one
singular
alone
in
its
all encompassing self
earth waits for you
to call its name
in a whisper
a murmerism of sorts
a shout
a cry
a longing
orbiting me
you say you orbit me
I stretch my hand out
closing my eyes
waiting
wanting
nurturing my want
protecting it as if it were my first born
or my last born
wanting to hold the whimpering body more than it needed me
and the days and the nights were never mine again you say you orbit me and I look at the sky watching it melt in my eyes don’t ever leave me you say I say
it never matters who does
it’s said
one
single
singular
alone
complete
The clouds gather
one by one then many one two three and more the child counts
here i am being orbited by you by them by many and one
beta, how are you now
I keep my eyes shut I am fine ma
how fine are you
I am ok
I’ll be fine
helm at the ship
yes ma I’ll be ok
hand stretched out I wait for one to come and place it’s aching self in my palm
pitterpatterpitterpatterpitterpatterpitterpatter
monsoon rain falls achingly into the palm of my hand of the outstretched arm of the centre of my being that you orbit and the day becomes dark and I
inhale sondhi ; that ache of the earth that waited a year for the rain time is relative in the lives of lovers you should take care of yourself I do ma not enough yes I will but it’s so late now feels futile to

I’ll make the tea why don’t you just sit hereandwaitdee while I read the 799 messages on my whatsapp sure I will wait while you do that and I keep my eyes shut and my arm stretched and my palm waiting longing thirsty for the thirty three drops of barsaat that can be contained in its central pivotal self that you orbit

.

.

.

phew

…

Dee is from Lahore, Pakistan. Loves dark nights and old trees.