
Freckled face
and empty space
between her fingers.
Darling, I’m
ending my chase.
Moving in
like I found home base.
‘Cause hearts are heavy
and love’s no race.
Maybe if the universe gave me a chance
or time did, to keep my wheel of life running
my heart would still pray, to time again
to keep the one I love, to hold my hand
by my side, till time does its duty.
I would watch, leaning on his shoulders
generations of the future, spinning galaxies
and turning time around their wrists, running
along the path, that unfolds like a carpet
opening portals to newer, stranger things.
I would curate the memories made, and recover
the ones lost, at times and tides tempestuous
make plaques and statues out of them, and
finally, a temple in which my children would come
and make themselves owners, to these memories, lost.
I would forever, keep doing this, till I’m tired
till my heart is tired, till my soul stretches out
to the golden thread of salvation, weaving
a fabric of age and the final time, shrouded
over what will be left of me, a feeble human body
till I’m contented with what I’ve become, and
slowly disappear like a mirage, fade away, for
the future child to spin my stories someday.
(from ‘MUSINGS OF A SPEARHEAD’- to be published)
I felt myself transcend
to another realm,
void of impulse control.
He teased me
in the cruelest ways,
hitting the spot, Continue reading Primal
We forget the days of
Our ambiguous bodies.
Young frames, stretching
Away from the weight of gravity.
We were aware of neither
Death nor life,
Thus words of dislike
Would not yet cling to us,
Like labels.
We were too young.
Too unaware of the words
They said.
If only, for our mind’s sake, Continue reading The Children’s Way
Maa makes a salan for each son
because they like different things
but the beti needs to learn to make her own food
kyun ki uski age pe shaadi aur bachey hotey hain
larka jaan per be jaiy, jaise bi rai
maa ankh band karke osko kabi kuch boley gi nahi
beti aik galti kare
uski izzat zaban per aja ti hai
the sons can go out and party get a girl pregnant
but they’ll still be able to move on and find a good girl to marry
the girl stays out a bit later than 8 pm
might wear a t-shirt,
and the whole mohalla is calling her a slut, saying she’s no longer a virgin
truth is
we don’t love our girls as much as our sons
truth is
you have failed us girls
truth is
us girls are tired of walking on eggshells
of being thrown around, walked all over
and expected to have sabr
kehte hain betiyaan sab se bari rehmat hain
toh aaj hum ko kyun torey ho
Picture Credit: @thepakistanimarthastewart
Now I find myself dancing
to the frantic beat of my heart
at the threshold of judgment
desperate for a figment of
something positive, warm
but realise that I’m shackled
by cynical negations, galore.
Here demons wear masks
of noblemen and kings
and brandish their swords
Continue reading A dance in the dark
His lies were sweet,
turning my sourness to honey,
and although
he carried the nectar Continue reading A Buzz
He graced me with a perfect smile upon his face
As he placed the most magical kiss lips can taste
Mending all my broken bones together
His presence couldn’t be detained by any weather
All of the bullet wounds surrounding my heart
Reminding me of the way I fell apart
Love will send your mind spiraling in the dark hours of the night
Reminiscing on all of the times you had to put up a fight
Demanding for him to stay
Yet all they tend to do is begin to run away
That is why our magnificent kiss haunts me in my dreams
Sadly love never is the way it seems
As much as I hoped this time would be different
I know deep in my core that it isn’t
I watch as the spot in my driveway remains empty
As you continue to love on plenty
Leaving them wondering deeply in their souls
Why their minds were left souring from their control
They fell for your same tricks
That you applied just as smoothly as the kiss you placed upon my lips
I knew I should of ran from the start
My mother always told me I was smart
I still am baffled in the way you managed to get under my skin
Why do people like you always have to win?
But I have learned my lesson this time around
As the scars you left on me are no longer profound
I will soon be ready to love again
As I no longer view my broken bones as a sin.
She is all the things
that which I am not,
her strength goes well beyond the
limitations of brute force,
where I stop to complain and cry,
I’m trying to silence the voices
that tell me you don’t care.
They ring loudly in my ear.
They shout to me.
They tell me to stop wasting my time.
But I don’t listen.
“Pull yourself together,”
I pleaded.
Splattered splotches,
an abstract of red hues
and beet purple
crept from my neck, Continue reading Blush by Heather Matthews
(queen of the people)
Queen of the damned
baleful, dingy
first name Anne
young and stingy.
Stoic to her thoughts
elated for her desires
has trudged and fought
her share of liars.
Attended many weddings
gawked from the sides
cuddled in different bedding
never a bride.
Spry when she speaks
guides the lost
pities the freaks
never been crossed.
Comfortable on her throne
she’s merry
delves in the unknown
feasting on her red berries.
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There was dust in her soul
that hadn’t just settled,
but collected.
Like fine porcelain
tucked away and forgotten, Continue reading Wash & Dry
I often wondered if you were as sad as I was after you walked away. It pained me to say that perhaps you were not, and one day I had to let my hope dissipate. This is where I walk now, on the road taking me further away from you and any dreams I held onto. I stopped by the ocean for a while and tried to drop your name into the water, but I might as well have drowned myself because you were still inscribed all over me. Continue reading The Aftermath by Samihah Pargas
that badass Black Queen
fluttered across those keys,
matching the grooves of her
scars, the heart of her art
beaming at war
scaling buildings of thought,
mauling the gaul of contention,
shattering mirrors of sought
insecurities & indecision
skipping across the creamy
dusts of nebulas, tapping
the tips of her toes on
starry mists. Continue reading Indomitable Woman
( photo by graham hunt via unsplash )
blk woman.
holy woman.
more soil than flesh—
hips shaking in the juke joint woman.
sunday morning high notes with
pot liquor and cornbread woman.
mothering woman.
chasing love in a field,
turning more scar than flower—
more, never less than woman.
yet, still seeing god woman.
you are here woman.
—you are holy, black woman
The world heard your sorrowful apologies
the one with the tears
how you truly meant it wouldn’t happen again
I heard the lies
I heard the sorry that really was saying
I really don’t mean any of this crap
I just don’t want to look like the bad guy
I really meant to do all that shit
and I will continue it
Because we both know
you hated for anyone to
tell you what to do
I heard your plastic words
I heard you slither
I felt the stab with every
pathetic apology of yours
I heard your abuse
I heard your ego crush a bit
I heard you fake cry
I heard you lie
I heard the true you
through the mask
I heard what I was trying to quit
lets saddle dragonflies tonight,
through the whistling winds
that sing the songs of life
we’ll sail until the dawn arrives,
rest your eyes, lean upon me, and enjoy the ride
on my fancy dragonfly,
we’ll soar until our shadows die,
if they ever ask fantasy’s our alibi
they have to understand a mans dream
is what keeps him alive
once upon a time
i surfed a tear my mother cried
and invited her unto her own perception of paradise,
nowadays i journey others on this pretty fly,
come take a hold of these reins and give it a try
i flew many a slave out the pain of those cotton fields,
honestly my crazed adventures could of got me killed,
but look me in the eyes,
tell me freedom ain’t worth dying for,
its exactly what we’re fighting for,
and until the fight is won we’ll above the war,
delving in our fantasies, just you and me,