— Dedicated to my selfish grief.
Everyone is leaving town
and I am left crumpled
on the ground.
Where my feet are
on cobbled edges.
Destined for uncertainty,
these are parts of me
I’d rather bury
under soiled shoes
at the shore
of the falling tree
before raging seas.
My selfish nails
clawing for a way out.
Gasps of doubt long
to be in my hometown.
I hold hands with a lover
at sundown.
My selfish hands
itches with memories
never made.
Touring bookshelves
in book fairs.
Winning games
in overpriced shirts
in the name of camaraderie.
My selfish heart
aching for your embrace.
Your hands around my waist,
I melt in a puddle of honey;
teasing the butterflies
that shocks the blood
on my cheeks,
tormenting my body.
The selfish heat
despite the spring days.
The morning dust of sand
stocked in mountains,
skyscrapers, and stone.
These views breathtaking
like made from severed bones.
These selfish wishes garner
the growing sensation of scrutiny
with how my life has come to be.
I am stopped in time,
and only I can wait to see
if yesterday’s spring
will hold me and my selfish grief
with its revitalizing leaves.
Afterword
I wrote this poem dedicated to the grief I felt when I abruptly left the country I grew up in. This piece speaks about the things I continue to miss deeply and the memories I’ve made with the people I met there.
My other pieces published under Write Under the Moon:
If you’re still reading, check out my other works here!
2024, Jafiyah
