City Series – Amarkant Thakur in Khopoli, Maharashtra, We the Isolationists (188th Corona Diary)

City Series – Amarkant Thakur in Khopoli, Maharashtra, We the Isolationists (188th Corona Diary)

City Series – Amarkant Thakur in Khopoli, Maharashtra, We the Isolationists (187th Corona Diary)

Our corona diary.

[Text and photo by Amarkant Thakur]

I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona… and I see

A gaze over my shoulder

That studies everything, I create or think

Or say or do or plan to do.

This gaze is awkwardly familiar, lacking certainty –

Despite that, it’s deeply involved.

It sees not light but miasma.

It keeps me sufficiently ‘distanced from society’

And nudges me in the stoic company of

Dostoyevsky, Tagore, Camus and Ghalib.

As I look across their shoulders,

Whispering dream-syllables,

My eyes meet the gaze fleetingly and

I feel a little more acquainted with myself.

“We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close my eyes in my self-isolation from Corona… and I see…” Not more than 100 words. With a horizontal-sized selfie, along with your city name… please mail to me at mayankaustensoofi@gmail.com.