The 2River View 23.4 (Summer 2019)
 
 

Ishanee Chanda

The Journey to the Center of the Earth

I am digging through this / with empty bowls / and
calloused hands / The shovel is cold / and dead /
next to me / They say underneath the dirt / the
decaying bodies / there is a shattered / broken door /
to somewhere / less heavy / On the other side / of the
universe / gravity runs the wrong way / It pulls you /
into the air / arms above your head / Prayer is done
standing / God kneels / at your feet / He must be across /
this expanse of death / and rot / and acridity / kneeling
on / the other side / I am digging / God / I am coming /
I am / burying myself / alive / at your feet
  

Mirror

you pool / in my throat / in the mornings / the
taste of your lips / always caught / between my
tonsils / and my tongue / it has been months /
and i am still / licking you off / my fingertips /
like honey / and age-old soaked wine / what if
loving someone / is not holding them / in your
mouth / when they are gone / i try to swallow /
but the words get stuck in my throat / shards of
glass / slide into my stomach / they call love the
silver death / and i think about the mirror / in
your bedroom / all warm wood / and roses /
your smile reflected / in the morning light / if
this is death / what a glimmer it carries / what
a wonderful / graceful / way to go

Ishanee Chanda is a prose writer and poet with publications in a number of journals. She has also written two books of poetry: Oh, these walls, they crumble and The Overflow. web site

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