Longing in Empty Spaces
after Mirabai
In the haveli’s deserted courtyard the sun beats down on stone I search for a glimpse of him but find only shadows
The wind stirs the dust devils they swirl and die at my feet I am left with nothing but the ache of his absence
In the stillness I hear the creaking of the old wooden door it is a sound that speaks of his presence and his departure
I took from Mirabai the use of natural imagery and the blurring of spiritual and erotic longing, and applied it to a scene of everyday emptiness. I aimed to capture the sense of yearning and absence that is characteristic of her work.