By Pragya Bajpai
PROMPT — Who am I today?
In my diary, I wrote about the heavens and deep azure sky
That caught my eye as my aimless gaze follows a butterfly
While keeping the fever of you at arm’s length
I wrote about exploring the hidden reservoir of strength
about mastering a new skill of sleeping in teasing cricket's sound
about fireflies overwhelming the bosom of darkness around
about carelessly crossing a busy street with staggering dreams
challenging my cerebral capacities
I wrote about contemplating in the garden,
glued to a corner for hours
About mysterious patterns of silver stars
About everything that makes noise and disrupts my poise
About the airplane making geometric patterns of cotton in the sky
that no more fails to catch my empty eyes
About the swaying kite
smoothly landing on the branch to rest in peace
that draws my attention
breaks my spell of reverie
I wrote about love of a sparrow that checks on me
every day with no expectations ever
I wrote about the plants that were neglected
when I was too busy mourning our separation
As I fill the last page of the diary, I realize
I didn't think of your lethal love,
didn't bother to even hate you
I broke free bit by bit
everything has wiped off my mind like
the spam mails that automatically
get deleted after some time
One by one, all the relics of you in me have died
I have reached a destination where nothing feels
Yet everything is complete. I am at peace
I am what I was meant to be
not a part of you but
a whole
Pragya Bajpai, Ph.D. is a mother, poet, artist, and academic who writes from Pune, Maharashtra, India. She has published a collection of 51 poems and has edited 4 anthologies celebrating the armed forces. Her second poetry collection is under publication. She is featured in anthologies and magazines worldwide. View her Instagram: pragyabajpai29
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