[B. A. (English Honours), Miranda House, University of Delhi]
Sunflowers
little girl
your little hands
should hold
sunflowers
not the deadweight
of my skin
you follow me
step for step
swallowing my tears
my bare, pulsing blood
do you not have a home
to return to?
sunlight hits
the mess of curls
sunflowers
flecked with brown
can I drown in the sea
of your big, dark eyes?
little girl
take me apart
piece for piece
cradle my head
the rest of my body
is too heavy
sunflowers
grow over us
taller, taller
they strain to hide
but soon, too soon
they wither