect on love, loss, and identity

The Supreme Court's decision to strike down portions of the draconian Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code has heralded a new age in India; one where the LGBTQI community is one step further in the fight for equal rights. It marks the start of more large-scale changes in education, employment and marriage, as well as bringing to an end the wide-scale discrimination that queer people face.Literature has been at the heart of the LGBTQI movement, whether as a form of protest or simply a means to express that which society deems unacceptable. Aditi Angiras and Akhil Katyal, editors of an upcoming anthology of queer poetry from South Asia, share some of their work written over the years, which explores love, identity, and language, among other themes.Art by Namaah K***My Mad Girl's Love Songthere are days when i really miss you, sylvianights like these i wonder, what ifthings were different that one nightand you had met meat that party. 1956, february 25.between the jazz and poems anddrinking whiskey and ginger winewalking on air, like a holy highyou'd stumble and step on my toesso we'd end up dancing all nightyou'd quote me my poemsand i'd court you, more poemswhere you'd not need to be youconfused, inebriatedand i'd not need to be hughesto be huge with the ladies"I dreamed that you bewitchedme into bed (oh sylvia)And sung me moon-struck,kissed me quite insane."head in the clouds, you'd got mesinging "oh na na, what's my name?"now that we're sober, tell medear sylvia, would you still diewith your head in the ovenor, stay, six years later, tohold my hand at the stonewall riots?Say, won't you write me a poemto tell me we're real, alive not deadloving like fuckers, fucking like loversso i'd stop feeling that ....(I think I made you up inside my head.)— Aditi Angiras Dilruba: A Ghazal I must have been nine when I first saw Dilruba,the show 'Shrimaan Shrimati', year 1994. Dilruba,who loved his neighbour's wife, quite inexplicably,'coz the joke was the limp-wristed, see-saw Dilruba.In one episode they said he was born on 6:6:1966,such a 'Chakka', the whole room was like "Haw Dilruba!"The worst is I remember I found it funny, I laughedand yet felt a dread that took years to thaw, Dilruba.Each morning, the school ground was fifty yards of fear,a senior had yelled, "Hey," as if finding a flaw, "Dilruba!"And yet they named him 'that which ravishes the heart,' thiswas also his meaning, Akhil, just that you never saw Dilruba.— Akhil Katyal[imgcenter][/imgcenter]​ Gender Troublewhen the girl kisses the ugly frogit turns into a charming princebut in my fairy tale i thinki swallowed mine like a pillnow it beats me like an angry hearton the days it wants to get out— Aditi Angiras ***In the Urdu ClassI confused my be with pe.He asked me to write ‘water’,I wrote ‘you’.Who knew they’d make them so close,Aab (آب) and Aap (آپ).Both difficult to hold on to.— Akhil Katyal [imgcenter][/imgcenter]​I Will Meet You Againtranslated from Amrita Pritam's Punjabi poem 'Main Tenu Phir Milangi' by Akhil KatyalMain Tenu Fir Milaan GiKithey? Kis Tarah? Pata NaiShayad Terey Takhayul Di Chinag Ban KeTerey Canvas Tey Utraan GiYa Khowrey Terey Canvas Dey UteyIkk Rahasmayi Lakeer Ban KeKhamosh Tenu Tak Di Rawaan GiI will meet you againWhere? How? I do not know -maybe as a bit in your imaginationI will come to your canvasor like a cryptic line you draw,silently, keep gazingat you.Yaa Khowrey Sooraj Di Loo Ban KeTerey Rangaan Wich Ghulaan GiYaa Rangaan Diyan Bahwaan Wich Baith KeTerey Canvas Nuu Walaan GiPata Nai Kiss Tarah? Kithey?Par Tenu Zaroor Milaan GiOr like the ray of the sunI will mix in your colours,and sitting in their arms, becomethat which you draw.I do not know how or wherebut I will meet youagain.Yaa Khowrey Ikk Chashma Bani Howaan GiTey Jeevan Jharneyaan Da Paani Udd-daMain Paani Diyaan BoondaanTerey Pindey Tey Malaan GiTey Ikk Thandak Jahi Ban KeTeri Chaati Dey Naal Lagaan GiMain Hor Kujh Nai JaandiPar Aena JaandiKe Waqt Jo Vii Karey GaAey Janam Mairey Naal Turey GaMaybe I will be a springand like water, fly to the wind -those droplets of water, I willrub on your body, andlike a coolness, I willlie on your chest.I don't know muchbut this I know,in time, when I go,all I have done will goand when this body goeseverything goes,but the threads of memoriesare like the atoms in the universe,I will cherry-pick those atoms,weave those threadsand I will meet you again.Aey Jism Mukda HaiTay Sab Kujh Muk JaandaPar Chaityaan Dey DhaageyKaainaati Kana Dey HundeyMain Onhaan Kana Nuu Chunaan GiDhaageyaan Nuu Walaan GiTey Tenu Main Fair Milaan Gi.