Thousands of words
dipped in your universe
went into all the love poems
that I penned for you.
A million more
still reside in me
buzzing, breathing, living
in my love for you.
The pristine you -
The beautiful you,
The you I fell in love with
The you who has no clue
That my immense love
is boundless and free,
like a river into the ocean
I dissolve in thee.
The twinkling stars in the night-sky blanket,
and the twinkling fireflies
in the dark forest bed,
are the hopes and laughter
of women around the world—
sparks of joy
in the conundrum of the dark.
Why is pain so alienating?
How does it slice the heart
so neatly
without any sight of blood?
It wraps you, shields you
from the smiling faces around,
keeps you ensconced
in your acute solitude.
So much so that
joy feels jarring,
and your lips quiver
in an effort to smile.
It fills every breath
with awareness -
absolute awareness
of its enormous presence
in the same space
where love once resided.
