A Mosaic With Many Ends

~in-between, bound, surrounded and cornered~

Acrylic and Gold Leaf on Canvas by Farida Haque

Spirits dropped from black trees

I was mounted on a horse

That would take me nowhere

Sounds, little sounds,

Clung quickly to themselves

And behind them

Long, recondite whispers were

Being disemboweled and

Some stretched out on

Moaning racks till

Sockets popped.

Where were the stars?

Where were your stars, Baba

Those covenant makers with

Our mothers, guarantors of

Safe passages?

Thick tamarind juice skies closed their eyes…

The hour of snakes was at hand

And the only light that there was,

Emanated from groans

Of wandering souls many light years

Away, light like smeared residue

Left by a glow worm.

Tell me

this is not my life,

Tell me

this is not my night,