From the River Ravi— With lines from Tarfia Faizullah’s “Aubade Ending With the Death of A Mosquito”
From the railing of the bridgeI toss a coininto the river’s murky sleeve—its litter floating, dispersals lusteredby the sky. Once, I wantedto say one true thing—as in let me break free.
The river is hurt,a toxic belly with bloatedminnows, loversdumped. I walk its cusp.
A weary pilgrimwho haunts the sludgeflings from gaunt armschunks of meat for crows.
She holds out a lump, waitsfor me to clutch back.I turn to leave the riverthe city, and its people.
You will carry this burden,she rasps, eyes narrowedon a bubbling rainbow,long after you learnyour city, your love,is a force, the planet spinningretrograde to the sun.