So, that third floor of the building
was forbidden,
and up we climbed three
quiet, mischievous rats,
As thudded and thudded
our frantic chests
Where echoes, as waves,
of every whisper plunged
into the unlit well—
Scurried away all the lizards
at the unbidden thunder
of our steps
There sat
the pretty, pretty sun
awaiting—
Smirking past a dust-licked glass
'So you made it'
yes, yes, yes
and look at our trembling veins,
Gazes alert as spot-lit fawns’
Fear is beautiful
and only now do we know
only now, only—
A thousand hours of conch shells uncurled
Only just—
And we’re never going back
Then, the teacher comes
and roars out a fury
As we stammer and serve her
with our sorry words
but a smile dares slip
and down into the gaping sea
we go—
Then flutter and run we
away from her tides
Thread with thread intertwines
and we weave laughs
out of the lively looms
of our throats
run and run
as up chuckles the buoyant sun
No wrath shall hold and pull us now
Not again to those grim, dim
places shall we go
we have witnessed the luring miracle
of a little fall.
18/09/2021
For Eman and Zainub, though they’ll probably never know.