13

13 is not a number.
13 is the side view
Of a cat sitting
Expectantly in front
Of a closed door.

Expectantly like
Beggars or a humble
Lover. (Is ‘humble lover’
Redundant?)

Before we proceed
Any further I would
Like to have a word
With the sceptics.

Please do the exercise
Prescribed below
In parenthesis.

(Tilt 13 to your left,
A 90 degree tilt)

We have this bad
Habit of embellishing
Anything and everything.

Thus we have cornices
And platforms on top
And bottom of 1.

When I say 1
I mean a vertical line
Nothing less, nothing more.

And 3;
3 should have a horizontal
Line on top, then a connecting
Slash, and then a bootylicious
Bottom, just like Shakuntala,
The Steatopygiac
Damsel of Kalidasa.

13, my friends,
Is not a number.
13 is the side view
Of a cat sitting
Expectantly in front
Of a closed door.