Chai and Chrysanthemum

·

Mahnoor Rehan


My heart leans

towards abomination 

You— Earliest ray of sunshine 

Walking sack of calculated calories 

Abyss, philanthropy 

I follow the squirrels as they hop from one willow to another 

when I leave my world behind just to play a minuscule part in yours 

White Chrysanthemum disguised 

As a human 

Bang bang 

Swish swish 

They rip my petals off in bits 

Even god loves your company 

You both laugh at my life choices on a Saturday morning over a 

cup of chai 

Oh, what a delightful sight am I?

A hopeless, humorless watch

The burden of love etched in my palms—

Yet the thought of you still keeps me warm 

As I sit here in my rocking chair 

In the winter of my life 

My center centers around your center 

And I quietly oblige