How parting is a sorrow sweet

For you will be on a different land

And we may never ever meet

Sorry if I am a little pessimistic

But one hears such things in life

One can die anyday and be a statistic

Sometimes, even of a mosquito bite

Sure, there are phones and mails

And all those social networking sites

And I can still imagine you lest all fail

But it is simply not the real delight

So let’s shelve the platonic tonight

And make love till the crows’ crow

For tomorrow when you go out of sight

Thinking of us will lessen the woe

Or it may make me feel more low

But I am willing to take this risk

So let’s just shut the door and do it

And that would be my parting gift

Or

You may croon in that throbbing voice

Or

You may croak with fewer hits than misses

Or

You may perform an aria with poise

But

To sing is to sing like Janis Joplin

With free-spirited abandonment…

Won’t you agree?

—-

1) What author do you own the most books by?

 P.G. Wodehouse. I am a die-hard Wodehouse fan.

2) What book do you own the most copies of?

 None. What does one do with multiple copies?

3) Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?

 No. I didn’t really notice till it was mentioned.

4) What fictional character are you secretly in love with?

Has to be Lord Emsworth. He is just adorable. Or should I own up and say Mr. Darcy?

5) What book have you read the most times in your life?

 The God of small things by Arundhati Roy.

6) What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?

 It was a novel in hindi called ’Papa  jab bachhe the’. I don’t remember the author but he was a Russian guy and the book was a translation. It mentioned all the antics one’s father is capable of doing as a kid and it always left me in splits.

7) What is the worst book you’ve read in this year?

 I can’t keep reading a bad book. So there are lots I have abandoned but most recent one is ‘The Curious Incident of the dog at night time’.

8.  What is the best book you’ve read this year?

White teeth by Zadie Smith.

9) If you could force everyone to read one book, what would it be?

 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

10) Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for literature?

 Considering Nobel prize committee made such awesome decision for Peace prize, I think they would close their eyes and give it to Shobha De (Oh God! NO!)

11) What book would you most like to see made into a movie?

 I don’t know… movies spoil most books. Still, my pick would be ‘The God of small things’ with Chitranghada Singh playing Amu.

12) What book would you least like to see made into a movie?

 Kafka on the shore by Haruki Murakami.

13) Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.

I once dreamt I am getting married to Vikram Seth (he is a favourite). Considering he is gay and twice my age, I would still not consider this dream weird and would like it to come true please.

14) What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?

Hmmm… Don’t remember. Didn’t pay much attention to their titles…

15) What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?

Midnight’s Children. Book III is excruciating to read through. The mind gets completely muddled by then.

16) Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?

Never read Chaucer (is it sacrilege?)..so I will say Milton.

17) Austen or Eliot?

Austen anyday.

18) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?

Sometimes I just go off-books till I find that perfect book to revive the reading. It’s not embarassing…I like the search.

19) What is your favorite novel?

Oh…the list runneth over.

20) Play?

The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.

21) Short story?

After twenty years by O. Henry.

22) Work of non-fiction?

 Haven’t read many but I liked ‘A million little pieces’ by James Frey.

23) Who is your favorite writer?

Vikram Seth. I love his poetry more than his prose though.

But for one.

Women drivers. Argghh!

Being not too harsh on my sex, they suck!

Too cautious. Too slow. Turn the volume down so that they can yap away to glory.

I love sitting in a car that is going zip-zap-zoom, music rocks, my hair are doing a crazy dance and there is so much wind blowing on my face that I have trouble catching my breath.

Invariably, it is a man who is driving that car.

And overwrite them with

Limp asterisks

Do not make beeping sounds

When I speak my words

Do not cover your ears

Or pretend I am not there

Do not click your tongue

Or shake your head

For I listen to you too

And your polished words

 They are never a ‘fuck’

But they are distastefully fake