Like a painting by Velazquez A woman stands Alone in the frame Touched by the brush of light Blossoming. How did Flesh Tint reflect Naples Yellow In this greenish blue room? What made the sun Suddenly rise on the palette? That beggarwoman on Tulsi Pipe Road That streetwalker in Chicago What immortal light has washed them To make her stand here Naked In mysterious clarity? Venice, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome Florence, Castile, Nice, Pune, Satara, Valsad, Palanpur, Jaisalmer, Thrissur, Kottayam, Hissar, Ludhiana, Muzaffarpur, Bhuvaneshwar, Ujjain, Jhansi, East Godavari, Karwar, Vengurla, Alibag, All geography is as colourless as linseed oil Pigments come from the sky Like a naked woman from over the Western Ghats Luminous.