O what does the burning mouth
Of sun, burning in today’s,
Sky, remind me….oh, yes, his
Mouth, and….his limbs like pale and
Carnivorous plants reaching
out for me, and the sad lie
of my unending lust.
Where is room, excuse or even
Need for love, for, isn’t each
Embrace a complete thing a finished
Jigsaw, when mouth on mouth, i lie,
Ignoring my poor moody mind
While pleasure, with deliberate gaeity
Trumpets harshly into the silence of
the room… At noon
I watch the sleek crows flying
Like poison on wings-and at
Night, from behind the Burdwan
Road, the corpse-bearers cry ‘Bol,
Hari Bol’ , a strange lacing
For moonless nights, while I walk
The verandah sleepless, a
Million questions awake in
Me, and all about him, and
This skin-communicated
Thing that I dare not yet in
His presence call our love.

[From Summer in Calcutta]

Kamala Das’ poem “In Love” examines the idea of a partnership motivated more by sensual desire than by true love. The female narrator muses on her passionate interactions with her partner and draws comparisons between them and the intense heat of the day. The narrator distinguishes these acts as manifestations of lust rather than love, despite the physical intimacy.

The metaphorical representation of the lover as a carnivorous plant highlights a consuming and voracious desire. The poem explores the inner turmoil of the narrator, who admits that there is no love in the relationship but nevertheless indulges in sensual pleasure motivated by never-ending lust.

The narrative shifts to solitary moments, with the narrator observing crows in the morning and hearing the hoarse cries of corpse-bearers at night. Moonless nights bring introspection and questioning, leading the narrator to reconsider the nature of their relationship.

In the end, the poem concludes with the reluctant acceptance that their connection is primarily based on lust, and the narrator hesitates to label it as “love” in the presence of the lover. Overall, “In Love” explores the complexities of human relationships, focusing on the conflict between physical desire and genuine emotional connection.