GRAFFITI
written by: Dilip Mohapatra
@dilipmo
They are commoners
not the elite class like
murals or frescos
nor even hieroglyphics
and are accused of
being malevolent
vandals and defilers.
They are born
behind the curtains
in dark dungeons
when no one is around
in forms of their very own
through scribbles scratches
and sprays.
They survived
the Vesuvius eruptions
those incised inscriptions
and still tell a tale
sometimes sepulchral
sometimes sanguine
ethereal and eternal.
They just don’t care
for the raised eye brows
of the prude
or the law enforcers
and speak their heart
lending voice
to the otherwise dumb walls.
MAY 2017 / JAN-FEB 2019 AUTHOR OF THE MONTH at Spillwords.com
Dilip Mohapatra (b.1950), a decorated Navy Veteran started writing poems since the seventies and is a regular contributor to Spillwords. His initial foray into the world of literature was through poetry workshops in college and inspirations from his teacher Jayanta Mahapatra, an acclaimed poet in contemporary English. His poems have appeared in many literary journals of repute and anthologies worldwide. Some of his poems are included in the World Poetry Yearbook, 2013 and 2014 Editions. He has ten poetry collections to his credit published by Authorspress, which have received raving reviews in multiple literary journals globally. He has also authored two short story collections and two professional books on management and leadership. He is the recipient of the prestigious Honour Award for complete work under Naji Naaman Literary Awards for 2020 and holds the honorary title of ‘Member of Maison Naaman pour la Culture’.
He lives with his wife at Pune, India.
Latest posts by Dilip Mohapatra (see all)
- Mind Those Gaps - January 30, 2026
- Schrödinger’s Cat - October 6, 2025
- Manna From Heaven - July 10, 2025
